Message #8 (of 20) from the PrayerPower radio series
"Asking - God’s Way"

by Kaye Johns

About a year after the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeated and expanded His teaching on prayer, as recorded in Luke 11.

Jesus again taught us to come to "our Father" in prayer, [Luke 11:2-4] and He repeated that we should ask, seek and knock with the incredible promise that "everyone who asks receives." [Luke 11:10]

Again, Jesus presented God as our Father Who wants to give: "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give..." Earlier He had said, "how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts" [Matthew 7:11, emphasis added], but here, Jesus said instead "...how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" [Luke 11:13]

As God’s children we have the very Spirit of God living within us, yet we’re commanded to "be filled with the Spirit." [Ephesians 5:18] It requires something of us, if we’re to receive His enabling presence and power in our lives day by day.

One thing it requires, Jesus taught, is that we ask, and He assures us of our Father’s willingness to give His Spirit, when we ask. This is part of Jesus’ basic teaching on prayer--we’re to ask for the Spirit, Who will enable and empower us to live and to pray according to God’s will, assuring that as we "ask, seek and knock," our prayers will make an eternal difference.

Pray with me now -- Father, we do ask now, that You fill us afresh with Your Spirit, in Jesus’ name, amen.

ã 1999 PrayerPower Ministries, P.O. Box 1368, Dallas, TX 75380-1368, 1-800-949-PRAY.
May be copied for personal or church use; please include PrayerPower name, address and phone on copies.