Two Gifts Of Prayer / Luke 11:11-13 NIV

If the God to whom you pray seems remote, impersonal, and unknowable, then you’ll suffer from an inability to feel forgiven, will feel nagging doubt and will mistrust of God. Jesus knew picture of prayer is shaped by the way you picture God.

#1 - The Gift of the __________________.

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven…?” Luke 11:11-13a NIV

This tells us the motivation of God as our perfect heavenly parent. Jesus helps us to see and understand God by asking us to look at ourselves as parents. He asks, “Don’t you want to give good gifts to your children?” Of course we do! We love our kids. We want the best for them.

Then Jesus brings it home. He doesn’t say “even though we’re not perfect parents, or not the best parents, or merely human parents.” What does he say? “though you are evil!” Still we know how to give good gifts to our children. God is light years ahead of us in love for us and in the ability to give good gifts to us! God is the perfect parent. 4 ways…

Father of my ______________.

We may mistakenly believe that we human fathers and mothers created our children through our love. The Bible tells us that there is an even deeper level of creation of each of us.

“Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist.” / “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.” / “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” 1 Cor. 8:6a ESV, Jeremiah 1:5 ESV, Psalm 139:13 NIV

Our Father God had us in mind long before we were a twinkle in our earthly father or mother’s eye. None of us are here by accident, whether our earthly parents planned for us or not! Because God created you, He knows what’s best for you.

Father of my ____________.

“God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.” Ephesians 2:10 NCV

When we discover and have the opportunity to do what we are really good at, suddenly this doesn’t feel like “work.” Doing what I’m really good at is a privilege. I can’t wait to do it again and again. As loving Moms and Dads we invest our time and energy learning about our children after they’re born.

Father of my ___________________.

Some of us would say that they wouldn’t know what having a good parent is like, because they’ve never had one. You need to know that you have the perfect Parent Father God defending you and loving you more than you could know!

“Father of the fatherless… is God in His holy dwelling.” / “I rescued the fatherless who had none to assist them.” / “Defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that no mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror.” Psalm 68:5 NIV, Job 29:12 NIV, Psalm 10:18 NIV

Rather than looking at God through the lens of your own imperfect parents, turn the glasses around and consider your parents in light of the perfect God. Consider them in light of their own parents, and their parents before them. Families often carry the curse of poor parenting and pass it on. But Father God is not like that. He defends those who have no one else to defend them.

Father of my _________________.

“How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him.” / “Do not be afraid little flock for your Father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.” Matthew 7:11 NIV, Luke 12:32 NIV

Bottom line - God wants to give you the best gifts possible! Even to the limits of his kingdom. No limits to His kingdom!

#2 - The Gift of the ______________________.

“… how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13b NIV

Because most of us have grown up with the idea of the Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit - in perfect unity and perfect love, we too easily dismiss the grandness of this great gift. (1) God is quite literally making sure that we have the gift of Himself, and that because of the Spirit, we always know that. (2) Many people think of the Holy Spirit in the Trinity as the action of love that binds together the Triune Godhead. If true, then the gift of the Holy Spirit would be the gift that helps us always to know He loves us. (3) Within the Trinity we find the perfect Mind of God. If we also have direct access to God / guidance.

God gives me His _____________.

How great would it be to know that know matter where you go, no matter what situation you find yourself in, no matter how badly you’ve blown it, no matter how isolated you may be, that God is always with you, that He never leaves your side!

“You realize, don't you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you?” 1 Corinthians 3:16 MSG

This passage is primarily about taking care of your physical body and minding your actions within a sinful world, but the primary base assumption is the key to today’s teaching. “God Himself is present in you!”

God gives me His ____________.

If God’s Presence is with you everywhere, then that also means that God’s help will be with you everywhere. Jesus told us that he personally has requested this Gift for each of his followers.

“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth.” John 14:16-17a NCV

Jesus gives us another important detail about this gift. God’s help is not only with us everyWHERE we go, but also everyWHEN we go. This word “Helper” is para-kletos and is also translated “Companion,” “Comforter,” “Counselor,” “Advocate.”

Para - alongside. Kletos - called. That last translation “Advocate” is especially “helpful” to us to grasp the concept. NT Greek Lexicon: “summoned, called to one’s side, one who pleads another’s case before Judge, a pleader, defense attorney.”

All of which begs the question for your prayer: Are you asking God for help?

God gives me His ______________.

How would you like to have Almighty God, Who is, Who was, and Who is yet to come, Who created all things and knows all things - to be someone Who could also give you good advice? Don’t you think He could be the best Guidance Counselor ever? We have such a gift in the Holy Spirit.

“When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” John 16:13 NIV

The Holy Spirit guides us in 2 ways, according to Jesus.

(1) “into all truth.” Usually we think about this “truth” as His Word or the events of our lives. Both “true.” But also “true” is what he tells us about ourselves. Consider that no one else has insight into you more than your Creator! He can tell you “truth” about yourself that no one else can. Because He knows you!

(2) “what is yet to come.” Insight into His plans and His view of eternity. Helps us get our focus off of the narrow & now.

God gives me His ______________.

“For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children, and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, ‘Father! my Father!’” Romans 8:15 GNT

This brings us back full circle. And what a circle! God the Son - Jesus - asks God the Father to give us the greatest gift of all, the gift of the 3rd Person of the Trinity, God the Spirit. And because of His great love for us as His children (which we become because of His Son’s sacrifice for us so we become co-heirs, sons and daughters alongside Jesus Himself), because of the Father’s love for all His children, He gives us the greatest Gift of the Holy Spirit. And what does the Holy Spirit do in us? Constantly remind us of just how much we are God’s children. So much so that we cry out, “Abba,” “Daddy.” We are adopted into the most intimate love a child could ever know.

If you struggle with confidence in your prayer life, it’s because you struggle with knowing these truths about God and His involved love for you.