After Jesus laid out the basics of how the Kingdom works and how to expect Holy Spirit to lead us, He offers keys to kingdom blessings that require our initiation. Let’s see what He has to say.

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.
Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:7-11

What I am hearing here is—There is abundant supply for everything you need to do God’s will. Don’t be shy about asking for what you need. He already has your name on what you need. He delights in giving whatever it is to you.

Note too that there is a progression. Begin with asking—and the word means to keep asking, be persistent. It’s not a one-time thing.

But how can we be persistent in faith with our asking? Paul has the answer: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

So, we ask the first time and then when we ask the next time and the next, we thank Him that He has heard us. We thank Him that He doesn’t back down on His word. (Numbers 23:19) And we let Him know that we are trusting Him for the answer. Then we rest in His faithfulness and His timing.

Then, if things seem to delay with our asking, we Seek and keep on seeking. We go to the word, we ask Holy Spirit if we are asking according to God’s will. We ask Holy Spirit to search our hearts for anything that may be amiss.

If He shows us something we ask for Holy Spirit to bring the correction needed and the grace to yield to His direction. And we thank Him that He is at work in us. It’s all about relationship.

Jesus’ last instruction is to Knock and keep knocking. This sounds almost rude. But persistence shows our dependence on God to meet our needs. It shows we are not looking to somebody else or ourselves. Our persistence is to continue unless He tells us to stop or we get the answer.

Pray Until is a slogan that’s been preached for decades. Don’t give up. If God told you something, keep reminding Him that you are waiting in faith for Him to answer. The Jews prayed for over 700 years for God’s word through Isaiah to manifest. But Jesus came right on time—God’s time.

When Jesus came, He went to those who asked for His help. He didn’t pursue those not asking. Asking is part of the Kingdom way. It is a mark of dependence and faith in God.

George Mueller had 110 orphans to feed and nothing in the house for breakfast. Rather than go to his neighbors or the local food pantry for help, he prayed and trusted God.

He had the children sit down at the breakfast table in full expectation for breakfast. There was a knock at the door. When George opened the door, the milk delivery man was there waiting.

“The wheel on my milk wagon broke in front of your house. I can’t move it to fix it unless I unload this milk. Can I give you the milk?” He asked. George received the milk with thanksgiving.

Before he finished pouring milk for all the children, there was another knock at the door. When George opened the door, there stood the local baker. He pointed to his cart sitting on the walkway.

“While I was baking bread this morning,” he said. The Lord told me to make extra and bring these to you.” George was thrilled to receive the bread—breakfast needs were met.

God was the one who told George to start an orphanage and told him to never ask for donations of any kind. Instead, He told him to pray for what he needed and every need would be supplied. Today, Heidi Baker in Mozambique lives with this same principle. She is feeding between 43,000 and 50,000 people a day. There are miracles every day. Food comes in large shipping containers, by helicopter, and semi-trucks. God is faithful and He isn’t overwhelmed with our needs.

But, God is not a soft drink machine that you put in your dollar, push a button, and the drink comes out. He created us for relationship. The giving comes out of our relationship and trust in Him.

It may not be some physical or material thing that you need. One thing we all need is wisdom and the fruits of the Spirit to walk in His will. James 1:5 is a great verse. If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. Contemporary English Version (I like the simplicity of this text.)

Then God goes on to tell James, But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all. James 1:6-8

Ephesians 2:20-21 are two of my favorite verses in the Bible.
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. NKJV

And here are the same verses in the Amplified.

Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—(Don’t you love that?) To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it). AMPC

To ask in faith is to ask in peace with confidence in God. It is to ask relying on His faithfulness, laying hold of His promise, and expecting an answer in peace. To ask in faith is to say humbly but boldly, “Lord, You promised me if I asked, you would meet my need. So I am calling on You now in remembrance of Your promise.”

The writer of Hebrews, put it this way, Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

And this—Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23

In Isaiah 62:6-7, God says this, I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, And give Him no rest till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

While God’s timing may not be ours, or His choice of how our prayers are answered, we need to keep asking until. Real faith is not destroyed by God’s delay. Delay is not denial. Let God do His perfect work—working all things together for our good. (Romans 8:28)

In this time of great uncertainty and also great harvest, let’s approach His throne of grace and ASK. It is the Kingdom way. He is faithful.

Shalom ♥