You Must Come Hungry

Luke 11:5-13, illustrates how God invites us to pray boldly, to seek with hunger, and to ask with persistence, just as a friend would come knocking at midnight, knowing his need would be met.

Understanding Persistent Prayer

In Luke 11, Jesus teaches a powerful lesson through a parable: if a friend goes to his neighbor at midnight asking for bread, even if he’s initially refused, his persistence will ultimately win him what he needs. Jesus uses this to illustrate how we should approach God—boldly, persistently, and without shame. This midnight friend’s need represents our moments of deepest reliance on God, when we approach Him with open hands and empty hearts, saying, “Lord, I am hungry for You!”

Jesus follows this by encouraging His disciples, saying, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:9 NKJV). This promise reassures us that God hears the cries of the persistent heart. When we approach God with expectation, the Holy Spirit moves.

Coming to God with Hunger

To pray like this, we must come hungry. Many times, life distracts us from the importance of a daily communion with God, turning what should be vibrant and life-giving into something routine. But Jesus reminds us that prayer is about approaching God with a deep, spiritual hunger. When we come hungry, God responds by filling us with His Spirit.

As we see in Luke 11, Jesus says, “How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” God doesn’t just give material answers; He gives the very Spirit that brings life, joy, and peace. This goes beyond daily bread—this is the Bread of Life itself.

Persistent Prayer: The Key to Unlocking Miracles

Christ teaches that prayer should be frequent, instant, and persistent, to the point where we might feel as if we’re “annoying” God. It’s like a child repeatedly asking for something they truly desire—this persistence often gets results. God wants us to come to Him with the same fervor.

Our persistence reflects our faith and our desire to see God’s hand move in our lives. The Bible says in James 5:16, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” When we seek God with hunger and persistence, He hears, and He answers.

Hunger for Prayer: A Lesson from History

Throughout history, God has moved in response to hungry hearts. One powerful example is the Great Awakening of the 1700s, where preachers like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield were filled with a hunger to see God’s Spirit poured out. They preached with passion, igniting a fire in the hearts of people across America. That revival started with a simple hunger for God and a desire to see lives transformed.

Another historic example is the Pentecostal revival that swept the world in the early 1900s, beginning with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Topeka, Kansas, and Azusa Street in Los Angeles. People from all walks of life, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, gathered to pray and worship, hungry for a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit. These movements weren’t about man-made plans—they were about people coming hungry for God’s power, which sparked some of the greatest revivals we’ve ever seen.

Revival Begins with a Hunger for Prayer

In every revival, we see the same theme: people who were spiritually hungry. They were not content with casual Christianity; they wanted more of God. When we truly come hungry, our prayer lives become vibrant, and God begins to move in extraordinary ways.

I remember the revivals from my childhood, where churches would gather for prayer meetings that lasted late into the night. The expectation was clear: if we come hungry, God will show up. And He did, time after time. The same is true today. God is still looking for people who are willing to seek Him with all their hearts, expecting Him to move.

A Modern-Day Hunger: The Battle of the Chicken Sandwich

To illustrate the importance of hunger and quality, think back to the famous “Chicken Sandwich War” of 2019 between Popeyes and Chick-fil-A. People were so eager to try the new sandwich that lines wrapped around buildings, and social media lit up with people sharing their opinions. That hunger and excitement translated into record-breaking sales. People crave quality, and they’re willing to go out of their way to get it.

Just as people flocked to Popeyes for something new and delicious, we must be willing to come to God with that same hunger and dedication. But unlike fast food, which satisfies only temporarily, prayer and seeking God are investments with eternal rewards.

Coming Hungry to Make a Difference

The world is filled with hurting, lost people who are spiritually hungry for something real. God’s promise to us is that if we come hungry, He will satisfy us. Imagine if every one of us prayed with a hunger for God’s Spirit in our lives, families, and communities. What impact could that make?

Our communities need people who know how to pray, who are hungry for a move of God. We can be the prayer warriors who stand in the gap, interceding for those around us. As we hunger for God and dedicate ourselves to persistent prayer, He will begin to answer in ways that transform lives.

Women Who Made a Difference: A Testament to Persistence

The Bible gives us the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She pushed through the crowd to touch Jesus because her hunger outweighed her inconvenience. She believed that just one touch from Him would change her life. And Jesus responded, saying, “Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 8:48)

Imagine what could happen if we approached God with this kind of faith and persistence! The woman’s healing is a testament to what happens when we come hungry for God’s power.

Closing Thoughts: Coming Hungry for Revival

I challenge you to ask God to fill you with a renewed hunger for His presence. Pray like never before. Seek Him with persistence. Expect miracles. Just as revivals of the past began with people who were hungry for God’s Spirit, so will today’s revival be sparked by a church that refuses to settle for anything less than His fullness.

Our world needs believers who are “hungry” for God and willing to pray persistently for His Spirit to move. God is waiting, ready to pour out His blessings on those who ask, seek, and knock with all their hearts.

Will you come hungry?

Thanks for reading!
-Rev. Hank L. Hayes