By John David Hicks
In Luke 11, Jesus illustrates the prayers that God answers—with the man that needed three loaves at midnight and the widow that needed justice. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened” (Luke 11:9–10).
I always thought Jesus was teaching us to be persistent in prayer. We are to keep on asking and begging God until He gives in and answers our prayer. However, in my reading this week, I found another interpretation. The Greek word anaideia has been incorrectly translated “persistence.” Because anaideia is a negative word, the translators did not want to apply it to God. Anaideia refers “to people who have no proper sense of shame and willingly engage in improper bold conduct, freely disregarding all commonly accepted social norms.” Anaideia is used when a person’s actions are rash, insolent, reckless, disorderly, crude, self-willed and obscene. We see that bold, shameless conduct with the man at midnight, the widow with the judge and even God doing it.
Jesus is not teaching you to be persistent in begging God, but to be bold and shameless in coming to God in prayer. If the sleeping neighbor and the unjust judge respond to this inappropriate behavior, how much more can you approach a gracious and loving God without hesitation? Jesus is not encouraging repetitive prayer but patient prayer. A long delay may come, but be patient and hang in there.
Thus, Jesus asks a question in Luke 18:8, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Many struggle and lose their faith when God is “slow” to answer. Like Abraham our faith is being tested while we are waiting for the answer. Will your faith prevail in the face of apparent unanswered prayer? Prayerlessness is proof of unbelief. But prayer is the utterance of faith. We wait because of God’s timing, not because of God’s neglect (Luke 18:7).
“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened” (Luke 11:9–10). The emphasis should fall on the future tenses: “it will be given, you will find, it will be opened” is God’s guarantee.
In Verse 1, Luke tells us why Jesus gave us this teaching on prayer. “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart.” Faith, in Scripture is understood as faithful endurance that prays while waiting (Heb. 11). If you come to God boldly, even when your conduct is shameless, God will always hear and respond. Your needs will be met. Don’t hesitate to bring all your requests to God. Whatever your question, ask it. Whatever your need, present it. When it seems inconvenient, when it looks impossible, come and ask. You will always be heard, because you are always loved. Persistence, confidence and faith come when you know you are praying in the will of God.
Verse 11-12, “Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?” Jesus assures you that God hears you and will give you what is best for you (1 John 5:14-15). In the garden Jesus asked that the cup of suffering would be taken away, but the will of God was the cross, so our salvation could be complete. God’s love is hidden in the Cross because truth that is lodged in an apparent contradiction is only revealed by faith. Faith sees the character of God and surrenders to the unacceptable. “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.” (Heb. 5:8–9). By dying, Jesus faced death like all of us. For He “has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:15–16).
Verse 13, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” The Holy Spirit is God’s highest gift (1 John 4:4). Therefore, you can trust God to provide for all your lesser needs as well. Your prayer will be answered in the will of God, “which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2). God will act out of honor for His name and out of His love for you.