“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. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
Luke 11:9-10
In the hustle and bustle of life, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of prayer.
It’s our lifeline, our connection to the heart of God, guiding us through the challenges and opportunities ahead.
Jesus, in His wisdom, offers us profound insights into the power of prayer. We see in Luke 11:9-10 that He tells us to seek, knock, and ask, with the assurance that our petitions will be heard and answered. But how do we pray expectantly amidst the uncertainties of life?
Let me ask you to answer three questions:
- Do I pray when I’m in trouble?
- Do I pray for what I want?
- Do I pray as a natural part of my relationship with God on a daily basis?
Now, if you answered with #1 or #2, chances are your prayer life is a big disappointment. You may be very cynical about prayer because it has not worked in your life, or if it works, it is on a rare occasion. But even for those of you who answered with #3, be assured that none of us have “arrived” in our prayer life.
As we delve deeper into Jesus’ words, we realize that persistence in prayer is key. Jesus’ parable illustrates the importance of persistence in prayer:
“Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.”
Luke 11:5-8 NLT
Just as the friend continued to knock until his request was granted, we’re called to persevere in seeking God’s will. Whatever we ask in God’s will, we will receive. WHATEVER WE ASK NOT IN GOD’S WILL, we won’t receive. Wherever we seek God’s will, we will surely find it.
Our heavenly Father delights in our tenacity, knowing it reflects a genuine desire to walk in obedience and faith. And think about it. God loves you more than any friend would when you have a request.
How is your “prayer tenacity?”
Taken from a sermon by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH
DIG DEEPER
Read “What Can We Learn from the Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Unjust Judge?” at Got Questions.org
