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Luke 11:9-13
In this passage, for a second time, Jesus gives advice on prayer. And this advice is simply instructing His disciples to ask. Jesus has told His disciples that they must be persistent in prayer (Luke 11:5-8; Matthew 7:7-11) and in this passage He teaches them that they should ask, seek, and knock. In doing these things they will receive, find, and the door will be opened (Luke 11:10). In Luke 11:11-13 Jesus compares an earthly father and his love for taking care of his son with the love of the heavenly Father in taking care of His children. But Jesus adds a twist in that the good gifts that an “evil” father (Luke 11:13, NKJV) knows to give his son in taking good care of him is in turn compared to the good gift of the Holy Spirit that our heavenly Father gives.
This is an example and promise that God desires to give us the good gift of His Holy Spirit if we will ask.
This is God’s gift to us through salvation in His Son Jesus (Luke 11:13, John 14:15-18; 25-26).
This may come as a surprise to us as we have historically come to God in prayer during a time of need in asking God’s healing touch on a loved one or on our own physical needs. But God works in us through the gift of His Holy Spirit that He sends to live within us as we accept what Jesus has done for us on the cross and believe in Him (John 14:15-18). If we want God to answer our prayers, we should first be praying that He send His Holy Spirit to live within us, and then we are praying as God desires us to pray as His children (Matthew 6:8-15, Luke 11:1-15, John 1:12-13).
Dear Lord,
As Jesus teaches us how to pray, he also teaches us the importance of receiving Your Holy Spirit to live within us—the gift of salvation in Jesus as we become Your children through believing in Him. Please help us to see that believing in You and receiving Your Holy Spirit is Your gift of salvation to us through Your Son Jesus. This is the first step in bringing our prayers to You—so that You may answer the prayers of those who first believe in You. In Jesus name I pray, amen.