on December 5, 2013
Luke 11:9-13 – “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
Jesus continues on in His lesson concerning prayer and deepening our awareness of the nature of the One to whom we are praying. So far He’s taught His disciples HOW to pray and to pray with bold importunity. Now He promotes it all in a manner that says in so many words, “JUST DO IT!” After giving the example of the successful outcome of the fellow who persistently knocks on his neighbor’s door in the middle of the night, our Lord encourages our prayer life by declaring, “So I say to you: Ask…; seek…; knock…” He would teach us that RECEIVING begins with ASKING; FINDING must begin with SEEKING; and OPEN DOORS are the result of KNOCKING! So He says to us: ASK and it will be given! SEEK and you will find! KNOCK and the door will be opened! This principle of prayer is even simpler than the K.I.S.S. principle – it’s the A.S.K. principle! ASK, SEEK, KNOCK! We have not because we A.S.K. not!
We can take to heart that God has promised to give us what we ask of Him. We can be encouraged of this not only because of the goodness of His nature, but also because of the Word He has spoken to us; “Ask and it will be given to you.” We may have the assurance of receiving either what we ask for or that which is equivalent to it – either the thorn in the flesh removed or grace that is sufficient to deal with it! We have His Word on this – “I say to YOU!” This is from our Lord’s own mouth; from the One who knows the mind of the Father; from the One in whom ALL PROMISES are sure!
Along with asking we are to SEEK. We must initiate action that searches out godly solutions to our need! Our Lord Jesus encourages us to continue to press forward our petition, still asking, still seeking and still knocking at the door, for by this specific and prevailing prayer we shall obtain! “For EVERYONE who asks receives,” – even the most immature believer that asks in faith! The Psalmist testified, “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.” Psalm 34:6. When we ask God for those things that Christ directs us to ask, that His name may be glorified and His kingdom may come and His will be done, in these requests we must not be silenced. We must not cease our prayers and petitions before God until He establishes the evidence of His promise!
We may persevere in prayer because Christ encourages us to relate to God as OUR FATHER in heaven. Any earthly father who cares for his child will certainly give him good things in response to his plea. If his son asks for bread for lunch, will he give him a stone? If he asks for fish or eggs for dinner will he give him a snake or a scorpion that may bite and poison him? You know that you could never do something this uncaring and unnatural to your own children! “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” You may count on God to give GOOD THINGS! And the very best gift He is eager to give to those who ask is the gift of the Holy Spirit! It is a gift we are to ASK FOR, to PRAY FOR and to EXPECT that we may receive – because our heavenly Father is WILLING to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him! To ask for the Father to give us the Holy Spirit is to request from Him that which He most desires to do! The Holy Spirit will help us to pray then as we ought. He will assure us of God’s promises, He is the guarantee of eternal life, and He will enable us to live holy lives in an ungodly world.
Prayer Challenge: Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7