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! Introduction:
!
MATTHEW 7:7-11
!! A. The Key to Prayer: Persevering in Prayer, 7:7-11
(7:7-11) Introduction: “Ask...seek...knock”: the Lord commands and challenges us to persevere in prayer.
1.
What is persevering prayer (v.7)?
2. Why persevere in prayer (v.8-10)?
3. Why does God not answer our prayers immediately?
4.
How does a person persevere in prayer (v.11)?
!!! 1. Persevering Prayer: What is persevering prayer (v.7)?
It is asking, seeking, and knocking until the answer is received, found, or opened.
It is being so obsessed with getting something that a person never gives up until God responds.
The words ask, seek, and knock are in the present tense.
A person is to keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking.
He is to persist in prayer.
The words /receive/, /find/, and /open/ are also in the present tense (Matthew 7:8).
This shows that the answer to prayer is more than just a promise for the future.
The person who perseveres in prayer possesses the answer now.
Perhaps the thing has not yet happened, but by faith the believer knows that God has heard his prayer (1 John 5:14-15).
(Ephes.
6:18.)
Christ taught several important lessons about prayer.
!!!! a) True prayer is persevering prayer.
God expects all of our prayers to be persevering.
When we sense a real need to pray, we not only ask, but we seek and knock.
We do not play around and glibly murmer a prayer.
We pray, really pray.
!!!! b) Prayer is to be often.
Christ commanded prayer.
He pointedly said: “Ask...seek...knock.”
And, as pointed out above, He demanded that we pray often and pray with intensity.
!!!! c) The answers to our prayers are assured (Matthew 7:9-10).
!!!!! (1) God Is Not Reluctant To Give.
He is not sitting back disinterested and unconcerned about our welfare.
He is as a loving father is to his child—loving and caring.
He will not refuse the request of His dear child.
!!!!! (2) God Will Not Mock Our Requests.
He does not give grudgingly (James 1:5).
He does not even hesitate to give.
And what He gives is not of less quality than what an earthly father gives.
God does not give ragged substitutes.
He gives exactly, or better than, what we ask (Matthew 7:11; Ephes.
3:20).
!!!! d) The thing wanted must be in God’s will.
It must not be asked from selfish desires and motives.
God gives only what is good and wholesome for us (1 John 5:14-15; cp.
James 1:17; James 4:2-3).
!!!! e) True prayer, persevering prayer, acknowledges our dependence upon God.
When we are genuinely in need, we come to God and ask and seek and knock.
This has been the experience of all believers time and again.
The very fact that we are asking, seeking, and knocking demonstrates that we are truly dependent upon God.
We are His children and He is our Father.
Christ said that true prayer is prayer that really means business: it is sincere and genuine in its requests and it keeps on asking and asking until God answers.
*Thought 1.*
There is more to prayer than just asking.
A person asks, then he seeks and knocks at the door of heaven until God grants the request.
Note two things.
1) Seeking Contains The Idea That We Seek To Meet The Request Ourselves.
This is especially true if the request can be met by human effort.
There certainly is no idea of sluggishness or complacency in the tone of “ask...seek...knock.”
The thrust is action, a /get-to-it/ attitude.
2) Knocking Contains Two Ideas.
First, we approach every door that we can until the right door opens.
We certainly would not pound and pound away at the same door.
We must move about knocking until the right door is opened.
Second, we must continue knocking at the door of heaven.
We must wrestle with God, not giving Him rest until He opens.
Such action shows dependency upon Him.
And coming to Him in fellowship and communication is bound to please Him, just as such communication pleases an earthly father.
ü Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”"
(Matthew 26:41, NKJV)
ü Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart," (Luke 18:1, NKJV)
ü Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”" (Luke 21:36, NKJV)
ü Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—" (Ephesians 6:18, NKJV)
ü Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" (Philippians 4:6, NKJV)
ü Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;" (Colossians 4:2, NKJV)
ü Pray without ceasing," (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NKJV)
ü But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul."
(Deuteronomy 4:29, NKJV)
ü Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!"
(1 Chronicles 16:11, NKJV)
ü Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near."
(Isaiah 55:6, NKJV)
ü And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
(Jeremiah 29:13)
ü "Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!"
(Psalm 105:4, NKJV)
!!! 2. Prayer: why persevere in prayer (v.8-10)?
There are three reasons.
!!!! a) Prayer is conditional.
Christ is pointed:
If we ask, we receive.
If we do not ask, we do not receive.
If we seek, we find.
If we do not seek, we do not find.
If we knock, it is opened to us.
If we do not knock, it is not opened to us.
*“You have not because you ask not” (James 4:3).*
*Thought 1.* Failing to persevere in prayer shames God and ourselves.
True prayer is persevering prayer.
Our genuineness and sincerity are known by how much we persevere in prayer.
1) We show disrespect to the Giver when we ask and walk away before receiving what we ask.
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