LUKE 11:1-13
b. The verbs ask, seek, and knock are all continuous action. We are to keep on asking and seeking and knocking,
ever beseeching God to hear us.
4. The answer is assured. God will hear and answer the person who perseveres and endures in prayer. The believer al-
ways receives the need desired. In the parable shared by Jesus, the friend was occupied with a very needed and worthy mat-
ter—he was rejuvenating his body with sleep. The point is this: most have experienced being disturbed while sleeping
(whether by a crying child or some other noise) and being slow to arise. Few arise unless the beckoning call persists. But one
always arises if the child coughs or cries enough or the noise repeats itself enough. Persistence proves one’s sincerity. There
are certain requests that need a “continual coming” (Lk.18:5).
God is most willing to give. The child of God can rest assured that when the circumstances of life become hard, God will
give the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to see His child through.
Now note another fact: God is not only willing to answer, He is most willing to answer. He loves and cares for man in all
his needs. This must always be remembered. (See DEEPER STUDY # 1—Lk.11:5-10.) Note something else: God always an-
swers our prayers, but sometimes the answer has to be “no.” Why? Because what we asked is not always for our good, and
God is always going to do what is best for us.
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is
weak” (Mt.26:41).
“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint”
(Lk.18:1).
“Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these
things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Lk.21:36).
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Eph.6:18).
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let
your requests be made known unto God” (Ph.4:6).
“Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Col.4:2).
“Pray without ceasing” (1 Th.5:17).
“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him
with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (Dt.4:29).
“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually” (1 Chron.16:11).
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Is.55:6).
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jer.29:13).
“Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore” (Ps.105:4).
“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” (Pr.8:17).
DEEPER STUDY # 1
(11:5-10) Prayer—Fellowship: Why does God not always answer our prayers immediately? Why is it necessary to ask and
seek and knock and to keep on asking and seeking and knocking? Why do we need to ask at all when God knows our needs
even before we ask?
There are at least four reasons.
1. Prayer teaches us to communicate and fellowship with God and to trust and seek after God more and more. When
God holds back the giving, we keep coming to talk and share with Him more and more. Just as a human father longs for such
fellowship and trust, our heavenly Father longs for such fellowship and trust.
2. Prayer teaches us both patience and hope in God and His promises. When God does not give immediately, we pa-
tiently (enduringly) keep coming into His presence, waiting for and hoping in what He has promised us (Mt.21:22; Jn.14:26;
1 Jn.5:14-15).
3. Prayer teaches us to love God as our Father more and more. Knowing that what we ask is coming and having to
wait on it causes us to draw closer and closer to God and His gifts. And then when the gift is given, our hearts are endeared
ever so much more to Him.
4. Prayer demonstrates how deeply we trust God and how much we love and depend upon Him. A person who really
trusts God—who really knows that what he asks is going to be received—will bring more and more to God. He will come to
God in prayer more and more. But the person who is not quite sure about receiving will only occasionally come, usually only
in emergencies. God easily sees how much we really love and trust Him by our prayer life.
4
(11:11-13) Prayer: God’s part in prayer. No clearer explanation of God’s part in prayer could be given than what is
taught here.
1. Jesus illustrated what God’s part is. God is not evil; He is good just as an earthly father is good. Jesus stressed the
point with three simple illustrations. Note all three illustrations had to do with a father and his son.
2. Jesus drove the point home: God is most willing to give. Note two points.
a. Man is evil, full of selfishness and sin, yet he gives to his child when asked. (Note the enormous contrast
being made between evil man and God, who is perfectly good. If evil man gives, it is impossible that God,
who is good, would not give.)
b. Our heavenly Father gives us the very Source of all good things, the Holy Spirit Himself. Just imagine the
very presence of God dwelling within our hearts and bodies! If He dwells within us, then every good thing is
assured. Once we have the Holy Spirit, we do not have to pray to God who is way off in outer space
somewhere. We do not have to wait upon His gifts to arrive. We have His presence within...
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