In verses 9 and 10 Jesus resumes talking about prayer and does so by talking about petitioning God. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:9-10).

Finally, in verses 11-13, the Lord draws a parallel between children requesting certain items from their fathers and receiving them and Christians going to their Heavenly Father making requests, assured they will be heard:

If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

In light of Jesus’ instruction revolving around making requests of God, we should readily admit that prayer’s essence is petitioning. To bring to the Lord our desires and needs delights Him and He has commanded that we do so. He is to be the Christian’s resource—the only resource. The more we pray according to His will, which is to seek Him for the things that matter most, the more He is glorified. It honors Him not only as the Christian’s resource, but that He has the ability to provide all we need.