Have you ever given in to a request simply because someone would not stop asking? Maybe it was a child asking for a snack, a friend texting for help, or a family member who just kept bringing something up until you finally said yes. That kind of persistence is exactly what Jesus points to in Luke 11.

After sharing a story about a friend who kept knocking on a door late at night until it was opened, Jesus tells His disciples to ask, seek, and knock. However, Jesus is not saying that God is annoyed by our requests or needs to be convinced. Instead, He is showing the difference between an unwilling person and a loving Father. If persistence can move someone who does not want to help, how much more can we trust God, who already cares deeply about us.

Asking is about being honest with God. It shows that we recognize God as our source. Many of us try to solve problems on our own, whether it’s because we don’t want to burden God with our needs or because we believe that we shouldn’t have desires. But all throughout Scripture we are encouraged to go to God in prayer boldly and with anticipation. Asking is not a weakness; it’s a sign of trust.

Seeking goes a step further. Seeking means our actions match our prayers. We cannot ask God for guidance and then ignore what He shows us. Seeking is about moving in the same direction as our prayers – choosing habits, decisions, and paths that line up with what we are asking God to do in our lives.

Knocking is about not giving up when things feel closed off. Life is full of moments that feel like locked doors. Jesus encourages us to keep knocking despite what circumstances look like. Persistence shows we believe that something is happening, even when we cannot see it yet.

Together, ask, seek, and knock show us that prayer is active, honest, and ongoing. Jesus invites us to keep coming back to God with trust, confidence, and endurance. When it comes to prayer, we are called to P.U.S.H. – pray until something happens.

Getting Started

1. If you got lost while traveling, are you more likely to ask for help or try to figure it out yourself?
2. What’s something you’ve asked for in the past that took longer than you expected? How did it feel when you finally received it?

Let’s Get Personal

1. In what areas of your life have you been hesitant to ask God for what you need or desire?
2. Is there a “closed door” that you have been tempted to stop knocking on?
3. How does understanding God as a loving Father change the way you approach prayer?

Take the Next Step

1. What is one specific request you will intentionally and persistently bring to God this week?
2. As you close your time with your group, pray together and ask God to help you remain faithful in prayer, even when answers do not come right away.
3. Want to dig deeper? Take a look at the following passages: Luke 11:9; Mark 11:24; John 16:24; James 4:2-3; 1 John 5:14; Matthew 6:8; Ecclesiastes 3:1; Jeremiah 29:13; Matthew 6:33; Isaiah 55:6; 1 Chronicles 16:11; Romans 12:12; Galatians 6:9.

Renew Your Mind

“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.”
— Luke 11:9