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• When Jesus' disciples asked him to teach them to pray, he had some specific things to say about prayer.
• Jesus taught that there is a right way to pray, which means there is a wrong way, too—and that's offensive.
• Luke 11:1–4
• Jesus provides The Lord's Prayer as a synopsis of how to pray.
• Though Jesus could have said anything about prayer, he chose to focus on a frustration we all face: the times God doesn't answer.

• Luke 11:5–10
• The Greek word translated "boldness" is translated "persistence" in every other English translation of the Bible.
• If we understand that in parables one party is us and one party is God, then we quickly understand that we're the guy banging on the door, and God is the grumpy man inside.
• In another parable, Jesus compared our prayers to the persistent petitions of a widow before an un-God-fearing judge.
• The moral of the story is clear: if you want something from God, just keep banging on the door.
• Illustration: Stanley uses the example of his children persistently asking to go to Target to show how God's heart is moved by our perseverance.
• Illustration: Stanley uses the example of his children having a good attitude when he tells them "no" to them to show how God's heart is moved when we accept his "no."
• God is our Father, and our prayer has the power to change his mind.

• God is not irritated when we keep asking him for something; he is honored by that.
• When you pray, tell God he's great, tell him you're surrendered, and don't quit asking.
• Luke 11:9–10

• Jesus understands that sometimes we don't get what we want; his friends Mary and Martha lost their brother Lazarus.
• Illustration: A man in Stanley's congregation prayed for his father to accept Christ for 22 years before he saw it happen.
• Illustration: A woman in Stanley's congregation was reconciled to her sisters after praying for it for 17 years.
• Every once in a while, maybe more than would happen if we understood this, and maybe more than we recognize, God responds to "I'm not going to give up; I'm going to ask and seek and knock " prayers.

• In the process of our asking and seeking and knocking so many times, God does something in us.
• Sometimes God wants to change us before he will change others.
• Sometimes, as we keep asking, we realize we're praying for the wrong thing—this isn't even what God wants.
• God will do something when we pray persistently, though not on our timetable…and when he does, it will be unbelievable.

• When we pray for something consistently, we are telling God he is the great God who is able to see that it is done—and God is honored by that.
• God will honor our requests when we honor him by what we ask for.
• When we are committed to God's will, God will see that his will is done.

• Is there anything you are that consumed with in your prayers?
• If you are not asking God for something big persistently, you are missing out on a change to see him do something great in the world and in you.
• When you pray, don't give up; and when you ask, you keep asking—and God might just do the very thing you are asking him to do.