Song:
Ask and it shall be given;
Seek and you will find;
Knock, it shall be opened;
Says the Lord of hosts.
Matthew 7:7-8
NCV: 7 Ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. 8 Yes, everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.
AMP: 7 Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking (reverently) and the door will be opened to you. 8 For every one who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking it will be opened.
Note: ASK... SEEK... KNOCK.
Jesus encourages perseverance in prayer. The tense of the Greek verbs in v. 8 designates continuous action. This means we must keep on asking, seeking, and knocking. Asking implies consciousness of need and the belief that God hears our prayer. Seeking implies earnest petitioning along with obedience to God's will. Knocking implies perseverance in coming to God when he does not respond quickly. Christ's assurance that those who ask will receive what they ask is based on:
(1) seeking first the kingdom of God (see 6:33,note);
(2) recognizing God's fatherly goodness and love (6:8; 7:11; John 15:16; 16:23, 26f; Col.1:9-12);
(3) praying in accordance with His will (Mark 11:24; John 21:22; 1John 5:14);
(4) maintaining fellowship with Christ (John 15:7); and
(5) obeying Christ (1 John 3:22).
Reading Matthew 7:9-12
Note: YOUR FATHER ... GIVE GOOD THINGS.
Christ promises that the Father in heaven will not disappoint His children. He loves us even more than a good earthly father and wants us to ask Him for whatever we need, promising to give us what is good. He desires to provide solutions for our problems and bread for our daily need. And most of all, He gives the Holy Spirit to His children as their Helper. (Luke 11:13; John 14:16-18).
Prayer: May the Lord open our hearts to hear the Word of Jesus telling us to ask, seek and knock to our Heavenly Father even if we felt like "giving up". Even if we felt like God is not hearing us because our needs are not always met. Let us believe Jesus' Word (Matthew 7:11) that our Father Who is in heaven is willing to give good things to us that ask him. We are at "war" with our flesh who are tempted to doubt that God would do anything. Let the Holy Spirit, the living water, flows inside our inner spirit and speak the languages that God wants to speak through you, to release you, and to set you free from the oppression of Satan. Get in the flow of the Spirit's moving and let the healing flows upon our flesh and be at peace knowing that God has heard our cries and He has heard our prayers. Believe Jesus' Word and be set free from demons' oppression. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
