1. Luke 11:5-12

2.  Must be confident in God’s love.  Must believe He wants to provide for His children.  Must believe we ARE His children  What assurances do we have that God will answer our prayers? G. A. P.

3.  Luke 11:5-6 -- Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.‘…

4.  (vs. 7-8) "Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

5.  Luke 11:11-12 -- "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?

6.  Friends are friends through thick and thin.  Fathers care for their children and give them only the best.

7.  Luke 11:9-10 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

8.  Luke 11:13 -- f 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!"

9.  God dwelling within us.  God comforting, teaching, leading, encouraging, exhorting, rebuking us through His Holy Spirit in the inner man.  God sealing, guaranteeing, assuring us of eternity with Him through the Holy Spirit.

10.  Mark 11:20-25  Jesus withers a fig tree.  Disciples impressed.  Jesus: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

11.  John 14:12-14 -- I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

12. Those who do not believe do not pray. This is a good functional definition of faith. Faith prays, unbelief does not. --John A. Hardon