Jesus teaches that there are different kinds of prayer--involving asking, seeking and knocking. Check out here how these kinds of prayer make a practical difference about how you're approaching God in prayer.
PRAY-ER: Persistence
Luke 11:1, 5-13
“Now it came to pass, as He
was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him,
‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples’…5 And
He said to them, ‘Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say
to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 for a friend of mine
has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him”, 7 and he will answer from within and say, “Do not trouble me; the door
is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to
you”? 8 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is
his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as
he needs. 9So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will
find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him
who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for
bread from
any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he
give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for
an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!’”
BIG IDEA:
Asking, seeking and knocking represents three different,
succeedingly deeper levels of prayer.
ASK
(inward)
Jesus
teaches his disciples to ask God to meet all their physical and
spiritual needs.
James 4:2
“…you do not have because you
do not ask.”
Matthew 6:25, 31-32
“Therefore I say to you, do
not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about
your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more
than clothing?...31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall
we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these
things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all
these things.”
Matthew 6:7-8
“7 And when you pray, do not use vain
repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you
have need of before you ask Him.”
Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things shall be added to you.”
SEEK (upward)
Prayer for
the believer is the opportunity to get to know God.
Psalm 27:4-5
“One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. 5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion;
In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”
In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”
Jeremiah 29:10-14
“10 For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and
perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think
toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray
to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me
with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity.”
KNOCK (outward)
Prayer can
open the door to ministry opportunities.
1 Corinthians 16:9
“For a great and effective
door has opened to me, and there
are many adversaries.”
2 Corinthians 2:12
“Furthermore, when I came to
Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened
to me by the Lord.”
ACTION: How can you take your prayer to seeking
and knocking this week?
Revelation 3:20
“Behold, I stand at the door
and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him
and dine with him, and he with Me.”