Persistance and Promise In Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
Introduction
The disciples asked Jesus, “Teach us to pray”. Jesus gave a model prayer. As we have
‘learned’ prayer includes a relationship with God—He is “Our Father”. We pray in faith
recognizing His resources—“in heaven”. We worship Him; “hallowed by your name”;
we pray with expectation; “your kingdom come” and submission “your will be done on
earth, as it is in heaven”; we make petition; “give us day by day our daily bread”; and
confession; “and forgive us our sin”; we exercise compassion and forgiveness “for we
also forgive everyone who is indebted to us”; and we acknowledge our dependence “and
do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil”. Now we are encouraged to
persist in prayer. This has been called ‘the parable of the persistent friend’. Jesus
illustrates the power of persistence, and the benefits of endurance. Prayer is a two-way
street. It is both speaking and listening; it is both giving and receiving. What part do we
play in this thing called prayer?
Jesus encourages us to stay close to the throne of God. Jesus encourages the believer to
stay and pray. Jesus encourages the believer—to keep bugging God. God loves it—
when we are sincere, fervent, constant, persistent, diligent, persevering and enduring in
seeking the face of God for whatever it is we need.
This parable is a mini-sermon, an exhortation to persevere and endure in prayer. Yet
there is more—true prayer—is based not simply on friendship—but intimate
relationship—more specifically sonship. Included in our partnership—is steadfastness
and perseverance and His willingness to care for His own. His commitment to care
includes the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit, to change us, transform us!
‘The purpose of prayer is not to get man’s will done in heaven but to get God’s will done
on earth” (Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines of the New Testament; pp.174-175). There is
no single purpose in prayer—but rather many purposes—we pray to promote fellowship,
to grow in relationship, to receive good things, wisdom, peace, freedom from sin, the
revelation of the will of God, etc.
Jesus follows this parable with promises, ‘keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking’,
and closes with an emphasis on God as Father. God knows us and loves us and we need
never be afraid of His answers to our prayers.
Persistance In Prayer (vv.5-8)
Luke 11:5-8 (NKJV);5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at
midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;6 for a friend of mine has come to me on
his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do
not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to
you’?8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because
of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
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Persistance and Promise In Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
Jesus illustrates persistence in prayer by using a common scene in a first century home.
In order to understand this parable, you must have some idea of living conditions and first
century concepts of hospitality.
In Middle- East culture hospitality is critical, crucial more than just a mere custom, it was
a cultural obligation. A host must feed the traveler who has graced his or her home.
Many homes would have used up the day’s supply of bread by nightfall. Bread was
made fresh and eaten the same day. Sometimes there were leftovers—sometimes not.
Bread can last for several days—but it was customary to give a guest fresh unbroken
bread. My Nona is from Sicily. She has never lost that sense of hospitality. Now she is
93—she does not have the same energy—but when I was growing up—the smells and
tastes of pasta, brugioli, stewed tomatoes, green olives and cucumber- heavy garlic,
brewing tea, fresh green beans, grown in Nono’s garden and snap peas—eggplant—
meatballs—you name it—Grandma had it. Food brings fellowship—intimacy—in
grandma’s kitchen is grandma’s food—but she is there—and I am able to kiss her and
hug her—and love her—but never quite as aggressively as she loves me.
Jesus describes the sleeping neighbor—“which of you shall have a friend”—for no one—
no member of the village would refuse to help a guest. For the man to say, “leave me
alone, get lost!” would bring shame and insult the whole village. We may paraphrase
verse 5—“Can anyone imagine—a friend—because Jesus expects a negative reply—
“No”—“unthinkable”—we can’t even imagine such a thing”. It would be like someone
coming over with me to grandma’s house—and she not offering something to eat and
some fresh brewed tea—I can honestly say—I can never remember—not even one
time—when my grandmother was anything other than absolutely gracious. She always
kept something to eat—at a moment’s notice—and if it was not there—she would make
it—no matter the hour.
The Lord is not comparing God to the sleeping neighbor.—Jesus is contrasting the two—
he is saying, “If a sleeping brother-on the basis of friendship and social custom or
etiquette, will meet the needs of friend, how much more—will your Father in heaven
meet the needs of one of his own children. Keep this in mind as we contrast the Father
and the neighbor.
Look at verse 7—because it gives us a picture of how people lived. Most homes were a
single room—children slept on mats. On the door were rings. At night the door was
bolted shut. One third of the floor was elevated about seven or eight inches and
contained a small fire ring around which the family would sleep. The remaining two
thirds would sometimes house guests, visitors, even the animals. No wonder the guy
doesn’t want to get up, trip over the kids, stumble over the animals!
Unlike the neighbor—our Father never slumbers or sleeps. Our Father is always—
available, always alert and always aware of our need. God can’t be inconvenienced. We
do not have to pound the gates of heaven to get his attention. We do not have to call
ahead to see if He is there. Our Father is never irritated or annoyed, or put out when we
ask for His help. He never refuses, He never offers excuses. He never argues. He loves
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Persistance and Promise In Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
us and is anxious to meet our every need. He is generous to us. You can be sure the
begging neighbor would have to make good on the use of the loaves—but not so with the
Lord. God does not ‘lend’ you anything—with the possible exception—of giving to the
poor. When you give to the poor—God says—“I am in your debt.” “I will repay”.
Luke 11:8 (NKJV); I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend,
yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.
Does verse 8 teach we have to keep pounding on God’s door until he answers? Does
prayer mean trying to overcome God’s reluctance to act? No way! That expression ‘yet
because of his persistence’ is a compound Greek word anaideia—impudence—
importunity—it can mean shamelessness. Who’s persistence?—Not the man at the
door—but to his friend in bed. The neighbor—was ashamed—not to help his friend—he
knew the pressure—the social stigma—he knew he would be the target of shame and
abuse throughout the whole village if he did not help his neighbor!
A father meets the needs of his children-not to avoid shame—but to express love.
A poem appeared in an Arkansas Baptist newsletter entitled “Go On”.
One step won’t take you very far;
You’ve got to keep on walking;
One word won’t tell folks who you are;
You’ve got to keep on talking;
One inch won’t make you very tall;
You’ve got to keep on growing;
One deed won’t do it all;
You’ve got to keep on going.
I might add—“One prayer won’t keep you close;
You’ve got to keep on praying;
One change brings me closer,
Lord continue to change me.
Spurgeon wrote; “By perseverance the snail reached the Ark.”
George Bernard Shaw wrote; “When I was a young man I observed that nine out ten
things I did were failures. I didn’t want to be a failure, so I did ten times more work.”
Promises For Prayer (vv.9-13)
Luke 11:9-10 (NKJV);9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds,
and to him who knocks it will be opened.
What is Jesus saying? Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking Isn’t that persistence,
perseverance? Yes—but please note he ties this to the issue of sonship—in verse 11—“If
a son shall ask bread”—a son does not go to his father simply when there is a crises or an
emergency. A son should be in constant fellowship with his father—enjoying his father’s
love—learning his father’s will. Then—when there is a meltdown—a crises—he and the
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Persistance and Promise In Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
father will not be strangers. Persistance in prayer is not twisting God’s arm to get our
way—our to get what we want.
Some of you may be thinking, “Why must I keep asking? Why must I keep seeking?
Why must I keep knocking?”
First let me explain what ask and seek and knock-means. “Ask” implies requesting
assistance for a known need. We understand and recognize our lack or our need and we
ask for help. The word also implies humility—because this form of the verb ask—
presumes the request is being made to a superior. “Seek” is both asking but it also adds
action, ‘listen and look-around’! The idea is not just to express need—but to get up and
do something on the basis on the need. You get up and look for help. This involves
effort. “Knock” includes asking plus acting—plus persevering—like someone who gets
up and pounds the pavement and the door. These words are stacked on top of each other
and then put in the present imperative—keep asking—keep seeking-keep knocking-don’t
give up! Tragically—we ask the question— “why” --because we understand neither
ourselves or the nature of God. We think God—is being unreasonable—or unfair. We
see prayer like a man who makes his dog beg for food. If I bark—or eat the furniture—
maybe my master will drop a biscuit in my mouth. No—we persistent in prayer—because
it helps us understand what is important to us. When my children were young—they
would want things for Christmas. But their desires would change—from October, to
November to December. “I want this box of legos, I want this G.I. Joe—I want a BB
gun—I want this or I want that”. We want this to happen—we want this person, this job,
this thing.
We sometimes forget—that what we really need is our Father—his love—his
companionship, his fellowship. I miss my Grandma’s brugiol. But I miss my Grandma
more. I miss my mother’s biscuits and sweet tomato gravy. I miss my mom more. I
miss my children. Not because I am there Dad and miss ordering them to clean their
room and mow the lawn and do the dishes. I miss them.
When you know the Father, and you know his will, you can ask Him to perform His will.
Jesus taught us to pray. Jesus taught us to pray in the Father’s will. Jesus taught us to
pray—like children coming to their father. We pray—and we are not afraid of the
answer—because we know our Father in heaven loves us—too much to harm us—and He
is too wise to make a mistake.
Luke 11:11-13 (NKJV); If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a
stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?
12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
This is a Jewish idiom—it is called the “how much more” (qal vahomer) argument.
In the days of Jesus—most people believed—that the Holy Spirit—had (1) departed or
(2) was only available to several of the holiest people, or (3) belonged to the community
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Persistance and Promise In Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
(like people who gathered together—in a group—or another way—to the community of
belief). The promise of verse 13—would have sounded profound—even breath taking.
Because of the common beliefs surrounding the Holy Spirit—this was essentially a
promise that God would make them prophets, anointed spokespersons for God.
Some Bible teachers have suggested you don’t even have to ask the Father for the Holy
Spirit. You don’t have to pray for the Holy Spirit—because He is given to us the moment
we receive Christ as Savior.
Romans 8:9 (NKJV); But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells
in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV); Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are
God’s.
Matthew 7:11 (NKJV); If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
I don’t think it’s wrong to ask for daily bread. It is not a sin to ask God to provide for our
material needs. It is not wrong to ask God to give bread to others. But this is not the
highest form of praying. I suspect too much prayer is focused on things—on perceived
needs—and perhaps for selfish longing. We sometimes substitute prayer for obedience—
or we pray—to avoid the consequences of our own sin. It is not wrong to pray for
healing, or money or ministry —but we must never remain—simply on the plain—of
material benefit. The Lord wants us to graduate—into the highest level of praying; for
the blessings of the Spirit of God—that result in a change of character and a
transformation of heart. We pray—so that we can glorify God.
Paul prayed for the blessings of the Spirit (Phil.1:9-11; Eph.1:15-23; Col.1:9-12). He
prays about love, discernment, maturity, obedience, faith, power blessings that only the
indwelling Holy Spirit can provide. I am certain Paul prayed for his health—and the
health of others and the church and members of the church, he prayed about his illness,
his trial, his critics, his enemies, for travel protection—but Paul went beyond all those
things and prayed and asked God for the good things of the Holy Spirit—Christian
character and conduct.
Why? Because when you are in the graduate school of prayer—you no longer whine
about unanswered prayer. What do I mean? We pray for a job—and we get no job—we
pray for a relationship—and the relationship never comes. We pray in a relationship—
and he or she leaves us. We pray for certain things—money—fame—a ministry—
success—influence—power—healing—a job—and God does not answer. It may be that
God cannot trust us with certain things—until our character has grown and matured.
No responsible father gives his small child a knife or a loaded gun no matter how much
the child begs. No mother gives keys to her small child to drive the car. No responsible
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Persistance and Promise In Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
person lets another person drive drunk with your children in the car. No responsible
person lets a small child—play in the medicine cabinet and eat whatever pills they find.
God may not put things in your hand—until he takes something out of your heart—or
puts something in your heart. I read somewhere that the greatest blessing of prayer is not
in receiving the answer, but in being the kind of person that God can trust with the
answer. George Mueller was that kind of a man. He established orphanages all over
England. He has left for us his philosophy of prayer;
1. ‘I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its
own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people is just
here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do
the Lord’s will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually
but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.
2. ‘Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If I
do so, I make myself liable to great delusions.
3. ‘I seek the will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of
God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone,
without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Spirit
guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and not apart from them.
4. ‘Next I take into account the providential circumstances. These often plainly
indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and His Spirit.
5. ‘I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.’
6. ‘Thus, through prayer to God, the study of the Word and reflection, I come to a
deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my
mind is thus at peace and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed
accordingly.”
We rejoice when God answers prayer. We rejoice more—when God brings us to the
place—and changes us—and trusts us with the answer to our prayers.
The most important part of our lives is the part that only He can see. The hidden life—
the secret life of prayer—is the open life of victory and joy. We must pray. We pray in
the will of God. We pray as children coming to a gracious father. And we pray—for the
blessings of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
“In addition to a pattern for prayer and the importance of persistence in prayer, Jesus
gives us the principle of prayer. No good thing will the Lord withhold from them that
love Him (Psalm 84:11). Therefore, if that which I want or have prayed does not come
my way, I must conclude it is not good for me---at least not at this time—because my
Father will do what’s best. He will not give me what He knows is a scorpion, even
though I think it’s a fish. Nor will he give me a rock when what I need is a piece of
bread” (Jon Courson; Application Commentary; p.357).
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Persistance and Promise In Prayer
Luke 11:5-13
We pray in Jesus name. We pray-in touch with Jesus—in our heart—in our habits in our
life. We pray in harmony with the teaching of the Bible. We pray—in reality—actual
prayers, simple prayers, definite prayers and confident prayers—“in faith believing”.
‘Tis not enough to bend the knee,
And words of prayer to say;
The heart must with the lips agree;
Or else we do not pray:
For words, without the heart,
The Lord will never hear;
Nor will he to those lips attend,
Whose prayers are not sincere.
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