There is but one requirement … ASK! Simple? Yes, yet effective. Extraordinarily effective! ASK is the solution to problematic and perplexing circumstances. And according to the Word of God, it is an acceptable form of prayer. Jesus invited us to ASK.
Mathew records it in his Gospel, “Ask and it will be given to you; Seek and you will find; Knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
There is a mystery behind the words Ask! Seek! Knock! These three verbs evoke Reengagement. ASK is the first letter in each word. We will experience revival when we go to the Lord and ASK.
When will we experience a life-transforming move of God? When will we experience a resurgence of divine power in our churches and communities? When we go to the Lord and ASK. This is how God wants it. He has ordained this method of approaching Him in faith and asking.
In Matthew 7:7, the second half reiterates and reinforces the first half. A person who asks receives, a person who seeks finds, and a person who knocks will be given an answer. This results in three benefits. You will receive, find, and turn the knob to find an open door. It’s impressive, but what’s even more impressive is that it’s for everyone.
It’s possible that you are reading this and thinking, “No way … this is not relevant to me. There must be an error here. A misprint. God doesn’t allow people like me to ask for what they need. Yet here they are in black and white for all to see, embrace, receive, and act upon. EVERYONE WHO ASKS gets an answer to their prayer.
SO WHY NOT ASK?
It cannot be denied that prayer and fasting together are powerful. It will revitalize your soul and be lethal to your enemy. The impact is profound. In the natural realm, you begin to experience breakthroughs as things begin to shift in the spiritual realm.
Matthew 7:7 can be applied as follows:
1. ASK ENTHUSIASTICALLY
“Ask and it will be given to you…”
A person’s enthusiasm refers to intensity, zeal, and fervor. According to James 5:16, “tremendous power is released through passionate, heartfelt prayer by Godly believers!” If your prayer life is lacking-luster, tepid, lukewarm, or perhaps even dull, you can change it. The pursuit of God can make you passionate, and you can pray recklessly.
When you connect with our Heavenly Father, you open the door to divine revelation. Satan does not want you to discover this. He does NOT want you to be enthusiastic about prayer. When you gain spiritual understanding (revelation), you start asking the right questions.
Did you know, for instance, that you can ask the Lord to return the items that were stolen from you? It’s a prayer of recovery. Once you discover the potential and power of fervent prayer and you act upon it, you open the door to divine intervention. The devil does not want YOU, child of God, to discover the potential of fervent prayer because…
- You might ASK for deliverance from oppression, disease, and fear.
- You might ASK the Lord to put a hedge around your family.
- You might ASK God Almighty to anoint your children for the work of ministry.
- You might ASK for spiritual boldness! Supernatural giftings! Divine appointments
- You might ASK God to replenish your Joy! Peace! Sanity!
- You might ASK for personal revival. Maybe for the salvation of our community!
- You might get super bold and ASK God for the ability to forgive and love your friend, neighbor, or family member!
The devil does not want you to discover the potential of fervent prayer, but God does! He wants to meet with you. He wants to restore what has been stolen.
The day I dream of is the day when we as a church become enthusiastic about prayer! The day we drop our weapons, our grudges, and our frustrations, and we call a truce! We make a treaty to honor one another. To respect one another. We lock arms with each other. The day we step into the Most Holy Place as ONE BODY without anger, resentment, hostility, or hatred toward another human being!
2. SEEK PERSISTENTLY
“…he who Seeks, finds…”
Your faith may grow during times when it seems as if God does not hear what you pray for. You may feel as if he turns a deaf ear when you pray for something. Keep asking. As Jesus says, “If you want something, look for it. And keep looking until you find it!”
- Do you want your marriage to work?
- Do you want your business to thrive?
- Do you want to experience an overwhelming sense of God’s presence?
If the answer is yes, keep seeking! Be persistent! Don’t give up!
3. KNOCK COURAGEOUSLY
“…Knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Everyone who is timid about praying should read Hebrews 4:16. The writer reminds us that we can “Come boldly to the throne of grace…” and that we will “… find help in time of need.” Our God offers a personal invitation to come to Him devoid of fear or apprehension. Knock boldly!
As I pray, I do so with the knowledge that God has the power and the ability to fulfill my requests, regardless of the level of impossibility. When I knock courageously on God’s door, I acknowledge the awesome power of an all-powerful God!
Ezra declared a fast in preparation for leading an exiled group of Israelites back to their homeland. Prayer gets God’s attention, but fasting shows him your seriousness about spiritual advancement. Ezra was unwilling to progress until every box was checked despite the people’s eagerness to leave Babylon; Ezra wasn’t willing to progress until every box was checked.
Listen closely to his words. “Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.” Ezra 8:21
Jesus asserted in Matthew 17:21 that some victories could only be attained through prayer and fasting.
- You continue to be harassed by certain devils because they have not been driven away by prayer and fasting.
- A few things remain because we have failed to pray and fast
- There are attitudes, strongholds, and anger issues that persist. You desire to get rid of them but fail. Some spirits will depart after prayer and fasting!
- You may be shackled by an unforgiving spirit, a depressed spirit, or something else. They will depart when we pray and fast!
Matthew 17:21 is your recipe for victory. The chains will drop. The enemy will flee. The battle will finally be won. This is your season. Take advantage of the next seven days. Pray, fast, and believe for your breakthrough!
