Luke 11:8-9
I tell you, even though he will not get
up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your
shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you
need.
“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."
The commentary in The NIV Life
Application Study Bible, says that "Persistence, or boldness in
prayer overcomes OUR insensitivity, not God's. To practice
persistence does more to change our hearts and minds than His, and it
helps us understand and express the intensity of our need.
Persistence in prayer helps us recognize God's work." I find
this very helpful because I struggle with why I need to keep
repeating the same prayer. I mean God is the ruler of all, He knows
what I am asking for even before I ask it. Jesus told us to keep on
asking. He must have had a reason. It makes sense that it is for US
not Him. Chris Tiegreen says that we don't know why persistence is
required, Jesus doesn't tell us that. But it is clear that it is
required, not optional and that we are to be relentless. No where in
the Bible does it say that God's silence means no. His silence means
keep on asking. This is illustrated for us in the scriptures below.
Matthew 15:22-28
A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord,
Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and
suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples
came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out
after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of
Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!”
she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s
bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said.
“Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s
table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith!
Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that
moment.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says simply, "pray
continually."
