Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need. “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. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 11:5-13

The book of Hebrews defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen… and without it – it is impossible to please God.” Somewhere else in scripture, faith is described as a mustard seed – small, but can do big things. Mouths of lions were shut, mountains are moved, Jericho walls came down because of it. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob – talk about calling things are though they are.

In order for faith to do big things in our lives, it must at least have three parts:

A Shameless Audacity

“I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.” This is a bold kind of faith. One that is confident enough to ask for something and believe it is going to happen. This is the kind of faith that moves mountains – big, bold, confident and audacious faith.

A Shameless of Tenacity

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” The correct translation of this verse reads like this: doors will be opened to those who continue asking, continue seeking, and continue knocking. This is not a one time knocking. This is a kind of faith that is not easily pulled asunder because you didn’t get what you asked for the first time. It is a kind of faith that will not throw in the towel easily. But it is one that is persistent, stubborn, tenacious.

A Shameless Expectancy

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Faith is an assurance of things hoped for – prayed for. Faith will say thank you way in advance before we receive what we asked for. Faith always expects for God to answer our prayer no matter the outcome. Sometimes God will say “yes” – sometimes he may say “wait” and sometimes he may say “no.” No matter the answer, we still expect him to answer.

This kind of faith can do big things!