"Persistence In Prayer / Not Giving Up In Prayer"
Text: Luke 11:5-13, Luke 18:1-8
Matthew 13 gives us seven parables describing the Nature of Kingdom of God. Luke's gospel gives various parables describing the Marks of the Kingdom of God, which clearly identify the characteristics of those who belong to the Kingdom of God. So here we are going to look at the characteristic of a Christian prayer.
George Muller, the founder of the great Christian orphanage work in England in nineteenth century, was a man of prayer. He knew the importance of keeping prayer even when the answer to it seemed delayed. When he was young he began to pray that two of his friends might be converted. He prayed for them every day for more than sixty years. One of them was converted shortly before his death at what was probably the last service Muller held. The other became a Christian within a year of his death. We, too, need to pray and not give up. We need to be like George Muller.
Prayer is a difficult subject, of course - for many reasons. We do not know how our prayers relate to the Sovereign, eternal counsels of God. We know that often we do not receive what we ask because we "ask with wrong motives" (James 4:3). But on the other occasions we ask with right motives - at we think so - and still we do not get what we ask. People have said that it is a lack of faith to pray for the same thing twice. God has heard it; He has promised to answer. To pray again is to show unbelief. But to be "mature" in faith as that is to go beyond Christ who, on one occasion at least, prayed the same prayer repeatedly. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed over the space of several hours that "the cup" He was to drink might pass from Him (Matthew 26:36-46). It was of that event that the author of Hebrews later wrote, "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission" (Hebrews 5:7).
Two Stories About Prayer
That is what the two stories teach us. The first is about a man who had a friend come to him late at night after a journey. He wanted to feed him something, but he had nothing to serve, so he went to a neighbour and asked, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him." The friend did not want to be bothered. He had already gone to bed.
Houses in Israel, especially in rural areas, were small, consisting of one room used as sitting room, dining room and bedroom. A house had one door, which was left open through the day. In the evening they would close the door and slide a wooden bar through the rings on the door and wall to keep out intruders. Mats were spread out and were used as beds on which the family slept all in a row. In such circumstances it was rather difficult to get up in the dark and do just about anything.
The man in need of bread is not easily deterred. He refuses to go away. And where friendship fails to sufficiently motivate the man inside, his persistence succeeds. Jesus explains, "even though he will not get up because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs" (15:8).
The principle being taught, quite clearly, is that we need to be persistent in our prayers. We must not be deterred by a slow answer. Since prayer does not always yield an instant result, we are required to continue in prayer.
Jesus teaches the same principle in the parable of Luke 18, where the judge who feared neither God nor man is approached by a widow seeking legal protection. For a time, the judge is "unwilling" to help, but eventually he capitulates with her request, saying to himself, "Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection" (18:4-5).
The man seeking bread, and the widow seeking legal protection, has this in common: Both received what they sought because they persevered in their request. As we approach God in prayer, we too need to be prepared to persist in out prayers. Very clearly, Jesus wants us to be like the friend who won't stop knocking; He wants us to be like the widow who keeps petitioning the judge; He wants us to prevail in prayer.
Many of the parables taught by Jesus instruct us by comparisons of likeness. We read the parable of the Good Samaritan and we understand that we are to be like the Good Samaritan. We read the parables about three things lost and we understand that God is like the shepherd seeking the sheep, He is like the woman seeking the coin, and He is like the father seeking the son.
The parables of Luke 11 and 18, a comparison of likeness and a comparison of contrast. On one hand, we are instructed to be like the persistent friend and widow, but on the other hand, in regards to God's response, the point being taught is made by contrast. God is not like the reluctant friend; God is not like stubborn judge. According to Jesus, we do not have to twist God's arm; we do not have to wear God down with our prayers in order to get what we need. Quite the contrary; Jesus says, "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you" (11:9).
Here we see that God is not reluctant, but rather, He is eager to answer our prayers. Jesus' second qualification makes the same point, "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (11:11-13).
A similar qualification is given in Luke 18, "now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily" (18:7-8).
The point is that if reluctant friends, fallible fathers, and unjust judges are willing to give good things, how much more we can expect our Heavenly Father to provide us with good things!
A.S.K.! (9-13)
What It Doesn't Mean!
It doesn't teach us to keep beating and hammering on God's door until He answers. It doesn't teach us to keep trying until you overcome God's unwillingness to act.
What It Does Mean!
The story of the Father and the child to illustrate what God is!
The 1st man/neighbour would not give; did not want to be troubled; but finally give to avoid trouble. The 2nd man/father said to his son, "just ask and you'll obtain; seek and you'll locate; knock and I'll open the access for you."
This is a story about friendship (5) that shifts to sonship (11)!
True prayer is not based on our friendship with God, but on the fact that we are the children of God. A father meets the needs of his children not to avoid shame, but to express love!
Doesn't "ask, seek, and knock" speak of continual action? Yes! We should always be asking, seeking, and knocking. Our faith needs to be active, not passive.
Asking = Implies humility and awareness of need!
Seeking = Is Asking + Acting!
Knocking = Is Asking + Acting + Persevering!
God is encouraging persistence in prayer. It means keeping in close communion with the Father, knowing His will, and asking Him to perform His will.
No father is going to give a small child a sharp knife or a loaded gun, no matter how much the child begs. No mother is going to give her pre-teen the keys to the car for a joyride, or her toddler freedom to play in the medicine cabinet. Thus, God will not put some things in our hands, until He 1st prepares our hearts. Our heavenly Father knows how to give far netter than we know how to ask! We might think, "I asked God for something, and He did not give it to me." We should rather say, "I wanted something I did not need, so my Father knew the best not to give it to me."
Bear in mind, however, that we do not get to be the judge of what is good. As the Holy and Sovereign Ruler of the Universe, God alone determines what constitutes a good gift. This should help explain why not all of our prayers are answered in the affirmative. What seems good to us, and perhaps to everyone around us, may not be good in respect to God's eternal plan.
For example, who can blame Peter for initially thinking that Jesus dying was a bad thing (see Matthew 16:21-23)? Peter was prepared to do whatever it took to protect Jesus from harm - sounds like a good thing, doesn't it? But what does Jesus say in reply? "Get behind Me, Satan!... for you are not setting your mind on God's interest but man's" (Matthew 16:21-23).
This rebuke is an important key for how we are to shape our prayers. Prayer that God eagerly answers is prayer that comes from setting our minds on God's interests. "Only that man's prayer is answered who lifts his hands with his heart in them!" If our mind is merely set on improving our circumstances, without any regard for God's purposes, we have a problem.
What sort of things then, should we be asking God for? The example of a "good gift" that Jesus presents us with is the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Luke 11:13). This answer tells me that I am praying too superficially. Or, at best, that I would be a better brother, a better friend, a better Christian, and a better teacher, but really only one prayer is needful here: 'Lord, fill me with your Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). In every circumstances, keep me "in step" with Your Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).
The Holy Spirit is the best and highest gift for humanity, for regeneration and for all its life. In receiving Him, receiving the filling/refilling/overflowing of the Spirit; the gifts of the Spirit, the fruit of the spirit. We need the Spirit to help us: build character, guide our conduct, and empower us for service!
Of course you should pray for material things, health, finances, but this isn't the highest form of praying. We must not stay on that level! Graduate to the highest level of praying, asking for the blessings of the Spirit of God that result in Christian Character and conduct that glorify the Lord.
Examples from Paul: (Philippians 19-11, Ephesians 1:15-23, 3:1421; Colossians 1:9-12). He prays about love, discernment, maturity, obedience, faith, power... these are all blessings that only the H.S.
Conclusion
We are not wringing gifts from an unwilling God, but going to One who knows our needs better than we know them ourselves, and whose heart towards us is the heart of generous love.
Greatest Giver, gives highest gift, and shows largest generosity!
When we rely upon organization, we get what organization can do;
When we rely upon education, we get what education can do;
When we rely upon eloquence, we get what eloquence can do;
When we rely upon prayer, we get what God can do.
The greatest blessing of prayer is not in receiving the answer, but in being the kind of person God can trust with the answer!
The most important part of our lives is the part that only God sees. The hidden life of prayer is the secret of an open life of victory!
When You Pray, Remember...
The Love of God that wants the best for us.
The Wisdom of God that know what is best for us.
The Power of God that can accomplish it.
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