Sa Mateo 7:7-8 at Lucas 11:9-10 Sinabi ni Jesus, Tanungin, at ito ay ibibigay sa iyo; maghangad ng, at kayo'y makakasumpong; kumatok ka, at ito ay bubuksan sa inyo: sapagka't ang lahat ng humihingi ay tumatanggap; at ang naghahanap ay nakakahanap; at sa kumakatok ay bubuksan. 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 (Isaias 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, at ang kanyang espiritu, hath sent me. Ganito ang sabi ng Panginoon, iyong Manunubos, ang Banal ng Israel; Ako ang Panginoon mong Diyos na nagtuturo sa iyo upang makinabang, which leads thee by the way that thou shouldest go (Isaias 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, mga pagnanasa, 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, tulad ni Jesus, Who spent a lot of time with the Father in secret. Not to receive something from Him. But because Jesus loved His Father (Basahin mo rin: Ang lihim na panalangin buhay ng mananampalataya).
Ang buhay panalangin ni Hesus
Masdan, Ibinigay ko Siya bilang isang Saksi sa mga tao, isang Pinuno at Komandante sa mga tao. Masdan, Iyong tatawagin ang isang bansang hindi Mo nakikilala, at ang mga bansang hindi nakakakilala sa iyo ay tatakbo sa Iyo dahil sa Panginoon mong Diyos, at para sa Banal ng Israel; sapagkat niluwalhati ka Niya. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, tumawag kayo sa Kanya habang Siya ay malapit: Let the wicked forsake his way, at ang taong di-matuwid ay ang kanyang mga pag-iisip: at bumalik siya sa Panginoon, at Siya ay maaawa sa kanya; at sa ating Diyos, sapagka't Siya ay magpapatawad nang sagana. Sapagkat ang Aking mga kaisipan ay hindi iyong mga kaisipan, ni ang iyong mga daan ay Aking mga daan, sabi ng Panginoon. Sapagkat kung paanong ang langit ay mas mataas kaysa sa lupa, gayon ang Aking mga daan ay mas mataas kaysa sa iyong mga daan, at ang Aking mga iniisip kaysa iyong mga iniisip (Isaias 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, sinunod ang Kanyang mga utos, 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, kapangyarihan ng Diyos, 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, Umupo ka dito, 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, At panoorin. And He went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, kung pwede lang, the hour might pass from Him. At sinabi niya, Abba, Ama, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt (Markahan 14:32-36)
Jesus knew the purpose of His coming to earth. Jesus often spoke about His sufferings, namamatay, at muling pagkabuhay mula sa mga patay. 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. At gayon pa man, 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.
Sinabi ni Jesus, Abba, Ama, all things are possible unto Thee; take away this cup from Me: nevertheless not what I will, but what Thou wilt.
Pagkatapos ng isang oras na pagdarasal, 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. (Basahin mo rin: Ang laman ay hindi maaaring manalangin)
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. (Basahin mo rin: Ang labanan sa hardin).
“Abba, Ama, 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. Si Jesus’ sweat became, gaya noon, great drops of blood falling upon the ground. Jesus had a severe spiritual battle unto blood to fight. Ngunit sa huli, 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. (Mateo 26:36-46, Markahan 14:32-42 at Lucas 22:39-46 (Basahin mo rin: Ang pagpapako sa krus ng kaluluwa).
Not My will, ngunit ang Iyong kalooban ang mangyari!
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. Gayunpaman, 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 (nahulog na) humanity and the reconciliation of man with God.
Humingi at ito ay ibibigay sa iyo, maghanap ka at ikaw ay makasumpong, kumatok at ito'y bubuksan sa inyo
At sinabi niya sa kanila, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, at sabihin sa kanya, Kaibigan, 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. Sinasabi ko sa inyo, 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.
At sinasabi ko sa inyo, Tanungin, at ito ay ibibigay sa iyo; maghangad ng, at kayo'y makakasumpong; kumatok ka, at ito ay bubuksan sa inyo. 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, bibigyan ba siya ng bato? 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? Kung kayo nga, pagiging masama, marunong magbigay ng magagandang regalo sa inyong mga anak: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? (Lucas 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, maghangad ng, and knock persistently.
Sa Mateo 7:7-11 at Lucas 11:5-13, the asking (pagdarasal), naghahanap, and knocking were related to the receiving of good things, which come from above (James 1:18), at ang Banal na Espiritu.
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 (Ito ay nalalapat sa parehong mga lalaki at babae) 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, Mga Gawa 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.
Sa itaas na silid, 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. (Basahin mo rin: Kailan mo natatanggap ang Banal na Espiritu?).
The disciples had received the Spirit of power, pag ibig, and a sound mind, whereby they were able to boldly preach the gospel of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, ang Anak ng Diyos, 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, na naniniwala, 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), naghahanap, 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 (Manalangin). Kung mahal mo ang mundo, 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.
Sinabi ni Jesus, 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. Mateo 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).
Halimbawa na lang, 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 (ang mga bagay ng) Ang Kaharian.
Kaya nga, 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. Ang masama, 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, hindi ako magagalaw: 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 (Mga Awit 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, mga pagnanasa, at mga hangarin ng laman, 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, Kayo ang kanyang mga banal: sapagkat walang nais sa kanila na takot sa kanya. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing (Mga Awit 34:9-10)
Your heart determines your life; what you speak, ano ang ginagawa mo, 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.
Hahanapin mo ang mga bagay na iyon, alin ang nasa itaas, kung saan si Cristo ay nakaupo sa kanan ng Ama.
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, na nasa lupa. You shall desire the same things as the Gentiles, na hindi nakakakilala sa Diyos at hindi kabilang sa Kanya.
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. (Basahin mo rin: Paano mo malalaman kung si Kristo ay nasa iyo?).
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, mga mangangaral, and Christian books. And so they pray from their carnal mind and their faith in the (written) panalangin(s) and the words they speak and the methods they apply. Sa madaling salita, they pray from their faith in the resources, instead of praying from their faith in God. (Basahin mo rin: Isang teknikal na pananampalataya)
That’s why many Christians don’t ask (Manalangin), maghangad ng, 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, at hindi sumuko. The faith in which Jesus and also His disciples walked in. The faith in which every Christian; every son of God (Ito ay nalalapat sa parehong mga lalaki at babae) and disciple of Jesus Christ ought to walk in. (Basahin mo rin: Makakakita ba ako ng pananampalataya sa mundo?)
Every Christian should pray, maghangad ng, At kumatok
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, at hindi sumuko.
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.
'Maging asin ng lupa’
