Luke 11:13, commentary and pictures

Even though human parents are morally flawed and sinful they still know how to give good things to their children, so the infinite heavenly Father whose love is larger, broader, deeper and immeasurable will certainly give what is truly good and healthful and never answer prayer with something harmful. That good gift is the Holy Spirit, heaven's greatest gift, which carries every good thing with it. He is far more willing to give the Spirit to those who ask Him than even flawed earthly parents are to give good gifts, and the promise is sure, positive and certain for every soul and will not be withheld. Receiving requires earnest, persistent, continual asking, seeking and knocking in faith without wavering, as a little child in humility, conscious need and surrender, not to be used for selfish pleasure but to bless others. The Spirit thus given purifies and renews the heart, leads into all truth and righteousness, supplies spiritual strength and power for every conflict and need, and fits believers to receive from Christ daily in order to give light and help to others.

Human and Heavenly Giving

The saying names human parents as evil, that is morally flawed and sinful, and still they know how to give good gifts to their children. Humble and contrite asking is precious and is not lost, and the promise belongs to all who ask, seek with the whole heart, and keep asking persistently rather than turning to depend on others. The good gifts promised are the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will give to those who ask and will not withhold from simple faith without doubt. That gift is heaven's greatest gift and blessing, offered abundantly, and every good thing is given with it while other blessings come with receiving him, so to refuse his offered presence is to reject a gracious gift.

The giver is the heavenly Father, the infinite God whom those who pray are given privilege to call Father, a name entwined with the dearest associations of the human heart and a pledge of regard and relationship. His sovereignty and majesty are reason to trust His generous care and to come confidently without fear, in simple childlike faith rather than doubt, and speaking that name when asking favor is as music in His ears, repeated again and again so that its use is not presumption but desired familiarity. His tenderness rests on His relation to people as their Creator and Redeemer, His benevolence and love exceed limited ideas of His goodness, and His love is larger, broader, deeper than human love can possibly be and immeasurable. He regards those who ask as His children, redeemed out of the careless world and chosen to become members of the royal family, sons and daughters of the heavenly King, and invites a trust deeper and stronger than that of a child in an earthly father.

The comparison of the two givers proves that God does not tantalize His children, turn away a needy longing heart, or answer a cry for help with something harmful or deceptive. As even an imperfect earthly father gives bread and not a stone and fish and not a serpent, giving what is good and healthful, so the heavenly Father much more gives what is truly good from heaven's treasures committed to Christ and bestows the Spirit abundantly. An honest prayer offered in faith from a sincere heart is heard, and its blessing comes when most needed and may exceed expectation even when it is not the very thing requested and not immediate. The same readiness belongs to Jesus Christ Himself, alive forevermore, who is more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask than parents are to give good gifts to their children. He has grace and strength and power to give in accordance with the wants of all in every line of work, to aid even a perverse nature, to deliver from pollution as well as from curse and condemnation, to sanctify through the truth and fit for heaven, so that all spiritual illumination and perfection comes from Him and salvation is opened to all who lay hold of it by coming helpless and hopeless into clear light on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour.

Certainty of the Promise

The heavenly Father is far more willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him than even flawed earthly parents are to give good gifts to their children. This greater willingness is the very teaching of the comparison, assuring believers that they can trust God for the Spirit's help when it is most needed. Christ uses God's parental tenderness to encourage asking in faith and to awaken earnest desire for this gift. The Spirit is a great gift and the means by which God's people receive power, so they should hunger and thirst for it, talk about it, pray for it, and preach about it. God abundantly gives the grace and power needed to proclaim the message of life, and where truth fails to save powerfully the cause is lack of faith.

The promise is sure and will not be withheld, for the Holy Spirit is the greatest gift and blessing God can give. It belongs to all and is for every soul, including children and the weakest, because Christ died for all, so the experience and attainments of those eminent for piety are not beyond reach. Everyone who sincerely seeks God will find Him, humble contrite prayers are precious to Him and are not lost, and much of the Spirit awaits those who ask. The promise calls for faith without doubt or wavering, authorizing believers to believe in the blessing and pray for it. Unbelief leaves church members spiritually weak, while living faith perseveres in earnest prayer rather than making only a passing request, and as faith increases blessing increases through strengthened union with God.

Through Christ's merits believers have access to the Father and may receive the fullness of the Spirit, for the Father gave the Spirit without measure to Christ and believers may share in that fullness. This gift is reached through faith in God's promises and by fulfilling His requirements. God is more willing to give His grace than people are to ask for it. He is waiting to pour out blessing as soon as people draw near and by living faith grasp His promises and take Him at His word. Heaven is full of light and strength and the richest enduring treasures to be freely drawn from and then imparted to others, so that those who walk in the light grow day by day in wisdom and truth up to the full stature of men and women in Christ instead of remaining dwarfs in Bible knowledge and religious life. The same readiness answers missionaries in the field as fully as prayers offered for them, enabling through faith and unity with Him the working out of His righteous will and the gaining of victories.

The verse is a sure, positive and certain promise to be presented to the Father in prayer with belief that what is asked will be given. His word is to be taken and the promise claimed every hour of the day. It is to be believed whether feeling confirms it or not, giving strong assurance that shapes faith and life in keeping with prayer. Claimed for enabling to speak, it is fulfilled when the aid of the Holy Spirit gives clearness and power in presenting the grace of God. Where the Spirit is not received, energies meant for eternal interests that enrich and ennoble life are given to busy worldly activities, thoughts fix on the world instead of centering on Christ, and many professedly serving the Lord serve Satan, sinking to a common worldly level with minds stamped by worldly ambitions, while those who ask and receive were meant to bear the image of the heavenly, stand in the circle of which God is the center, and withhold nothing in the work of saving those about to become the prey of the enemy.

Asking That Receives

Receiving comes only through earnest, persistent, continual asking, seeking and knocking, not through a passing request made once and dropped. Unbelief leaves people spiritually weak, while living faith perseveres in earnest prayer and relies on Jesus' name for what is needed to feed hungry souls as bread feeds a traveler. Such persistent asking strengthens union with God, and increased faith brings increased blessing. The promise calls for keeping on asking in faith rather than growing doubtful or discouraged when the answer is not immediate, with confidence that no sincere pleading is in vain.

Asking must be in faith without doubt or wavering, trusting God's word and goodness and His tender, loving nature. It comes in Jesus' name and on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour, with confidence that the Lord hears sincere prayer and knows how to answer. This faith holds even when feeling is low and the answer is delayed, pleading for the Spirit's help to meet responsibilities and face opposition. Those who desire godliness are to ask with simple faith in the promise, certain the greatest gift will not be withheld.

Asking is as a little child to a parent, in humility, contrition, simplicity, conscious need and spiritual poverty. It comes as an empty vessel, with confession and repentance, watching unto prayer, distrusting self and submitting to be taught and controlled rather than insisting on managing self. Humble, contrite prayer is precious to God and is not lost, and God watches over His people to hear it, freely blessing those who seek Him wholeheartedly and humbly wait for guidance and grace. All are invited to so come, to hunger and thirst for the Spirit, to talk and preach about the gift, and to pray for it with gratitude and confidence.

Asking must not be to use the gift for selfish pleasure or personal advancement but to bless others, living soberly and testing every step by what Jesus would want done. Receiving requires consecration, self-denial, taking up the cross and following Christ, living up to light already given and ending continuance in sin. Those who receive are to share with others what they receive, exercising unto godliness where God places them so as to grow in spiritual things and be conformed to His image. Such petitions for grace, power and salvation in order to bless others are not denied and are not held back for fear of reproach.

The verse teaches daily, importunate prayer, morning, noon and night, morning by morning with hours spent with God in the early hours of the new day. Christ Himself lived by this asking and receiving in order to give, daily receiving a fresh baptism with soul and lips anointed with grace and then communicating light and fresh words from heaven to the weary. Short, heartfelt petitions expressing real hunger are not vain repetition, and the promise is to be taken and claimed every hour of the day. The mind is to stay on what was asked even while working, constantly taking in and breathing out a fresh supply daily, letting God take whatever He chooses but not withhold His Spirit.

Asking includes united prayer in small groups for special help and heavenly wisdom to plan, speak, work wisely and save the lost. Such united petitions deepen love for souls, give glimpses of Jesus that strengthen workers for every conflict, and equip them for service. It includes prayer before opening the Bible for the Spirit's enlightenment to understand duty from God's word, to know truth and to discern God's will, with assurance that help will be given.

What the Spirit Does

The gift promised is the Holy Spirit purifying the heart, uniting it with the divine nature, renewing and sanctifying the whole person, delivering from pollution, and working by love to transform the person into the likeness of Christ in love, joy, peace and every fruit of character. Asking, seeking and knocking bring the Spirit who quickens, purifies, guides and rules the heart where Jesus abides, leading to strenuous effort to bring character into harmony with God, to avoid all contrary to His revealed will and mind, to give up idols, to come to the light, to plead with God, to ask Him to reveal self, to place life under His searching eye, to see grievous mistakes and things offensive to Heaven, to recognize need of thorough transformation, to put away evil doings, and to cooperate with God and the angels ministering to heirs of salvation. Divine light shows the littleness and incompetence of human ability and the perfection and purity of Jesus, so that beholding Him creates desire to become like Him and viewing His righteousness creates hunger and thirst to possess it. The Comforter takes the things of Christ and shows them, presenting His words with living power to the obedient soul emptied of self, so the soul receives the image and superscription of the divine and Christ is formed within, the hope of glory, given without measure to those who earnestly seek by faith standing on the promises and pleading the pledged word. The Spirit thus guides into truth and forms a life of loving, trusting obedience rather than self-righteousness, bringing new birth, firm faith, and power to bring lost souls back and keep them by faith unto salvation.

The Spirit is the only teacher of true wisdom and a real guide who quickens, enlightens, and leads into all truth, righteousness and holiness, melting the proud heart and showing the things of Christ with living power. The promise encourages prayer for the Spirit's guidance in searching Scripture, so that duty is understood from God's word by asking for enlightenment before opening the Bible with assurance that help will be given. Those who humbly seek to learn God's will may trust Him to lead them, to bless them as they do His will, and to help them interpret His teachings, plans and providence rightly. The gift demonstrates the reconciliation God has made between Himself and humanity and marks the enthronement of His Son in His mediatorial kingdom.

The Spirit gives spiritual strength, light, efficiency and omnipotent power for every conflict and time of need, making believers more than conquerors, enabling them to resist temptation, to do Christ's works, to attain perfection of character in their sphere, and to diffuse light amid darkness and trouble. He is a present help, so believers are to seek God for strength and guidance rather than depend on other people, and united petitions in a small group are a fitting occasion to ask for this gift. He gives devoted workers glimpses of Jesus that strengthen, elevate and encourage them for every conflict, deepening love for souls and empowering them to seek the lost, while enlightening, renewing and sanctifying the soul. He is more willing to give power to remain steadfast than people are to ask, but asking must be in faith with expectation of receiving, not holding back for fear of reproach, not asking to use the gift for selfish pleasure, but living soberly and testing every step by what Jesus would want done. This is the help provided for giving God the whole heart with no reserve, dethroning every rival that diverts affection from Him, wearing the yoke with Christ, walking daily with God, and serving as co-laborers with Christ, received by asking, seeking and knocking.

Receiving the Spirit brings all other blessings with Him, supplies every need of the soul, makes living connection with Christ possible so that Christ lives with the believer and makes the person precious, and corrects a dwarfed religious life into a consecrated life hid with Christ in God. The blessing is available to all who seek it rightly, coming to God as little children and asking for grace, power and salvation not for personal advancement but to bless others, and such petitions are not denied. The Spirit is offered abundantly, and claiming God's promises brings happiness and peace, lets people see His salvation, and opens what the enemy cannot destroy to those in right relation to God; refusing His influence rejects a gracious gift God is eager to give. The measure received corresponds to desire and faith, to capacity to receive, and to use of light and knowledge given, and is entrusted in keeping with ability to share it with others. It is to be sought now and renewed day by day, constantly taken in and breathed out in fresh daily supply, enriching experience with the rich current of God's love and opening vast fields of truth and vast sources of power, with the daily prayer to let God take whatever He chooses but not withhold His Spirit, because the gift is essential. The promise belongs to believers today as to the first disciples, with Pentecost as the former rain and a more abundant latter rain promised for the last days, working meekness, humility and conscious dependence on God. Its greater outpouring requires continuing prayer and consecration, confession and forsaking of sin, a heart cleansed for His presence, and living up to light already given, for God begins and completes the work but only those living up to the light they have will receive and recognize greater light, while a counterfeit powerful influence from Satan that may appear to have light but lacks love, joy and peace seeks to deceive.

Given to Serve Others

Christ Himself lived by this asking and receiving in order to give to others, morning by morning receiving from the Father a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit through hours spent with God in the early hours of the new day, with soul and lips anointed with grace. What He received He communicated, bringing the light of heaven to men and speaking words given fresh from the heavenly courts in season to the weary and oppressed, living and thinking and praying not for Himself but to minister to others. Those who ask in earnest faith so they can impart to others, and those who are needy and hungry in soul, do not plead in vain, for the Father's tenderness rests on His relation as Creator and Redeemer and His sovereignty and majesty are reasons to trust His generous care. The disciples were to receive spiritual food from God so they could give the bread of life to hungry people, and because God had appointed them to this work He would meet their need and enable them to serve; asking for the Spirit gives spiritual strength and light to the spiritually hungry, just as bread feeds a traveler. The midnight request for bread shows that persistent asking for what is needed to feed hungry souls will succeed, and those who receive are to share with others in consecration, self-denial, taking up the cross and following Christ. The verse is a promise to claim when asking for spiritual strength and light to help others, with assurance that He is more willing to give this good gift than human parents are to give good gifts to their children.

Christian workers should seek a daily baptism of the Spirit and pray together for special help and heavenly wisdom to plan, speak, carry out their work wisely and save the lost, especially those serving in mission fields. Those sent out as missionaries should pray in the morning, at noon and at night, in faith without wavering, with assurance that God has promised to hear prayer and is ready to answer prayers for strength and wisdom to do missionary work. Under the guiding influence of the Holy Spirit self is not made prominent and the natural temperament is not strengthened into selfishness, while the Spirit gives glimpses of Jesus, deepens love for souls, and gives power that worldly honor cannot provide. The Spirit is poured out on learners in Christ's school so they may become ministers of righteousness.

Keeping the eye steadily fixed upon Jesus by studying and contemplating His character shows how to work in Christ's lines. Everyone who is willing to be worked by the Holy Spirit and who turns to God in need and yields to Him is fitted by God for His work of warning the world with no time to lose, through which many souls from both high and low ranks will be converted, and this fitness comes even where human hands have never ordained. The asking must be in the name of the Lord for the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour, and it is received only by those who are consecrated, who deny self, lift the cross and follow the Lord, so that the promise ends continuance in sin. Christ requires no impossibilities and expects nothing of His disciples without giving grace and strength to perform it, for because He calls them to be perfect even as the Father is perfect He has at His command every perfection of grace to bestow, and wholly depending on that promised power enables believers in their own sphere to attain the perfection of character Christ attained in His life on earth. Christian character is not perfected by miracle, but prophets and apostles used the means God placed within their reach, and all who put forth the same effort will secure the same results; the promise belongs to all because Christ died for all, so the experience and attainments of those eminent for piety are not beyond reach, maintaining close union with Christ and a rich experience in the things of God that makes life fruitful in good works and forms a life of loving, trusting obedience, not self-righteousness.

Receiving the Spirit by casting the helpless soul upon God in entire surrender and consecration and by abiding in Him so He may abide in the believer glorifies the Lord in the believer, makes believers a living power in the world and bright lights shining amid the moral darkness of the world, endowing them with power to work God's work mightily so that through them the abundant grace of Christ is revealed in daily life and exerts an influence upon other lives. This promise gives confidence in God's goodness and help amid difficulties, calling for earnest work with perfect trust and no doubt, with assurance that His blessing resting on workers brings glory to Him and the conversion of souls. The promise is open to those who seek divine grace and the Spirit's power, surrender their own ideas and feelings, and put God's principles into practice, and God's power will be with them. He wants His Spirit breathed upon all who ask for it in faith, correcting a dwarfed religious life that fails to represent Christ and producing a consecrated life hid with Christ in God that has a telling influence upon many souls, understands the Word as daily bread, grows by doing the Word, forms character for the future life, enriches experience with God's love and opens vast fields of truth.

Promise Through Time and Trial

The promise belongs to believers today just as it belonged to the first disciples, for God gives spiritual power and grace to all who need them and accept His word. The outpouring at Pentecost was the former rain, and the latter rain promised for the last days will be more abundant. That greater outpouring is sought in earnest prayer and received as promised, working meekness, humility and conscious dependence on God to prepare believers for the latter rain. Receiving it requires continuing prayer and consecration, confession and forsaking of sin, and a heart cleansed for the Spirit's presence, for God begins and completes the work yet people must not neglect grace already given, and only those living up to the light they have will receive and recognize greater light.

The present dispensation is the dispensation of the Holy Spirit for those who ask God. Apostasy caused the Holy Spirit to withdraw from humanity, but the plan of redemption restores this blessing with every good gift to those who sincerely desire it. Recognizing need and spiritual poverty leads to earnest prayer for the Spirit's enlightenment, while failing to recognize that need leaves people relying on their own plans and strength. The Holy Spirit is still given to everyone who seeks Him and has not diminished since Pentecost, so believers are to pray, trust Him by living faith, and prepare their hearts to receive what He has promised.

The gift may not come immediately, so those who pray for the Spirit and blessing should keep trusting God and hold fast to the promise. Faith should not waver or turn to murmuring and discouragement when what is thought to be needed is delayed, nor should His people doubt or feel forsaken when an answer does not come at once, for God is a kind and good Father more willing to give the Holy Spirit than earthly parents are to give good gifts. He hears prayer offered in faith from an honest heart and gives what is truly good and healthful rather than what is requested when it would bring harm, and the blessing comes when most needed and may exceed expectation. He may give unexpected help when most needed, enabling clear, powerful speech in presenting truth and grace to unbelievers, which fulfills the sure promise to be presented to the Father in prayer with belief and claimed even for physical enabling to speak.

The verse encourages earnest, heartfelt prayer especially in trials that bring people to God and closer to Christ. The Holy Spirit is a present help in every time of need, so believers should seek God for strength and guidance rather than depend on other people, trusting Him for the Spirit's help when most needed. The Spirit knows every human need and gives to the earnest seeker who hungers and thirsts for blessing, and those who feel their need and ask in faith without wavering receive wisdom and spiritual power. Their influence and usefulness increase as they seek to do God's will and use gifts rightly, but selfishness or misuse can forfeit the blessing. Those who ask for grace must watch unto prayer and seek counsel from Him, showing by trust that they believe He will hear, and as they trust He gives helping power, grace and the Holy Spirit, giving good courage and evidence that the Saviour will be a present help loving and blessing those who trust Him. Even when sin and neglected duties make people feel far from God, He waits for them to return and accepts the contrite heart.