CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 668

“Persistent Petition”

Luke 11:5-13 (NASB95) 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; … “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. “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. …

John 15:7 (NASB95) “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

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‘Dad, can I have a mountain bike?’ ‘Daddy, can I have that doll house?’ ‘Mom, can I have a sports car?’ We were not shy or timid in letting our parents know what we needed or wanted. If you are a parent, I am sure that you can vouch for the fact that your children are not shy in this regard as well. Why then do we neglect to ask our heavenly Father for what we need? Do we not want to bother Him with what we perceive to be an insignificant thing? Do we believe God to be too busy with the major issues of running the universe to be bothered with our petty needs?

When we do ask, why do we ask in a timid, beat-around-the-bush fashion? God wants us to be specific and confident rather than timid and fearful in our prayers. God loves us immensely more than our parents ever could and He desires that His children have what they need.

A word of caution: God is not a magic genie in a bottle in that our sole relationship with Him consists of making demands of Him. Do not expect God to hear those ‘prayers’. Jesus’ parable spoke of a persistent friend – not a stranger. If a stranger knocked on my door and demanded a mountain bike, my first question would be, ‘Who are you?’ We need to have a personal, abiding relationship with God as His children. An abiding relationship is characterized by our obedience to His Word. It is personal and conversational. It is intimate and loving. It is continual – it is where we live – it is home.

My son wanted a sports car as a teenager. I helped him buy a 4 cylinder Suzuki subcompact sedan. I knew that with his temperament, my son would most likely have killed himself or others with a sporty high horsepower vehicle. God loves us enough to also not give us everything we ask for. The test of our faith and trust relationship with God is evidenced by our reaction when God says ‘No’ to some of our requests.

Jesus demonstrated a lifestyle of abiding with God. He was specific when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for God to spare Him from the crucifixion that He was facing. Jesus also prayed for God’s perfect will to be done and remained obedient to His death on the cross.

Seek to obey and continually abide with God. When you pray, be persistent and specific about your desires and needs. Pray confidently with the certainty of God’s sovereignty. Nothing is impossible with God. Have faith and trust that God hears you and that His answer will be in accordance with His perfect love and will.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God