Matt. 7:7 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
What does the word ask mean? It means to make a request, you say. Right you are. But what does God want us to ask for?
He promises in the very next verse, “Everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
In this chapter Jesus goes on to illustrate how a parent will grant the request of his children for food and other such necessities. Then He says, “How much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Matt. 7:11.
Once again, what does God want us to ask for? What about asking for:
- grace to meet the days’ trials (Rom. 5:20)
- forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9)
- guiding our footsteps by not leading us into temptation (Matt. 6:13)
- the presence of the Holy Spirit as we delve into the Word (Luke 11:13)
I’m sure the list could go on. But how do we ask things of God? “Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” Matt. 21:22. Any conversation we have with God is through prayer. But did you notice another element? We have to believe, or have faith, that He will answer our prayer.
There is another condition to be considered in petitioning God. According to John 15:16 we are to ask in the name of Jesus. He reiterates that in John 16:23: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”
A third condition is to ask according to God’s will. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” 1 John 5:14, 15.
The Psalms are full of requests / petitions to God and God’s response, as it were. Consider Ps. 50:15: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”
Another promise found in Ps. 91:15 says, “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.”
God is saying, Just ask Me and I’ll come to your aid.
“At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask! What shall I give you?’” 1 Kings 3:5
Solomon asked for an understanding heart and his prayer was granted, and then some!
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 130 says, “The Lord specifies no conditions except that you hunger for His mercy, desire His counsel, and long for His love. ‘Ask.’ The asking, makes it manifest that you realize your necessity; and if you ask in faith you will receive. The Lord has pledged His word, and it cannot fail. If you come with true contrition you need not feel that you are presumptuous in asking for what the Lord has promised. When you ask for the blessings you need, that you may perfect a character after Christ’s likeness, the Lord assures you that you are asking according to a promise that will be verified. That you feel and know you are a sinner is sufficient ground for asking for His mercy and compassion. The condition upon which you may come to God is not that you shall be holy, but that you desire Him to cleanse you from all sin and purify you from all iniquity.”
Don’t be afraid to ask in faith, according to His will, and in the name of Jesus.
