[[Theology of Prayer]] / Intercession > [!note] New - 2026-03-26 ![[assets/covers/intercession.jpg]] Intercession is bold, fervent prayer that confidently appeals to God. This boldness is grounded not in human persistence or worthiness, but in trust in God’s honour and his commitment to his promises. Intercession expresses certainty that God will respond, not uncertainty that requires endless pleading. ## Boldness Grounded in Divine Honour The parable of the persistent widow is routinely misread as a lesson in perseverance, yet Jesus communicates something entirely different. In an honour-shame culture, a widow’s bold persistence in approaching a reluctant judge after repeated rejection would be unthinkable (a profound humiliation). The parable’s point is not that God rewards relentless nagging. Instead, intercession operates on the principle of divine honour: because God is true to his honour and committed to his promises, we can approach him with certainty rather than anxiety. Intercession expresses confidence that God will answer our prayers precisely because of his honour.[^jabbour-crescent-p161] > [!example]- Changelog > - **2026-03-26** Create from *The Crescent through the Eyes of the Cross*: New page covering Fervent and confident prayer appealing to God, characterized by boldness in petitioning based on trust in God’s honor an ## Selected passages > ‘==Can you imagine the man downstairs persisting in knocking at the door after the humiliation of rejection? This is impossible! The parable is about honor and shame rather than persistence. There is a parable that talks about persistence, but it is not this one.36 What is the point that Jesus was communicating through this parable? Not persistence but boldness, as the niv translates it. Jesus was saying that we can count on God because he will be true to his promises. Because of his honor he will answer our prayers.==’ > > *The Crescent through the Eyes of the Cross*, p. 161 ## Appearances - *The Crescent through the Eyes of the Cross*, Jabbour, Nabeel T. - Chapter 11 The Power of Paradigms, p. 161 ## Related [[The Lord's Prayer]] . [[Prayer as Essential Practice]] . [[Honour-Shame Paradigm]] . [[Discernment in Prayer]] . [[Intercessory Prayer and Rogation Days]] [^jabbour-crescent-p161]: [[The Crescent through the Eyes of the Cross]], p. 161 . ‘Can you imagine the man downstairs persisting in knocking at the door after the humiliation of rejection? This is impossible! The parable is about honor and shame rather than persistence. There is a parable that talks about persistence, but it is not this one.36 What is the point that Jesus was […]’