Prayer: The Friend at Midnight

Luke 11: 1-13
1 Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” 2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  3 Give us day by day our daily bread.  4 And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”

A Friend Comes at Midnight
5 And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Keep Asking, Seeking, Knocking
9 “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. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 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!

Prayer Principles Taught in the Lord’s Prayer
(This prayer does “mirror” Jesus’ prayer in John 17)
1. Focus of our prayer is to glorify God
2. Pray His Name (security)
3. Speak His Word (sanctity)

The Paternal Need - “Our Father”
God’s Presence - “Hallowed be Your Name”
God’s Priorities - “Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be Done”
God’s Provision - “Give us….”
God’s Forgiveness - “And forgive us…” (Ephesians 4:32)
Power over Satan - “Lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”

Bread
- Notice the use of the word “bread” in this passage Luke 11:1-13
- Bethlehem means “House of Bread” – Christ is born
- Response of Jesus when tempted by Satan: “Man shall not live by “bread” alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God “ (Matthew 4:4; John 1:1-4)
- Last Supper/Communion – make use of the symbol of “bread”
“I AM the BREAD of Life” John 6 – a deep relationship IN Christ

What is MISSING in our spiritual life that we need to CATCH from this passage in Luke 11?
Desperation… Audacity… Utter dependence

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the POOR IN SPIRIT for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven
2 Chronicles 16:9 “… for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, that He may show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are completely His”
2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
keep on keeping on asking…
keep on keeping on seeking…
keep on keeping on knocking… Greek present imperative

Luke 11:13
“… how MUCH MORE will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

1 Corinthians 14:1-5; 14,15
Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

Praying in Tongues
1. Develops a deeper intimacy with God (Ephesians 5:18)
2. Unveils mystery (Romans 8:26,27)
3. Provides the building up of our personal spiritual life (Jude 1:20)