Ask, Seek, Knock - A Study on Matthew 7:7-8

Ever since I was a young girl, this passage in Matthew 7:7-8 has fascinated me. These words were spoken by Christ at the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached. I am convinced a pastor could preach for the rest of his life on the glorious truths our Lord revealed in the Sermon on the Mount. What has always struck me about these specific words of Christ is the absolute "unlimitedness" our Lord promises to those who love Him.

All one must do for this "unlimitedness" is so simple, any child, any elderly, any able-bodied, can ask, seek, and knock. Christ's words are an illustration rather than something we must physically do. These are spoken of spiritual truths, therefore even if one should be blind, bedridden, ill, young, immature, feeble, or frail, they are able, with equal measure, to ask, seek, and knock as fervently as someone in the prime of their lives.

In meditating on this passage, I noticed our Lord repeats the same thing twice. Why? Seems redundant to say the same thing even if worded a little differently. The reason is subtle, but it is genius in its execution. First, Christ makes these things a command. Ask, seek, and knock are all imperative words; they compel you to do these things. Imperative sentences command someone to do something, such as, "Bring me my jacket" or "Clean up your mess". In verse seven, we see Christ is giving imperative commands.

But in verse eight, He switches from commands -- to promises. The promise can be seen in the command, but Jesus restates His message from "shall be" to a more solid "will be" to make His case even stronger. He changes His tactics so as not to be preaching mere proverbs. You could likely imagine opening a fortune cookie and getting a message like in verse seven, "Ask, and it shall be given you." Very philosophical and profound, but any guru can say that. However, in restating the same as promises, He has now bound the Lord God to uphold them. These are not mere platitudes, these are absolute truths. "For everyone who asks receives."

Now let's take a look at this same passage in Luke's Gospel. The entire passage is a lesson that God gives good gifts to His children. Yet the same passage in Luke gives us a deeper understanding of Christ's commands to ask, seek, and knock.

The key verse above is verse 13. This passage is not about some nebulous "good gifts" God bestows but something - Someone - quite specific. The Holy Spirit Himself.

Armed with that knowledge, we can now open the passage and see the spiritual truth Christ is conveying through His commands. Asking, seeking, and knocking, therefore, refers to the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. Christ does not give us carte blanche in prayer to spend our requests upon our lusts (James 4:3), but He does give us carte blanche with the giving of Himself.

Let's break down the passage so we can see this more clearly.

Ask - Asking of God assumes a certain humility. The child of God comes before Him and asks Him, he does not demand, command, or assume. He asks, like a little child going to his father, which Christ fleshes out with the bread and a fish illustration. The humble child will also be the obedient child. Ask any parent on earth and they are not likely to reward the rebellious child. The same is true for God. There are many other Scriptures that outline answered prayer is directly tied to obedience to the will of God (John 14:23, 1 John 3:22, 1 John 5:14-15). Obedience to Christ's commands is truly loving Him (John 14:15, John 15:10, 1 John 5:3). Therefore, in asking and receiving, we must first seek the Kingdom of God before all these things be added unto us (Matthew 6:33). In asking and receiving, we also see the majesty of God's grace toward sinful men, for unless He binds Himself to this promise, He is under no obligation to keep it for any of us.

Seek - Seeking and asking seem to go hand-in-hand. But seeking goes beyond mere asking. This is a pursuit, not only of Christ, but of knowledge, wisdom, and truth. God has many promises throughout Scripture that those who seek Him shall find Him when they seek Him with all of their hearts. This is not a half-hearted endeavor, this is all-in. This seeking echoes the words of Jacob: "I will not let You go unless You bless me." You might say this seeking is hungering and thirsting for righteousness. This life cannot be all there is. There must be something bigger, something truer, something good, Someone bigger, Someone truer, Someone good, and I will not rest until I find Him. Praise the Lord, to these who truly wish to find, God promises He will be found. Within this promise, God displays His faithfulness to fulfill the promises of His Word.

Knock - Knocking assumes a certain curiosity. Perhaps one has doubts and doesn't presume to barge through the door, but knocks instead. Is this the way? Is this the right door? No one but family or a close friend walks right into one's house. Knocking also assumes a certain humility not to walk right in, lest they be trespassing. What's interesting in this particular illustration is that Christ called Himself "the Door" (John 10:9). To the one who knocks on this Door in humility, and with a hunger to know the truth, the Door shall open.

Returning to what we learned about the Holy Spirit in the Luke passage, let's apply Him to the text now, and see what it reveals.

Whatever we ask of God with regards to the Holy Spirit, He will give us. What does that mean? What is God's will for your Christian life? To know more? To love more? To serve more? To seek more? To be more wise? To be strong in faith? To be led to sound doctrine? To know our Bibles? To study our Bibles? To pray more? To shine Christ all around us? YES TO ALL. These are the carte blanche prayers. More of God, more of Christ, more of the Spirit. Yes, ask, and ye shall receive.

Consider this: those who are seeking... are being led. They are actively being drawn to the Father by the Spirit of God. It is Christ who seeks and saves the lost. The seeking child is being drawn by irresistible grace. If the Spirit leads one to seek, they shall find, for He who began a good work in you shall be faithful to complete it.

With regards to knocking and the Holy Spirit, one truth shines in this passage that not many have seen. When I saw it, I sat back in awe. "Knock, and it shall be opened." It shall be opened. What does the Holy Spirit open, beloved? Take a minute to think on that question. What does He open?

Our minds to the Scriptures (Psalm 119:18, Luke 24:45). YES! He opens our minds, He opens His Book, and we are able to see wondrous things from His Law. God's Word is "locked" until it is opened by the Holy Spirit. Anyone can read the words, but the wisdom of God and knowledge of His doctrine comes by spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Can you see the beauty and the majesty of what Christ is teaching in this passage? Ask of Me, and I will give you Myself in My unlimitedness. You will find Me when you seek Me, and I will open My secrets to you.

Now that we know the full weight of these words, let's consider another passage in John's Gospel. Ask, seek, and knock was given on the Sermon on the Mount to the throng who had gathered to hear Him. But these words were spoken intimately to those whom He loved, His disciples in the Upper Room.

Since we've fleshed out this passage, I want you to see Matthew 7:7-8 in these words in the book of John. Keep ask, seek, knock in your back pocket as you read these familiar words:

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me." - ASK - Receive

"And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father," - SEEK - Find

"And I will love him and manifest Myself to him." - KNOCK - Open

John 14:21 is Christ's own exposition to Matthew 7:7-8 and Luke 11:9-13. The obedient child is the one whose prayers are answered. The one who loves Christ is loved by the Father, and will find Him. Christ opens His mysteries by His Spirit, manifesting Himself, to those who love Him.

What glory! What majesty! What magnificent truth! He gives us freely of Himself in His "unlimitedness" if we but ask Him. He promises to be found and He will open His mysteries to all those who love Him!

Ask what you will, seek where you will, knock as you will and He will provide every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. They are ours already, we have but to ask, seek, and knock! (Ephesians 1:3) Seek Christ for more of Christ through the power of His Holy Spirit, and you shall have carte blanche to possess all the riches of Almighty God Himself.

PRAISE THE LORD!!


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