One necessary thing we may be missing in our prayersLUKE 11:5-13; 18:1-8

THE PARABLE OF THE BAD FRIEND

LUKE 11:5-13

“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; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; !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’?”

Luke 11:5-7 (NKJV)THE PARABLE

“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.”

Luke 11:8 (NKJV)THE PARABLE

“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 (NKJV)THE PRINCIPLE

“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? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 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!”

Luke 11:11-13 (NKJV)THE POINT

the parable of the unjust

judgeLUKE 18:1-8

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

saying…”

Luke 18:1 (NKJV)THE PURPOSE

“There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. 3 Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, “Get justice for me from my adversary.’

Luke 18:2-3 (NKJV)THE PARABLE

“And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, “Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ”

Luke 18:4-5 (NKJV)THE PARABLE

“Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”

Luke 18:6-8 (NKJV)THE POINT

A MAJOR OBSTACLE

TO PRAYER IS KNOWING WHO GOD IS

AND WHAT HE IS LIKE

KNOWING WHAT GOD IS LIKE SHOULD

PROMPT OUR BOLD PERSISTENCE IN

PRAYEREx. 32:10-11; Lk. 5:20; 8:48; 7:50; ; 18:42

“…rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer”

Romans 12:12

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving"

Colossians 4:2

“pray without ceasing”

1 Thessalonians 5:17

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’”

Revelation 6:9-10

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

2 Peter 3:9

THIS KIND OF BOLD PERSISTENCE IN

PRAYER MUST BE TEMPERED BY LIVING

WITHIN THE WILL OF GOD IN HOLINESS

AND OBEDIENCE

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

James 5:16

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

1 John 5:14-15

“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”

1 John 3:22

“Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.”

John 9:31

“You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

James 4:2-3

One necessary thing we may be missing in our prayersLUKE 11:5-13; 18:1-8