In Matthew 7:7-8 and Luke 11:9-10 Jesus said, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened. Jesus promised that everyone who asks (prays) shall be given. That everyone who seeks shall find. And everyone who knocks shall be opened. But why do many Christians don’t get what they ask for and don’t find what they are looking for and keep standing in front of a closed door? What do Christians ask and seek, and at whose door are they knocking?
God is not a God, who keeps silent and hides Himself
I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye Me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right (Isaiah 45:19)
Come ye near unto Me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the Lord God, and His Spirit, hath sent me. Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teaches thee to profit, which leads thee by the way that thou shouldest go (Isaiah 48:16-17)
God is not a God, Who keeps silent and hides Himself. But God is only silent and hidden to those, who don’t seek His face.
God has not forsaken His children. He has not left His children desolate. But many of God’s children have forsaken the Lord and made themselves desolate.
God has revealed Himself and has given His Word and Holy Spirit. But in whom do His Word and His Holy Spirit live?
Who reads and studies the Bible and knows what is written in God’s Word? And who knows Jesus Christ and the will of God and do His will in his life?
Who spends time with the Father in prayer? And if someone prays, what does the person pray?
Not Thy will, but my will be done
Does the person set time apart and take the time to pray and pray from the Spirit according to the will of God? Or does the person pray quickly a short selfish prayer from his prideful and unrepented heart according to the will, lusts, and desires of his flesh?
Does the person only approach God to make his will known to Him and go over his wishlist and give God the commandment to execute his will? Because that’s what the prayer life of many Christians looks like.
Many Christians only approach God, when they need something from Him instead of approaching God because they love Him and they desire to spend time with Him, just like Jesus, Who spent a lot of time with the Father in secret. Not to receive something from Him. But because Jesus loved His Father (Read also: The secret prayer life of the believer).
The prayer life of Jesus
Behold, I have given Him for a Witness to the people, a Leader and Commander to the people. Behold, Thou shalt call a nation that Thou knowest not, and nations that knew not Thee shall run unto Thee because of the Lord Thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He hath glorified Thee. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:4-9)
Jesus was faithful and spent a lot of time with His Father. He sought God’s face continually. Jesus sought His Father in everything. Because of that Jesus knew the will, the thoughts, and the ways of His Father.
The prayers of Jesus didn’t revolve around Himself and His earthly life. But His prayers revolved around God and His Kingdom and doing His will
His whole life, Jesus lived in submission and obedience to the will of the Father. And fulfilled the will of God in His life.
Because this was the most important thing in Jesus’ life, and through His obedience, He spoke the words of the Father, kept His commandments, doing the works and the will of the Father, Jesus was the reflection of God on earth. Jesus showed and manifested God’s holiness, God’s righteousness, God’s power, and God’s love to the people and manifested God’s Kingdom on earth.
Was the will of Jesus always equal to the will of the Father?
They came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to His disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And He taketh with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt (Mark 14:32-36)
Jesus knew the purpose of His coming to earth. Jesus often spoke about His sufferings, dying, and resurrection from the dead. He knew when this would take place. Jesus knew when He would be delivered into the hands of sinners. Because the Father had revealed this to His Son. And yet, Jesus asked the Father a peculiar question.
Before Jesus was betrayed and taken captive and tortured and crucified, Jesus went with His disciples to Gethsemane.
Jesus took Peter, James, and John with Him to pray and was sore amazed, and very heavy.
The soul of Jesus was exceeding sorrowful unto death. When Jesus fell on the ground, Jesus prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass from Him.
Jesus said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.
After one hour of prayer, Jesus stood up. He went to His disciples, who had fallen asleep. Because they were not able to watch and pray for one hour with Jesus. (Read also: The flesh can’t pray)
Instead of quitting after one hour of prayer and leaving the garden with His disciples, He returned. Jesus returned to the place, where He had kneeled and prayed before. Since Jesus was entangled in a spiritual battle that had not finished yet. (Read also: The battle in the garden).
“Abba, Father, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt”
Jesus prayed again the same question. He asked, that if it would be possible, the cup would be taken away from Him. Nevertheless not His will but the will of the Father be done.
During His prayer, an angel from heaven appeared unto Jesus. The angel strengthened Jesus, whereby Jesus received the answer to His question. Because it was the will of the Father for Jesus to drink the cup.
After the angel strengthened Jesus, Jesus was in agony and prayed more earnestly. Jesus’ sweat became, as it were, great drops of blood falling upon the ground. Jesus had a severe spiritual battle unto blood to fight. But eventually, Jesus overcame the battle between the Spirit and the soul.
And after the crucifixion of the soul, Jesus arose and executed the will of His Father. (Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42 and Luke 22:39-46 (Read also: The crucifixion of the soul).
Not My will, but Thy will be done!
Jesus prayed persistently and spent hours in prayer to seek God’s face and His will. And the Father didn’t leave His question unanswered, but He answered the question of His Son. However, the answer of the Father was not according to the will of His Son. But the answer was according to the will of the Father.
Instead of rebelling against His Father and walking away and doing His own will and going His own way, Jesus submitted to the word and the will of the Father.
And in obedience to the will of the Father, Jesus began His way of suffering. The way that meant torture(s) and the death to Jesus. But it was the way that led to the redemption of (fallen) humanity and the reconciliation of man with God.
Ask and it shall be given you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you
And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? (Luke 11:5-13)
Jesus didn’t pray short quick prayers. But Jesus prayed persistently. And Jesus made this principle of persistent prayer known to His disciples. He also made the nature and the will of the Father known to His disciples. Jesus taught His disciples that the Father always answers. The Father is always found. And the Father always opens the door to all those, who come to Him and seek His face and ask, seek, and knock persistently.
In Matthew 7:7-11 and Luke 11:5-13, the asking (praying), seeking, and knocking were related to the receiving of good things, which come from above (James 1:18), and the Holy Spirit.
It was related to the things of the Kingdom of God and of Christ and the inheritance that believers have received in Christ and what they need to walk as sons of God (this applies to both males and females) as the new creation on earth and to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and represent, preach and establish God’s Kingdom on earth.
The fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit
Jesus had promised His disciples that the Father would give them the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave His disciples the commandment to stay in Jerusalem and to wait for the promise of the Father (a.o. John 14:15-26; 15:26-27, Acts 1:4-8).
The disciples obeyed the commandment of Jesus and went to Jerusalem and waited in the upper room for the promise of the Father.
In the upper room, the disciples prayed in one accord persistently. They asked, sought, and knocked, and due to their obedience to the words and commandments of Jesus and their determination and persistent prayer, they received the promise of the Father and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Read also: When do you receive the Holy Spirit?).
The disciples had received the Spirit of power, love, and a sound mind, whereby they were able to boldly preach the gospel of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and to call the people to repentance and destroy the works of darkness and establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
They had received the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and to execute the commandment of Jesus and the work of God.
If anyone has not received the Holy Spirit and asks the Father for the Holy Spirit and prays, seeks, and knocks persistently, he or she shall receive the Holy Spirit. Jesus has given this promise to everyone, who believes, and all His promises are true and still apply.
If someone has a lack of knowledge (or another lack) and asks God in faith, it shall be given to him or her. (a.o. James 1:5-8).
These three elements of persistent prayer (asking), seeking, and knocking should be present in the lives of Christians. Just like Jesus prayed persistently, and sought God’s face. Jesus kept knocking until the door was opened and Jesus’ question was answered and He received what He sought.
You have not because you ask not
Where your heart goes out to, that’s what you want. And what you want, you shall ask (pray). If you love the world, your heart shall go out to the things of this world. You shall pray for the things of this world for yourself instead of the things of God.
But if the love of God dwells in you and you love God with all your heart, your heart shall go out to Him and the things of God’s Kingdom. You shall ask the things of God, which are not only needed for yourself, but especially for others; for the preaching of the gospel and the truth of God’s Word, the saving of souls, the growth and preservation of the Body of Christ and to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
That’s why James wrote, If you don’t have it, it’s because you don’t ask for it. And if you do ask, but you have not received it, it’s because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.
Jesus said, that you don’t have to worry about the things that the Gentiles seek. Since the Father knows what His children need, even before they have asked God for it. And God shall provide because God is a Provider. (a.o. Matthew 6:25-34).
But if you are still the old creation and are not spiritual but carnal and live like the Gentiles, who don’t belong to God but to the world, you shall want those things and ask those things, which the Gentiles want and are focused on, and you shall seek and desire them (James 4:1-5).
For example, if you love money, you focus on money. You shall pray (ask) out of your love of money and greed for money and material things. But if you love Jesus, you focus on Jesus. You shall pray out of that love and pray for (the things of) the Kingdom.
Therefore, the question is, Who or what do you love, what Is your focus and what do you ask?
What do you ask?
For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net (Psalms 10:3-9)
If there has been a change of heart through regeneration in Christ, there shall be a change of prayer.
Instead of selfish carnal prayers that focuses on the things on earth and on establishing the will, lusts, and desires of the flesh, believers pray selfless prayers from the Spirit that focus on Jesus and the will and the Kingdom of God.
Seek and you shall find
O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing (Psalms 34:9-10)
Your heart determines your life; what you speak, what you do, and how you live. The condition of your heart determines your focus and what you are looking for.
If Jesus is in you and your heart belongs to God and you love God with all your heart and fear God, you shall seek the Lord your God.
Because your heart wants to seek the Lord’s face. That’s your heart’s desire.
You shall seek those things, which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.
But if you are not born again and your heart still belongs to the world and you love yourself and the world, you shall seek those things, which are upon the earth. You shall desire the same things as the Gentiles, who don’t know God and don’t belong to Him.
If you are in Christ and Christ lives in you, you shall focus on the things above. You shall seek the Lord and find, what you are looking for. (Read also: How do you know if Christ is in you?).
Knock and it shall be opened to you
An insecure give-up mentality has never made a profit. But assurance and determination have. Faith doesn’t give up but faith acts from trusting the Lord Jesus and the Father. Faith is determined and keeps knocking until the door is opened.
This faith and this determination is often lacking in the lives of Christians. Because the most important factor is missing and that is, knowing God.
If you know a person and you know where a person lives. And you are absolutely sure that the person is at home. You go to the right door and you keep knocking until the door is opened.
But many Christians are not so certain about their case.
They doubt and are double-minded. They wonder whether God hears their prayers. Let alone answers their prayers, if they don’t have their prayers answered within a day or a week.
Some Christians don’t know to Whom they should pray. They don’t know which door they should be at. Therefore they knock randomly on every door they’ll find, hoping someone opens the door.
Why do Christians don’t receive what they pray for?
They don’t pray out of Christ, out of the Word, out of revelation and the teaching of the Holy Spirit. But they pray learned words, written prayers, and prayer techniques from their pastor, preachers, and Christian books. And so they pray from their carnal mind and their faith in the (written) prayer(s) and the words they speak and the methods they apply. In other words, they pray from their faith in the resources, instead of praying from their faith in God. (Read also: A technical faith)
That’s why many Christians don’t ask (pray), seek, and knock persistently. Because they don’t pray out of full assurance of their faith in Jesus Christ and God the Father.
Jesus asked the question, when He returns to earth, whether He find that faith, which is determined and persistent, and not give up. The faith in which Jesus and also His disciples walked in. The faith in which every Christian; every son of God (this applies to both males and females) and disciple of Jesus Christ ought to walk in. (Read also: Shall I find faith on earth?)
Every Christian should pray, seek, and knock
Jesus walked by faith in God and was determined and prayed persistently and didn’t give up. The apostles and believers of the first church also walked by faith in God and faith in the Name of Jesus. They were determined and prayed persistently and didn’t give up.
Just like them, all believers today should walk by faith in God and by faith in the Name of Jesus. They should be determined and persistent in prayer, and not give up.
You can only have this determination and perseverance if you have become a new creation and you know Who your God and Maker is, Who has redeemed you from the darkness, and Who dwells in you and guides you.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
