Jesus Teaches About Prayer

Luke 11:5-13

“Jesus Teaches About Prayer”

• Vv. 2-4 Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray, while in our lesson Jesus teaches us about prayer.

I. Be Persistent with Your Prayers (5-8)

• Vv. 5-6 There is a friendship or a relationship that exists between these two people here in Jesus’ parable.

i. Importance

ii. Foundation

iii. Comfortable  midnight

• How does this relate to our prayers to God?

Proverbs 15:29 (KJV)

29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

• The predicament  this man is obligated to feed his guest.

• Vs. 7 It is not that this friend didn’t want to help out the other, it was just inconvenient for him to do so at this time.

• So this man’s first request to his friend is not a successful one.

• A lot of times God does not answer our prayers the first time we ask. (Jackie)

• Even when its something we need or something God wants us to have  the timing just isn’t right.

• Vs. 8 Yet because this man was a friend and because of his “importunity” which means persistence, he gives him as much as he needs.

• Jesus is clearly teaching that ultimately God will provide us with what we need, and just because He doesn’t give us what we ask for when we ask it, doesn’t mean He isn’t going to take care of us.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Philippians 4:19 (KJV)

19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

• The key word there is that God will supply your every “need” and not our every want.

• Jesus is teaching us to be persistent in our prayers but to be careful that are praying wisely.

o Time lost praying for wants instead of needs.

II. Be Confident in Your Prayers (9-13)

• Vv. 9-10 How often is this verse misused by well intentioned Christians?

• If we just believe God will give us what we ask for.

• God does promise us that He always hears and that He always answers our prayers, sometimes that answer is wait, and sometimes it is no.

• So what is Jesus specifically teaching here in these two verses.

o Ask  “keep asking”

o Seek  “keep seeking”

o Knock  “keep knocking”

• God does want to answer us, He does want to give to us, He does want to open the door of opportunity, but we must be asking the right questions, seeking the things God desires for us, knocking on those doors of opportunity God has open for us.

• It doesn’t mean keep asking the same question, but keep asking until you ask the right question in the right time.

• Vv. 11-13a The goodness of God compared to the goodness of man.

James 1:17 (KJV)

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,

• Vs. 13b We can have confidence in our prayers even when we don’t know what to ask for or how to ask it.

Romans 8:26-27 (KJV)

26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

• Not only should we have confidence in our prayer when we don’t know how to pray, but the Holy Spirit also teaches us what to pray for.

1 Corinthians 2:10-12 (NASB95)

10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God,

• However without the Holy Spirit we cannot know God much less understand the things of God.

1 Corinthians 2:14 (NASB95)

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

• Jesus not only instructs on the manner in which we pray, but He teaches us to pray with persistence and confidence, as we walk in fellowship with God being lead by the instruction of the Holy Spirit.