Pray Like Jesus - Part 3
By Allan E. McNabb

Thus far in this series, we’ve discussed nine lessons from Jesus’ model prayer:

• Pray for brethren.
• Pray to God as your Father.
• Praise and glorify God.
• Pray about the kingdom.
• Pray about God’s will.
• Pray for your daily needs.
• Pray for forgiveness.
• Pray for deliverance.
• Say Amen.

Now, let’s explore His teaching on persistence, immediately following the model prayer, as recorded by Luke.

A Persistent Friend
Jesus tells a story to teach us to be persistent in prayer.
“Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 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” (Lk. 11:5-8).

From the story, it seems the men weren’t rich, or slaves would have done the work.

So based on Oriental customs of the day, the man was probably asleep with his wife and children on the floor, in their one room house, when his friend knocked.  The knocking would have aggravated his whole family.  And getting up to give his friend the bread, he would have disturbed everyone in the house.

Understanding the cultural context of the story, we realize that getting up to get the bread was more than inconvenient.  It was, as we say today, a hassle.

Jesus uses this story to teach persistence.  He says, “yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”

God wants us to be persistent in our prayers.  Not that He wants us to bug him to get an answer to our prayers, but God wants us to have a fervent and diligent prayer life.

Persistently Pray
God teaches us to be persistent in a number of Scriptures.
Once a Canaanite woman came to Jesus, pleading for Him to heal her demon-possessed daughter.  Jesus didn’t answer, possibly testing her faith, but she persistently sought His help, saying “Lord, help me” (Matt. 15:25)!

When Jesus answered the woman, He said, “‘It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs (Matt. 15:26).’”  But she replied, “‘Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table (Matt. 15:27).’”

Jesus remarked that the woman’s faith was great, and granted her request, healing her daughter at once.

Why was her faith so great?  Simply put, it was great because she was persistent in her prayer (request) to Jesus.  She didn’t give up!

Today, if our faith is great, we’ll be persistent in our prayers.  We won’t give up!

• “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Th. 5:16-18).

Ask, Seek, and Knock
Following the model prayer and the example of the Canaanite woman, Jesus tells us to ask, seek and knock.

• “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” (Lk. 11:9-10).

Jesus gives us three components of a persistent prayer life:

• Ask:  Like the Canaanite woman, persistently pray to God.  And don’t give up.
• Seek:  Like the Canaanite woman, seek the Lord’s favor, persistently petitioning Him to grant your desires and wishes.
• Knock:  Like the man who needed bread, persistently knock, confident God will answer your prayer in the way that’s best for you.

Conclusion
Jesus teaches us the how to pray, teaching us to be persistent in our petitions to God, just as He persistently prayed in the garden, hours before His crucifixion.

As a faithful Christian, you’re persistent in your prayers!

You don’t give up, casting all your anxiety on God, in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, making your requests known to Him.  As a result, you have the peace of God that surpasses all comprehension, guarding your heart and mind in Christ Jesus (1 Pet. 5:7; Phil. 4:6-7).