Asking, Seeking, Knocking

“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. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” – Matthew 7:7-11 (KJV).

Asking. Progressive sanctification of the child of God must start with us asking.

We must first ask God to forgive us and repent from our sin. We can have no relationship with God until our sin is dealt with.

If we ask He is faithful to forgive.

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9 (KJV).

With salvation comes the need to continue to ask God for wisdom.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” – James 1:5 (KJV).

And, we need to continue asking, knowing that God hears us.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” – 1 John 5:14-15 (KJV).

Seeking. There is a difference between asking and seeking.

Asking is gathering knowledge. Seeking is looking at how we can put that knowledge into action.

“Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.” – Psalm 119:34-39 (KJV). 

Wanting to understand and apply the word of God is the true mark of a believer.

“Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” – Psalm 105:4-5 (KJV).

The seeking of truth will expose the world and the vanity of it all.

“And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” – Luke 12:29-31 (KJV).

Knocking. Persistence is the sign of maturity.

“That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” – Ephesians 1:17-18 (KJV).

When we have issues, when we have questions let us be like the Bereans and keep knocking.

“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” – Acts 17:10-11 (KJV).

It is the scriptures which hold the truth.

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” – John 5:39 (KJV).

Our continual pursuance of truth will bring reward.

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” – 1 John 4:4-6 (KJV).

We need to be taught of God, continually seek His ways and then we will have peace.

“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” – Psalm 34:14-15 (KJV).