Matthew 7:7-11, About Prayer

I. A Continual Process, Matthew 7, 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Ask: G154: aiteo, the constant word for the seeking of the inferior from the superior.

Matthew 21, 22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

Mark 11, 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

John 14, 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 15, 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 16, 23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

James 1, 5 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.

Seek: G2212: zeteo, to seek in order to find.

James 5, 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Proverbs 8, 17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Jeremiah 33, 3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

Knock: G2925: krouo, knock with a heavy blow.

James 1, 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Hebrews 11, 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Luke 18, And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Colossians 4, 2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

II. A Comforting Promise, Matthew 7, 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

a. Unconfessed sin: Psalm 66, 18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

b. Faith: James 1, 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

c. God’s will: 1 John 5, 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.

III. A Compassionate Parent, Matthew 7, 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 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?

John 1, 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: