Spoken at SGBC

4-13-97

Luke #92

11:1-13

"Persistent Prayer Prevails"

(Luke 11:1-13 NASB) And it came about that while He was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY JUST AS JOHN ALSO TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES." {2} And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. {3} 'Give us each day our daily bread. {4} 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."

As we begin the eleventh chapter of Luke's Gospel our attentions are once again turned to Prayer. The passage begins by telling us that Christ was in a certain place praying. The rest of Luke's Gospel reveals that prayer was a vital part of Christ's life. When He was baptized he was praying, (3:21). He withdrew into the wilderness to pray, (5:16). He went out in to a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer, (6:12). He was often alone when he prayed, (9:18). Once, on the mountain, He was transfigured while in prayer, (9:28-29). Jesus was a praying man. He prayed everywhere, all the time, without fail. In this He is our teacher and example. Therefore, the Disciples showed great wisdom when they made this request of Him, "Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his Disciples."

Christ answered this request with what we know as the Lord's Prayer. When you pray, said Jesus, pray like this. He then recites a slightly different version of the Lord's Prayer than we use each Lord's Day morning. The essence however remains the same. We are to pray to our Father who is in Heaven. We go to Him with our praise, thanksgiving, and requests. We do not pray to the Son, or to God the Holy Spirit. They are the instruments of our access to the Father.

In the first petition we ask that God would Hallow His own name. That is, we pray that He would by all means and in all circumstances bring glory and honor to Himself. Then, says Jesus, we must ask that God's Kingdom would come. This kingdom may be spoken of in three ways. There is a sense in which the Kingdom of God has already come. It is also true that God's Kingdom comes to an individual when he or she is Born Again. Then there is a sense in which the coming of God's Kingdom is yet future. Jesus is coming a second time to establish God's kingdom in its final form.

Now, says our Lord, we are to pray for our daily bread. This bread, whether we speak of literal or spiritual bread, is that which we need for survival each day. By this petition we declare our day to day dependance on our God for the necessities of life, both physical and spiritual. That which we need may include things we've never thought of. Today's bread or provision may include abundance or poverty. It may include comfort or misery. The day's provision may include sickness physically, spiritually or both at the same time. What ever the case, Christ teaches us to pray for that which God has determined we need, "Our Daily Bread." Then the Christian is to pray for forgiveness of his daily sins. We are to acknowledge our sins against the Holy Trinity and request forgiveness. This we are to do every day for life. Then, having been forgiven, by faith in the crucified and risen Savior, we are to forgive those who sin against us. Finally, for this version of The Lord's Prayer, we are to pray, "Lead us not into temptation."

As tempting as it may be to spend time in a new exposition of the Lord's Prayer I will refrain. Instead I refer you to a ten part series on the Lord's Prayer that I did just a few months ago. It is available in both printed and audio formats. I consider the series well worth your time. The preparation and presentation of those lessons changed the way I look at prayer and indeed the way I pray. For those of you outside the church you need only to ask and I will get the series to you.

The Lord's Prayer teaches us how to pray. It tells us who the object of our prayers should be and what to include as far as praise and request. In our lesson today Jesus goes on to illustrate the necessity of faithfulness and persistence in offering up our prayers. The lesson comes to us in the form of a parable. {5} And He said to them, "Suppose one of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at MIDNIGHT, and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; {6} for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; (Here we have a man with a pressing need at a most inopportune time, midnight.) {7} and from inside he shall answer and say, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' {8} "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, YET BECAUSE OF HIS PERSISTENCE he will get up and give him as much as he needs. (This he does just to get rid of him so he can get some rest. Jesus says we are to be just as persistent in offering up prayers to God. Knowing that if a mere man will finally grant our request we shall surely get what we need from God. But not, of course, because He tires of our pleadings. Rather He answers because He is our Father and has determined to supply our needs through persistent prayer. Persistent prayer is a Divinely appointed means of grace to the Christian. Christ continues. . . ) {9} "And I say to you, ask, (Keep on asking.) and it shall be given to you; seek, (Keep on seeking.) and you shall find; knock, (Keep on knocking.) and it shall be opened to you. {10} "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. No one of His pleading sheep, lost or saved, will be turned away!

We must not press this parable to the extent we impose human characteristics upon God. Many have come to the conclusion that a persistent person can change God's mind by irritating Him. They believe that like the man who gives in because of a persistent and annoying neighbor that God will finally "give in" to one who won't leave Him alone. Others would describe persistent prayer as wrestling with God in the sense of persuading Him to do something he is reluctant to do. But this is imposing human characteristics on God. Further it implies, what many believe possible, that God changes His mind. This is something which the Bible denies.

Persistent prayer prevails with God not because it is troublesome to Him but rather because it pleases Him. It was wise in His eyes to make this kind of prayer a means of grace to His people. This is why we come before the throne of grace again and again and again with the same requests and concerns. This is why we keep on asking, seeking and knocking. It is the way God would have us behave. In His good time what we ask will be given to us. What we seek will be found and the door upon which we knock will be opened unto us. None of His children will be denied. This is the promise of God.

Mr. Gill from long ago help us with the passage. In reference to verse nine and the words, "ask, and it shall be given you," he writes. "This is said by Christ, to encourage us to pray and persist in it; that if any one asks of God, in the name of Christ, and in faith, whether it be bread for the body, or food for the soul; or any blessing whatever, whether temporal or spiritual, it shall be given; not according to what they deserve, but according to the riches of the grace of God; who is rich unto all that call upon him, in sincerity and truth:" Again on the words, "Seek and ye shall find," he wrote; "Whether it be Christ, the pearl of great price, God in Christ; or , pardoning grace and mercy through Christ." The promise is that all such seekers shall be rewarded with the object of their desires. Then on the words, "Knock and it shall be opened to you," he comments like this; "The door of mercy with God; the door of fellowship with Christ; the door of the Gospel, and the mysteries of it . . .to all that seek these doors shall be opened even the door of heaven, into which there is entrance by the blood of Jesus. All these are opened by means of persistent prayer." (Gill's awkward punctuation was maintained. The wording was modified here and there for clarity of language and meaning.)

In the verses that follow Christ assures us that our prayerful persistence will be appropriately rewarded.

{11} "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? {12} "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? {13} "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?"

Jesus argues, "If inherently evil human fathers know how to give good things to their children, how much more may we expect good gifts from our Holy God and Heavenly Father? Jesus argues from the lessor to the greater from the perfectly sinful to the perfectly Holy and good. Mere men, on the whole, are good to their children even though they are dead in trespasses and sins. They are kind and loving toward their offspring even though they do not love God and are slaves of sin, self and the devil. If you can expect such love and kindness from the hands of most evil men what can you expect from the thrice Holy God? You can expect that He will work all things together for the good of His children, all the time, forever! In addition we can expect that He will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. This is something no man can give to another. It is a gift that only God can bestow. It is the ultimate gift for with the coming of the Holy Spirit comes eternal life and continuing sanctification!

If this promise of the Holy Spirit was spoken in reference to unbelievers then we are speaking of God's LOST sheep coming to Christ for salvation. The lost are without God and without hope in this world. They do not have the Holy Spirit within to enlighten and renew. If this promise is held out to the lost then it is a tremendous encouragement to all sinners to, Ask for the Spirit who saves and He shall be given unto you. Seek and you shall find. Knock and keep on knocking. In God's good time He will open the door to the kingdom by sending to you the Holy Spirit.

When the Spirit has come He will renew your heart, mind, eyes, ears, likes and dislikes. He will renew and redirect your will. He will give you the gifts of faith and repentance toward Jesus for the salvation of your soul. It is only by the Spirit of God that any man can be saved. It is only by the Spirit of God that any man understands the Gospel! For the Gospel is a spiritual message and men are carnal creatures,. (I Cor. 2:14).

Are you here today with no assurance that you are saved? I tell you believe right now on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and you shall be saved. If you are not presently able to believe in Him continue giving yourself to this means of grace. Continue submitting yourself to the teaching and preaching of the Word of God. For the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Begin or continue to cry out to God for mercy, and the Holy Spirit who applies the redemptive work of Christ to sinner's hearts. The Holy Spirit is also the Spirit of Adoption. When His renewing work is done, He will bear witness with your spirit that you are a child of God. He will give you assurance of salvation. The promise is, "Ask and it shall be given unto you."

On the other hand, if this promise is directed to Christians, we must think along different lines. I say this for all true Christians already have the Holy Spirit living in them. Hear the words of Paul on this.

(Romans 8:9-11 NASB) However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the SPIRIT OF GOD dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (A close look at this passage will reveal that the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the One who raised Christ from the dead, is God the Holy Spirit.) {10} And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. {11} But if THE SPIRIT OF HIM WHO RAISED JESUS FROM THE DEAD dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WHO INDWELLS YOU.

The focus of the reference is the phrase, ". if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to Him." That is, if a person does not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them they are not saved. They are not Christian. They are not Born Again. I emphasize this because there are many in the Pentecostal world who teach that one can be saved and not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. This is impossible. No Spirit means no salvation, says the Apostle Paul.

So how does the promise in our text that "God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask", apply to Christians? It does so in this way. God the Holy Spirit dwells in all believers but there are times when we are more under His influence than others. In the book of Ephesians, for instance, we are instructed to be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT as opposed to being drunk with wine. To be filled, in the sense meant, is to be controlled more and more by the Spirit within. It is to be under His influence to a greater degree than we were yesterday. So, in our asking for the Holy Spirit we would in essence be saying, "God give to me more of the Spirit's comforts, guidance, instruction, conviction, and help in prayer." Further, since the Lord's Prayer asks for the will of God in our lives, we need the Holy Spirit to make us content with that. For God's will for us today may very well be hard and painful. These are the ministries of the Holy Spirit to the children of God. Here Christ says we are to keep on asking for these graces, seeking and knocking on the door of God's mercy by persistent prayer. God promises that so far as we desire what is good in His sight we will most certainly have it. This includes the Holy Spirit for those who seek salvation and His increased influence and comfort in the life of the Christian. Therefore, it may be said that all men need to seek this gift of the Spirit trusting the Father to give it as He has promised.

As we close this lesson I want to be certain you understand the context of the great promises set forth in this passage. They are not without qualification. The parable that teaches us about persistent prayer prevailing with God is set before us in reference to the Lord's Prayer. This is critical for in the prayer Jesus teaches us to pray for things acceptable and pleasing to God. It is a prayer which seeks the will and glory of God. It is a prayer that seeks the good of others as well as my own. It is in reference to the contents of the Lord's Prayer that Jesus says, ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. Give your prayers the same focus and goal that is found in the Lord's Prayer and you can be certain of a positive answer every time! Here is a bit of verse I found in William Hendriksen's fine commentary on Luke.

"The Lord's Prayer"

What gives this prayer its power?

It ne'er says mine but our.

Why does it grip me thus?

It ne'er says me but us.

What may its beauty be?

It ne'er says I but we.

It humbles me, but why?

It ne'er says my but Thy.

There are many books the subject of prayer being circulated in the Christian world. Some of them are good and point us in the right direction. But all we really need is to listen to Jesus. He taught us to pray, "Our Father who art in Heaven . . . . . . . ."

Finally I offer a word of warning. I speak to those who believe, as all Christians ought to believe, in the Absolute Sovereignty of God. The warning is this. Do not let human logic influence your Theology. There are two areas in the Christian faith that get beat up pretty badly by those who add their own conclusions to what the Bible says about God's Sovereignty. The first area is Evangelism and the argument goes something like this. "Since God is Sovereign in salvation and will save His people without losing even one, then we do not need to preach the Gospel or seek the souls of the lost." This reasoning flies in the face of everything the Bible teaches. The reason we MUST continue to preach the Gospel and Evangelize is that God has chosen to save His people by these means of grace. Could He save His Lost Sheep without the preaching of Gospel? The answer is yes, if He had chosen to do so. But He did not. God has chosen to save His Lost Sheep by the preaching of the Gospel however foolish or illogical it may seem to men. Be careful that you do not come to despise or neglect what God, in infinite wisdom, has deemed good and necessary to the accomplishment of His eternal purpose. Evangelism and the Preaching of the Gospel have been commanded by God. Let no man speak against them.

Then there is the subject of this lesson, Prayer. This means of grace also gets abused when men begin walking by sight and reason as opposed to truth and revelation. The Bible says "Men ought always to pray and not faint." Jesus has taught us today that persistent prayer prevails with God because He would have it so. In spite of this many would say, "If God is Sovereign, can do what He wills to do, and if none can interfere with Him then prayer is not necessary. What good could it do? If God knows what we need before we ask, then why ask? If I have prayed about something why should I pray about it again? After all, my prayers cannot change the mind of a God who has determined, unchangeably, whatsoever comes to pass." Those who come to such conclusions have left God's truth behind. They have both added to and taken away from the Bible. Historically such a person has been called a Hyper or Extreme Calvinist. Truth is, he is no Calvinist at all. His views are not even Christian. To be a Calvinist is to be a Biblical Christian. It is to believe nothing more or less than Jesus, the Apostles and the Prophets of old believed and taught. To be a Hyper Calvinist is to join with the hundreds of cults that practice religion but not Christianity. It is to walk in the way of heresy. It is to leave the Christian faith behind. The Holy Spirit counsels, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. {6} In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. {7} DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES; FEAR THE LORD AND TURN AWAY FROM EVIL. {8} It will be healing to your body, And refreshment to your bones. (Proverbs 3:5-8 NASB)

In the Lord's Prayer Jesus taught us what and how to pray. Today He tells us to be faithful and persistent in praying for the same things over, and over, and over again. Ask and keep on asking for the souls of your children. If it is pleasing to God they will one day be saved. Seek and keep on seeking wisdom from God, sanctification, a more loving heart, opportunities for witness, the ability to forgive, and the increased influence of the Holy Spirit in your life. Knock and keep on knocking on this door of grace and mercy. God has promised to hear and answer your prayers in accord with His good and Holy will. Pray, Beloved, for God is the Sovereign King and Lord or all. He is our loving Father!

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