Prayer is one of the single most important things a believer can do for themselves and others. Prayer to a believer is like breathing. When we don’t pray, we’re holding our spiritual breath. John records Jesus praying 4 times. Mark has 6 prayers, and Matthew has 7. Luke is the only one who records the Parable of the Friend at Midnight, which is about prayer. 16 times Luke wrote about Jesus praying. 11 of those are not told anywhere else. If Jesus prayed, then we should.
The Question: Since prayer was big for Jesus, and his Father answered his prays; Does God give us everything we ask for in prayer? Introduction/Context (Luke 11:1);
What is prayer? It is simply a request. Rabbis would teach their disciples how to pray. But why didn’t they ask, “Teach us to pray like you.”? The disciples thought Jesus was like other rabbis. But he’ll show them a new way of praying. So the context for this parable is; To “teach” the disciples how to pray, The Jesus Way.
• The Lord’s Prayer – S/B The Believers Prayer/ A Spiritual Request/Prayer: Luke 11:2-4
o Everything in the prayer is spiritual: Father relationship, worship of God’s authority, the word from the Spirit, forgiveness, forgiving, and strength when tempted.
o The prayer is communal (i.e. us, our, we).
o First things first – The Spirit must be involved in your request of God.
We can’t just recite a prayer. We can’t just ask God for something without the involvement of the Spirit. The Jews prayed to God with repetition and without the Spirit, because they didn’t have the Spirit yet.
• A Natural Request/Prayer: Parable of the Friend at Midnight.
Luke 11:5-6
o Which of you would do this? That was the question. The answer is all of them.
Luke 11:7-8 – And suppose the one inside answers…
o They would all persist until their friend gave them what they wanted. Natural…
Jesus isn’t saying that the action of the persistent friend is how we should approach our father in prayer;
o Being annoying, persistent, and obnoxious is what we do. We do this to each other.
o This isn’t why God answers our prayers. God isn’t like a human friend.
o This parable is a contrast to how God answers our prayers.
Parables compare the earthly and the Spiritual, but this is a contrast.
o The unwilling friend vs. loving God.
o The friend asleep vs. God never sleeps.
o The friend’s door was locked, God’s door is always open.
o The friend was annoyed, God is never annoyed with us.
The friend didn’t respond because he was a friend, but God answers us because he is our father.
• Our motivation when requesting/praying for something from the Father; Luke 11:9-10
o Always Be Asking humbly according to his will – (1 John 5:14-15)
Asking is knowing and having confidence. (Is it God’s Word?)
o Always Be Seeking God to know his will and our motives. (Psalm 105:3-4)
Seeking is searching, learning, and growing. (Is it God’s will?)
o Always Be Knocking and that door is Jesus (Revelation 3:20)
Knocking is wanting inside. (Is Jesus in it?)
• How the Father Answers Prayer: God gives good things to those who ask. Luke 11:11-13
Again we see the emphasis on the contrast: “Earthly father” vs. “Heavenly Father”.
• Fish, snake, egg, scorpion – Earthy fathers give earthly things.
• Holy Spirit/Good Spirit – Heavenly Father gives heavenly things. (LOVE)
o The greatest gift we can receive from God is the Holy Spirit.
The Role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer;
• To intercede for us in our prayers to give us good gifts (Romans 8:26-27)
o Our prayers will be heard, and our prayers will be answered. God gives us good gifts.
o Does this mean if we pray this way that God is obliged to give us what we ask for?
o God’s will, God’s glory, and for our good.
Imagine if everyone in the world received everything they prayed for.
There are 3 answers we can receive from our prayers;
1) a direct answer – yes, you’re ready for this, or, No you’re not ready for this.
2) a delayed answer – getting this isn’t good for you right now, but maybe later.
3) a different answer – you thought you needed this, but this is what is better for you.
NOTE: The Holy Spirit helps us to see the good in all the answers to our prayers (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)
Does God give us everything we ask for in prayer?
Better than that, as we keep asking, seeking, and knocking, the Holy Spirit will intercede for us with God to give us everything that is good for us in prayer.
Two things for us to do when we pray; 1) Involve the Spirit, 2) check Your Motivation – God’s Word, God’s Will, and God’s Son.
Two things the Holy Spirit does when we pray; 1) intercede for us, 2) interpret us.
One thing for God to do when we pray is; Love us as our Father.
