• An Intercessory Prayer– As a loving mother, her child’s misery became her misery– She cried out repeatedly to Jesus (Matt. 15:22):

• “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!”• “My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

– How often do we pray for others? (cf. James 5:16)

• A Specific Prayer– This mom asked a definite thing—the thing nearest her heart– “She kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter”

(Mark 7:25)– When we pray, are we filled with generalities or specifics?

• “Ask!” (Matt. 7:7)• “Let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6)

• A Persistent Prayer– Consider the obstacles that she struggled against:

• The silence of Jesus. “He answered her not a word” (Matt. 15:23)• The attitude of the disciples. Repeatedly urged, “Send her away”• The apparent unwillingness of Jesus to grant her request

– “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (15:24)

– Yet, even if it seemed in vain, she persisted in her request – Are we persistent in our prayers? (cf. Luke 18:1-8)

• A Reverential Prayer– It was not only supplication:• She “fell at His feet” (Mk. 7:25).

– It was adoration:• She “worshiped Him, saying, ‘Lord, help me!’” (Mt. 15:25)

– She knew and believed that He was divine and worthy!– How reverential are our prayers? (cf. Matt. 6:9)

• A Humble Prayer– She was willing to accept any name the Lord would give her.

• “Let the children be filled first…throw it to the little dogs” (Mk. 7:27)• If she must be a “dog” for her daughter to be healed, so be it!• The Lord gave her an “argumentative handle” & a door of hope.

– “Even the little dogs…eat from the children’s crumbs” (7:28)• But even as a dog, all she asked for was a “crumb of a blessing”

– How humble are we in our prayers? (cf. Luke 18:9-14)

• A Hopeful Prayer– Behind this earnest prayer was great faith!

• “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire” (15:28)• Her expectations of the Lord were very high! He was her only hope!

– This was faith from an unexpected source: a heathen woman!– How hope-filled & faith-filled are our prayers? (cf. Mt. 7:7-11)