Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In The Bible

In our last article we studied the Lord’s prayer in Luke 11:1-4. The disciples noticed that Jesus had a close relationship with God, and that His prayer life was very dynamic and effective. They asked Jesus to teach them to pray, and Jesus began with the Lord’s prayer.

The Lord’s prayer begins with addressing God as “Our Father,” emphasizing a personal relationship. The prayer includes key themes: reverence for God’s holiness, the desire for His kingdom to come, daily provision, forgiveness of sins, and guidance away from temptation.

Jesus continued to teach them more after the Lord’s prayer, and this is where we will pick it up. We will continue to look at what Jesus taught His disciples about prayer in Luke 11:5-10.

 

Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In Luke 11:5-8

Luke 11:5-8 – “Then He said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says
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’; 7 and from inside he answers and says, ‘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.’ 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.”

Jesus tells them a parable about a man who has a visitor, but he has not food for him. So he goes to another friend at midnight and asks him for 3 loaves of bread. At first the friend tells him no, and gives him some reasons that he cannot help him. Jesus says that if the man is persistent in his request, then the friend will indeed get up and give him as much as he needs.

 

God Blesses Humble, Fervent, Persistent Prayer

Jesus is teaching us first that we need to go to God and ask for Him for the things we need, as He did in the Lord’s prayer in verses 1-4. Jesus is not suggesting in this parable that God does not want to answer our prayers or take care of our needs. He is trying to teach us that we need to be persistent and fervent in our prayers. And we need to be willing to wait on God for His answers. God blesses humble dependence on Him, fervent prayers, and persistence. And He also wants us to persistently seek to know Him more and more, not just receive things from Him. If we are not willing to take the time to grow in our fellowship and knowledge of God, then when we ask things of Him we are simply using Him as some kind of spiritual Santa Claus.

 

Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In Luke 11:9-10

“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.

The original meaning of the word “ask” in verse 9 literally means “to keep on asking”. And the original word for “knock” means to “keep on knocking”. The original word for “seek” means to “keep on seeking”. Jesus is teaching us to be steadfast and persistent in our prayers, and in asking God for the things we need. And to be steadfast and fervent and persistent in our seeking God. Seeking to know God more and more. And seeking to discern God’s will and plans for our lives. 

Jesus is teaching us that being steadfastly committed to Him will eventually be rewarded. And persistently praying for God’s provisions and blessings will be rewarded. And seeking to have a more intimate fellowship with Him will be rewarded too. 

 

Jesus’ Teaching On Prayer In Luke 11:11-13

“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 will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

In verse 11 and 12 Jesus is still talking about asking for physical needs and food. God wants us to humbly depend on Him for all of our needs. But there is much more to life than our physical needs and food. In verse 13 Jesus teaches us that God will take care of us like a good earthly father would. But God will do and give us so much more than just meet our physical needs. God’s ultimate desire is to bless us spiritually as well, and help us to be more and more like His Son Jesus. God wants us to be Godly people of high character, and integrity, and of honor. 

Jesus is also teaching us that we should be asking God for spiritual blessings and for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the source of the much more that God wants us to have. The abundant full life that God wants for us. And the close fellowship and oneness with Jesus that God wants for us. The Holy Spirit is also the source of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control (Galatians 5:22-23). And the Holy Spirit is the source of power and ability to fulfill the mission Jesus has given us of sharing the Gospel and making disciples (Matthew 4:19, Acts 1:8…). 

 

Keep On Asking & Seeking God

We encourage you to take the time and effort to pray and spend time with Jesus. And seek to know Him and be closer to Him. Be diligent and fervent and persistent, and never give up. God will bless you and use you beyond what you can imagine if you do.

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

 

 

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