Section 5
know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall the Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him? This implies that the one gift that is truly good is the Holy Spirit. Before His death the Lord told the disciples to ask for the Holy Spirit. After His death and res urrection He told them to receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Regarding the commandments in the Scriptures for which the requirements have not been fulfilled, we need to ask. But regarding the commandments for which the requirements have been fulfilled, we need to receive.
PRAYING PERSISTENTLY
After giving His disciples a brief word of instruction concerning prayer, the Lord went on to give an illustration of praying persistently. He said to them, "Who among you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves, since a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and that one, from inside, shall answer and say, Do not trouble me; the door has already been shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise up and give you anything?" (Luke 11:5-7). The Greek words rendered, "Do not trouble me" may