Bible Study - Stand (4) - GOD'S Promise of Answered Prayer - Luke 11:5-13 - September 27, 2015

Bible Study – Stand (4) – GOD’S Promise of Answered Prayer – September 27, 2015

This is lesson four (4) in our series entitled “Stand Strong: Building Your Life on GOD’S Promises.”

Our focus scripture is Luke 11:5-13.

GOD always answers prayer.

I have found that GOD always answers prayers – no, yes or wait. GOD always hears the prayer of the repentant sinner for forgiveness and salvation with a positive response - YES. GOD always hears the prayers of HIS children; as his children, it is HIS response that often gives us concern if it is “no” or “wait”.

We always like to see or receive a positive response. When the response is “no” or “wait” we often question GOD – Did YOU hear me? Don’t YOU care? Have I done something wrong? Do YOU not understand? And many other questions we have for GOD.

I have often found that I was not Spiritually prepared to receive or understand the answer. Having to wait is always the pits. We like a quick response. If our computer doesn’t respond quickly, we get upset, or when we call or go into a place of business, we want a quick response to our needs, after all our time is valuable. The list goes on.

“No” is most often the most difficult answer to take; after all we know what is the best outcome of whatever we are asking of GOD.

This lesson focuses on prayer. What is prayer? Prayer is simply talking to GOD. Ideally, it is communication between GOD and the person. We need to speak and we need to listen.

Often, we think of prayer as asking GOD to respond to our physical needs but do we consider our Spiritual needs? The movie “War Room” is a most excellent movie and if you have not seen it, I encourage you to see it. It is on prayer. We in America have gotten away from serious prayer. We have our rote sayings but not genuine prayer until we get into trouble or a family member has a specific need.

As Christians, we can come into the very presence of GOD because we are HIS children. Christians are all sinners saved by the shed blood of JESUS and are under GOD’S grace. We all have baggage from our self-life or the flesh. Often, we have strongholds which we have either knowingly or unknowingly allowed to be built in our lives. Strongholds are the best fortified and the strongest bastions for defense. Some strongholds are good but others compromise our relationship with GOD and others and have been established by our flesh nature or Satan. These strongholds must come down, brick by brick and stone by stone and destroyed, the void created must be filled by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Strongholds are anything that controls our lives except the indwelling Holy Spirit; bitterness, hatred, gossip, addictive things that enter our lives and the list goes on.

Satan cannot read your mind but Satan can place ideas and temptation before you to see how you respond. He is looking for the things that you find pleasing and then he makes sure to guide you to those things with one purpose in mind and that is to entrap and enslave you. These things become strongholds and will control your lives. Some may not be bad things but often they are addictive things. They may be good things which rob us of obediently serving the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Does this mean Christians cannot have any fun or pleasure? NO! But it does mean that we need to be on guard of the things we allow to come into our lives. We need to take inventory by asking and allowing the Holy Spirit to examine our lives, desires and intentions. When we go before GOD, our Father, we need to be honest with HIM as HE examines our lives and HE reveals things that we need to give up, bring under HIS control or the things we need to do more of. Often, we need Spiritual correction as we obediently serve our LORD GOD.

Christians need to communicate with GOD. Although JESUS was the Son of GOD, HE spent a lot of time speaking to HIS Father in prayer. It was after JESUS was praying that HIS disciples asked HIM to teach them how to pray.

Let’s explore!

Let’s read Luke 11:1-4:

The Model Prayer (JESUS teaches HIS disciples about prayer.)

1 HE was praying in a certain place, and when HE finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John (the Baptist) also taught his disciples." 

2 He said to them, "Whenever you pray, say: Father, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. 

3 Give us each day our daily bread. 

4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves also forgive everyone in debt to us. And do not bring us into temptation."

This is from the Holman translation and it reads differently from our traditional prayer referred to as “the LORD’S Prayer.” It is actually the Model Prayer.

JESUS had been praying and HIS disciples asked HIM to teach them how to pray to GOD which indicates they had associated the importance CHRIST placed on praying or communicating with GOD, HIS Father. Being disciples they had a relationship with JESUS, although that relationship would grow Spiritually after the death, resurrection of JESUS, HIS ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell their lives.

HIS disciples knew that JESUS prayed to GOD and they knew that John the Baptist had taught his disciples how to pray to GOD. In fact, two of JESUS’ disciples were former disciples of John the Baptist. Aren’t we glad that JESUS’ disciples asked HIM this question and there is a written record! It was the time to teach them and, in turn, HIS response teaches us.

Father:

JESUS taught them to address GOD as Father. This is a model or guide prayer for those who have placed their faith in JESUS. All who have been born-again are the children of GOD through the miracle of rebirth; therefore, GOD is the Spiritual Father of all Christians.  Some translations include HIS location “in heaven” so as not to confuse father with any other father figure except GOD, Yahweh.

Holy:

GOD is to be honored and reverenced because HE is Holy. We are HIS children and can come to HIM 24/7 but we are to treat HIM with respect, honor and reverence because of HIS holiness and great love for each of us. Yes, Christians can call HIM “Daddy” but we are to not forget Who HE is.

Kingdom:

We are to seek the establishing of HIS kingdom in our hearts and lives so that we can share this Good News of CHRIST with others as we obediently walk with HIM and function in HIS kingdom. HIS kingdom is first established in our hearts by placing our faith in CHRIST and then at the right time HIS kingdom will be established upon earth after the second coming of CHRIST.  

Daily Bread:

CHRIST knew that all humans have both physical and Spiritual needs. Just as the Israelites gathered manna each day to sustain them was provided by GOD, Christians are to look to GOD to meet both their physical and Spiritual needs day by day. Just as they were to gather only enough manna for one day and a double portion to carry them through the Sabbath, so are we to take life a day at the time but also to put enough aside to carry us through a time when provisions are not supplied; such as hiding HIS Word in our hearts and practicing in the dark days what we learn in the light as we build our relationship with HIM and managing our resources.

Forgiveness:

JESUS addressed the attitude of our hearts as Christians regarding forgiveness. GOD has forgiven each of us for our sins and, in turn, we need to extend that same attitude of forgiveness to others. Forgiveness reflects that our hearts are truly in harmony and unity with GOD.

Temptation:

JESUS’ statement “do not bring us into temptation” can be troubling. It could be rendered “do not allow our flesh nature to lead us into areas of temptation but if it serves your purpose to strengthen us, then be with us through the temptation by delivering us from the evil one.” The Gospel according to Matthew adds “but deliver us from the evil one.”

JESUS continued HIS teaching regarding prayer, as we read our next scripture.

Let’s read Luke 11:5-10:

Keep Asking, Searching, Knocking (Persistence keeps us focused on GOD as we wait for HIM to answer our request.)

5 He also 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 of bread, 

6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I don't have anything to offer him.' 

7 Then he will answer from inside and say, 'Don't bother me! The door is already locked, and my children and I have gone to bed. I can't get up to give you anything.' 

8 I tell you, even though he won't 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. 

9 "So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 

10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 

The fact that Doctor Luke leads into this story with the words “HE also said to them” ties the model prayer to this example.

In the desert regions it is hot and a good time for travel in that day was late evening when the sun goes down. Such was the likely situation which resulted in these guests arriving, unannounced at a friend’s home at midnight. They did not have cell phones, postal service or computers, so they arrived unexpectedly.

In that day houses had limited space and the family for the most part slept in one large room along with their small animals. So this story sent a clear message to those who heard JESUS teach. The friend, who had the much needed bread, was bedded down and sleeping soundly, with his family and their small animals. The door into their house was locked and secure. We all know that once the children are asleep we do not want to awake them or disturb the animals and unlock a secured door. It was a complicated situation and an aggravation.

A friend had unexpected guests and needed three loaves of bread because he did not have any bread to offer his weary guests. The friend goes to the most likely person who could meet his need for bread at such a late hour. Traditionally enough bread was baked to provide enough bread for a day. Bread was baked fresh each day. But in this case the person needing bread knew where to go to find bread in the middle of the night.

Even though it was a bad time for the friend needing bread to be banging on the door, the friend with the bread will get up, run the risk of disturbing the household and give the person what he needs in order to keep him quiet. The friend who had bread was not a happy person in the middle of the night as we read in his reply “Don’t bother me!”

Notice the person with the bread said, “I can’t get up.” In essence, I am blocked in by children and other things. Surely, you can find someone else who can provide what you need or do without until morning.

The person needing the bread received the bread because of his persistence or “shameless audacity.”  

So what was JESUS communicating? Was it, if we bang on GOD’S door long enough we will get what we want? No, HIS teaching is that GOD has all the provisions any of us need and at the proper time HE will provide for our needs according to HIS will and plan for us.  We should let HIM know what we think our needs are but HE decides what we need, how much we need and when to provide it. JESUS makes this point as HE continues HIS teaching.

In the act of seeking or asking, searching and knocking our relationship with GOD is honed and our relationship with GOD is built. JESUS made it clear that when we keep on seeking or asking, it will be given to us, when we keep on searching, we will find and when we keep on knocking, the door will be opened.

We need to review the model prayer JESUS used:

-         Because GOD is our Father, we acknowledge HIM as Holy

-         We embrace the coming of HIS kingdom both in our hearts and eventually upon earth.

-         GOD provides for our daily needs both physically and Spiritually.

-         Our relationship with GOD is reflected in our willingness to forgive others.

-         We are dependent upon GOD to deliver us from the snares of the evil one. But there are times when GOD allows us to go through difficult times to strengthen us and make us more fruitful.

When we walk with GOD through our faith in CHRIST, GOD has the best interest of HIS children in mind, at all times, regardless of what we think. We are to obediently serve GOD according to HIS will, plan and purpose for our lives and to trust HIM.

To drive this point home JESUS continued in the next scripture.

Let’s read Luke 11:11-13:

11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? 

12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 

13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"

JESUS used practical examples to give understanding to HIS teaching. Every parent’s desire is to provide the best for their child or children. If a child asks their father for a fish, would the father give him or her a snake? Of course not is the expected reply. Or if a child asks for an egg would the father give him or her a scorpion? Of course not! We love our child or children and we would not give them something which would harm them and neither will GOD.

When we consider the sinful nature of our hearts and the perfect heart and nature of GOD, HOW MUCH MORE will GOD our Father in heaven will give us what HE knows is best for us. It may not be what we think is best for us. But HE not only gives what is the best to meet our needs but along with meeting our needs, HE will give us an increased portion of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives to get us through life’s circumstances when and where needed. Prayer and relationship with GOD through faith in CHRIST are vital as we obediently serve our LORD.

Blessings!!!