ASK AND RECEIVE

Passage: Luke 11:5-13

Key verse: 13

NIV

5 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; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 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.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[a] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.(A)

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you;(B) seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[b] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 11:8 Or yet to preserve his good name
  2. Luke 11:11 Some manuscripts for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything (A)because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence[a] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, (B)ask, and (C)it will be given to you; (D)seek, and you will find; (E)knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for[b] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, (F)who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father (G)give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 11:8 Or persistence
  2. Luke 11:11 Some manuscripts insert bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Because of his boldness (5-8)

God answers bold prayers. If I go to a friend's house and rouse him in the middle of the night to ask him for a loaf of bread to feed an unexpected guest, surely he will not like it. But he will get up and give me what I ask--if not to help me, to get rid of me. How much more is God who loves us ready and eager to answer our bold prayers.

2. Pray persistently (9-10)

God wants us to pray and not give up. We do not receive because we do not ask; we do not find because we do not seek; the door does not open because we do not knock.

3. Ask for the Holy Spirit (11-13)

God gives us the best gift--himself-- when we ask. A father does not give harmful things, but good gifts to his trusting child. How much more is our heavenly Father eager to give good gifts to us! If we ask, he will give us even the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, give me your Holy Spirit to guide me and equip me to serve you today.

One Word: Ask and it will be given you