⁴ Jesus said: “Who of you will have a friend and will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, loan me three loaves, because a friend of mine has just come to me on a journey and I have nothing to set before him’? And that one from inside says in reply, ‘Quit making me trouble. The door is already locked, and my young children are with me in bed; I cannot rise up and give you anything.’ I tell you, Although he will not rise up and give him anything because of being his friend, certainly because of his bold persistence he will get up and give him what things he needs.” Jesus then explained how this illustration applies to the practice of prayer, saying: “Accordingly I say to you, Keep on asking, and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened.”​—Luke 11:5-10.

6. In Jesus’ day, how was the custom of showing hospitality viewed?

⁶ Jesus shows us not only how we should pray​—with bold persistence—​but also why we should do so. To discern that lesson clearly, we should consider how those who listened to Jesus’ illustration about the persistent host viewed the custom of extending hospitality. Numerous passages in the Scriptures show that in Bible times, caring for visitors was a custom that was taken seriously, especially by God’s servants. (Genesis 18:2-5; Hebrews 13:2) Failing to show hospitality was a disgrace. (Luke 7:36-38, 44-46) With that in mind, let us look again at Jesus’ story.

7. Why is the host in Jesus’ illustration not ashamed to wake up his friend?

⁷ The host in the illustration receives a visitor in the middle of the night. The host feels compelled to serve food for his guest but has “nothing to set before him.” This, in his view, is an emergency! He has to get some bread, no matter what it takes. So he goes to a friend of his and shamelessly wakes him up. “Friend, loan me three loaves,” the host calls out. He persists with his request until he gets what he needs. Only then, with the loaves in his possession, can he be a proper host.

The More Needed​—The More Asked For

8. What will move us to pray persistently for holy spirit?

⁸ What does this illustration show about the reason why we pray persistently? The man kept asking for bread because he felt that having those loaves in his possession was absolutely necessary to carry out his duty as a host. (Isaiah 58:5-7) Without bread, he would fall short. Comparably, because we realize that having God’s spirit is absolutely necessary to carry out our ministry as true Christians, we keep praying to God, asking for that spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) Without it, we will fail. (Matthew 26:41) Do you see the important conclusion that we can draw from this illustration? If we view God’s spirit as something we urgently need, we are more likely to persist in asking for it.

9, 10. (a) Illustrate why we need to be persistent in asking God for his spirit. (b) What question should we ask ourselves, and why?

⁹ To put this lesson in a present-day setting, imagine that one of your family members becomes sick in the middle of the night. Would you awaken a doctor to ask him for help? Not if the patient has a minor complaint. However, if he is having a heart attack, you would not be ashamed to call a doctor. Why? Because you face an emergency. You realize that skilled help is absolutely necessary. Not asking for help could prove fatal. Similarly, true Christians face an ongoing emergency, so to speak. After all, Satan goes about like “a roaring lion,” trying to devour us. (1 Peter 5:8) For us to stay alive spiritually, the help of God’s spirit is absolutely necessary. Not asking for God’s help could be fatal. Hence, with bold persistence we ask God for his holy spirit. (Ephesians 3:14-16) Only by doing so will we maintain the strength needed to ‘endure to the end.’​—Matthew 10:22; 24:13.