Luke 11:1-13; 18:1-8

How are we to pray as citizens of the Kingdom?

1. Pray boldly (Luke 11:1-13). … Jesus prays. That’s something that is pretty telling. Jesus, part of the Trinity, prays to one of the other parts of the Trinity. If Jesus prays, that

   should tell us just how important is for us to pray. Then Jesus also gives us a model prayer, one we can model our own after. After that He tells a parable that relates to prayer. A man has guests show up he wasn’t expecting and was unprepared for. This man goes to his neighbor’s house in the middle of the night and shamelessly, boldly, and persistently asked for food. The neighbor wasn’t going to get up and wake everyone in the house just to give him bread out of friendship, but the neighbor would do it to make him be quiet. This parable is a contrast to God. God will do what’s best for us and what we need if we ask, He wants us to ask boldly and persistently and shamelessly though. God isn’t going to give us a spider if we ask for a fish, just like a good father wouldn’t. God wants to give us good gifts.
   
   If God is eager to give good gifts, why do so many prayers go unanswered? Jesus said the Kingdom is already here (Luke 17:20-21). Jesus said the Kingdom is not yet here in fullness (Luke 17:22-25). There will be days of waiting and days of silence. Why the delay?

1. There is spiritual warfare that can delay the answers of prayer. (Daniel 10-12-13)

2. God has a bigger purpose sometimes (2 Peter 3:8-9)
   

2. Pray persistently (Luke 18:1-8). … A widow kept complaining to an unjust judge for justice, Eventually the unjust judge grew tired of her and granted her justice. If an unjust judge grants justice after must persistence, then surely a good and just God will also grant justice.