iPray - pt. 3

Here are a few quick thoughts from the last night of the iPray series I did at Fuel.

• Jesus could have talked about any facet of prayer, but He focuses in here on these three things... 1. Declare God's Greatness. 2. Get Your Will in Alignment With His. 3. Acknowledge Your Dependence On Him. Then He launches into this story in Luke 11 about that thing that frustrates us more than anything about prayer, and I am so glad He did. He begins to talk about what happens when you don’t get what you want from God. He could have said anything about prayer right here, but He chooses this area because He knew the frustration we would feel.
• Jesus tells a parable about a man who asks his neighbor for some bread...at midnight. The man tell his neighbor to go away...it is late and he doesn't want to wake his family. The man finally gets out of bed and gives his neighbor some bread...not because the man is his friend, but because he is tired of his neighbors consistent and persistent knocking.
• The moral is kind of clear…if you want something from God just keep banging on the door and eventually He will get up and do something for you. Not because he loves you, but because you just bother him to death.
• This is not as weird as we might think…Remember a time when you just bugged your parents to death and they gave in just so you would shut up! Your parents don’t love you any more or less when that happens. Really it has nothing to do with love or your relationship with them. Sometimes you go ask your parents for something and they say no...and you say, “Yes sir” and walk away…and your parent says, “Hey common. Let’s go!” Your response to them caused them to change their mind because you had such a good attitude.
• God is not bothered by your persistence asking, sometimes he is moved by it. The parable could not be any clearer: tell God how great He is, align your will with His, and tell Him what you need…and oh yeah, DON’T QUITE ASKING!
• Your persistent prayer has the potential to move the heart of God. You have that kind of potential!