Luke 11:5-8 “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me and I have no food to offer him.” And suppose the one inside answers, “Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.” I tell you, though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship,  yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.’”

No doubt Jesus told this with a smile on his face. The man is a friend. He knocks on the door. He asks for a specific amount. It is urgent. It is a reasonable amount. Only the hour is unreasonable. The friend opens the front door and the pantry door. Whatever the friend wants he gets.

This parable follows Jesus’ teaching on the Lord’s Prayer. The parable expands on the daily bread mentioned – “give us this day our daily bread.”

What follows is one of the greatest promises of prayer.

Principle: Ask God for something. Be specific. Be bold. He dares you.

This is the principle of A-S-K It follows the parable.

Ask and it will be given to you.

Seek and you will find.

Knock and the door will be opened.

Everyone who asks, receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Consider asking for something that is unreasonable. Someone once said, “Attempt something so grand that unless God intervenes it is bound to fail.”

Discussion:

1. How inclined are you to be specific with a prayer request?

2. Why is it more comfortable to float a general request rather than a specific one?

4. Resist telling God how to accomplish whatever you request.