Matthew 7:7-“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Lets look at the steps that Jesus gives, that should be involved in our prayer life.
1-Ask-It seems like a simple step, but I am afraid it is a step that is over looked, or ignored.
James 4:1-3-1Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
2-Seek-To search for something: to try to find a person, thing, or place
Strive for something, to try to achieve or obtain something
Simply put, it is a action!
You can not ask God for employment, and then not send out resumes.
You do not ask God to feed you and your family and quit your job or not look for a job, or seek a even better job!
You can’t catch a fish if you don’t put your line in the water!
3-Knock-hit repeatedly, to strike loudly against something such as a door with the knuckles or an object in order to attract attention
We are not only to ask, and to seek, but we are also to knock!
That means we don’t give up after the first tap, we continue to knock and either the door remains shut, or it is opened, or is opened and we are rejected!
We can’t seek or knock with out asking first, that’s what a lot of people try to do, they try to do the last to without doing the first one!
Then there are ones who just ask but don’t do the last two!
Jesus is given us a method or a formula, how to have our prayers answered!
Whether it is asking, seeking, or knocking or all three, it comes down to perseverance
PERSEVERANCE
The Persistent Friend– Luke 11:5-8
The Persistent Widow– Luke 18:1-8
Way to many people give up too soon in their Bible studies, but those who persevere in their studies are the ones who benefit from the blessings God’s Word provides.
Psalm 1:1-3-Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.
He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.
Psalm 119:97-104-Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts.
I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word.
I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.
People give up to easy on evangelism…Many do not bear fruit because they give up too soon
Reaping and Sowing-The more persistent we are in sowing, the more we will eventually reap!
Asking-Asking for things that are in God's will!
Seeking-When we pray, we do not always know the will of God and at those times we must seek to know God's will!
Knocking-Sometimes we are knocking on doors that seem to be closed doors!
Only God can open those doors, so keep on knocking!!
