Prayers That Obviously Work Luke 11:1-13
Who on earth loves you the most, and what is the evidence of that love? I think, for many of us, it would be the love a parent has for their child. Love involves sacrifice, provision, nurture, protection, teaching, physical, mental and emotional development. We would add the greatest display of love a parent can give on top of these things is teaching their child about the One who so loved the world that He gave Himself for them and teaches them about Christ and the cross; loving the child’s soul.
But even if we acknowledge those who have loved us the most in our earthly lives, our parents, Jesus had just said this love is filtered through the state of evil. “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"” (Luke 11:11-13) Even though we in our natural state have sinned and rebelled, Jesus called it evil, we still show love and know how to give good gifts to our children.
This is contrasted with the Father in heaven who is perfect, free from sin; no evil abides in Him.
His love covering you is sacrificial; He gave us the greatest gift, His Son. So, His love is undeniable because it was undeniably proven through the gift of Christ’s payment for sin.
What is the Father’s purpose for us: post cross, post resurrection and post conversion?
We know the greatest gift to the church happened at Pentecost when there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit - the Helper, the Healer, the Comforter – given to the early church and now remains so upon all those who are called to His purpose in Christ. We would say His elect, His children, those who are born from above.
So, here’s the question. If God has already given the greatest sacrifice, displaying the greatest cost, the sacrificial gift of His Son, what logic and reasoning should be given to say that God now has no care or purpose for us when we pray and seek after him?
The context being: your earthly dads, who are evil, haven’t shown that level and depth of love of God the Father simply because it is impossible for a human father to do. If they have the ability to show their love by giving good gifts, how much more does the heavenly Father? It is the Father’s desire to bless you with good gifts. This is the logic Jesus was using here. I think it is a good argument.
The challenge for us is that we trust His word when we don’t get what we prayed for.
Maybe God doesn’t love me after all; maybe it’s all just make-believe; maybe He’s not a healer; maybe praying is pointless, it’s what religious people do, but it’s more of a psychological effect; maybe prayer is all in your head, God either doesn’t care, doesn’t hear, or isn’t powerful enough to deal with it. At the heart of these things is unbelief: God’s not real.
So, where are the prayers that obviously work, the ones where you pray and something miraculous happens? Healing, recovery, a word of knowledge, a miracle happens?
First thing is to adjust our thinking, then adjust your prayers.
Jesus taught us how to pray. Prayers that work: Luke 11 and in Matt 6:1-6.
1. Acknowledge who you are praying to: Our Father in heaven (Matthew 6:1)
2. Acknowledge the vast chasm and difference between Him and yourself: hallowed be your name - means separate, set apart, completely unique. God’s name is above every name; at His name, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
3. Prayer is about God’s will, not yours: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” You have your will, your plan, your desires, but unless it is aligned with God’s will, don’t even bother praying. Acknowledge His role and His rule; faith, not fatalism, in God’s sovereign will. You might say, well why pray at all then? We’ll get there. But the main thing is that this prayer is prescribed by God: of all our prayers, this is the one you know the Lord will listen to, because it was given by the Son of God. So, it’ll be answered.
4. What about us? Here we go: “Give us this day our daily bread,” This is Christ’s heart for us, that we get fed, watered, roof over the head; daily bread – necessities of life.
5. Now the impossible: “and forgive us our debts,” sins, transgressions.” This is the miraculous. Forgiving sin is only able to be done by the Lord.
6. Grace observed in us: “as we also have forgiven our debtors.” I.E sins or transgressions of others.
7. Protects us: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” Give us a heart not to be led astray and deliver us when evil comes our way from others afflicted by sin and Satan.
These prayers are answered. But Jesus added one more thing. After referring to what earthly dads are like and even the fact that they give good gifts, the Lord Jesus said that the Father, being perfect, will give us what? “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Another question: when was the last time you prayed for more of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit is the Helper who convinces of Sin, Righteousness and Judgement. (John 16:7-15) The Holy Spirit gives the fruit of the Spirit; “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22, 23) The Holy Spirit heals, interprets, reveals, does miracles…but the greatest work of the Spirit is converting people and Saving from Sin, making them a son or daughter of the Father, their names being written in the Book of Life. Is this what you are praying for?
Now let’s do a quick assessment of your prayer life: what have you been praying about? If our prayers have not included the Holy Spirit and any of the associated works of the Spirit, then our prayers are carnal and not spiritual. Little wonder they are not being answered. God wants people saved and for us to grow in grace; these are prayers that are answered.
Let’s pray and do work that involves these things.
1. Teaching people about Jesus – His Word
2. Teaching people about the Spirit – Fruit and works
3. Pray and invest in seeing people miraculously converted.
