Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ Jesus,
As I’ve studied God’s Word through the years, one thing I’ve come to understand is there are so many powerful Scriptures given to us to fulfill what God says about us in II Corinthians 2:14 that are either missed through ignorance or laziness or misunderstood. I say this because much of the Church are not experiencing the success Jesus experienced in the earth.
II Corinthians 2:14
“Now thanks be unto God, Which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.”
These missed or misunderstood Scriptures, literally and Spiritually, carry extreme authority and power in Jesus’ Name. If decreed in faith, these verses absolutely and without fail produce its intended results. Did Jesus ever experience a failure? No, He didn’t. Some of those He tried to help experienced failure through a lack of their faith, but Jesus never experienced it. If Jesus states in John 14:12 that we can do every work He did, and greater works, because He resides in us, then we are capable of the same results Jesus achieved in His ministry on earth. If this weren’t possible, then The Holy Spirit would never speak it, and it wouldn’t be recorded in The Scriptures.
Very early this morning, while listening to a sermon preached by the late Kenneth E. Hagin, he made a wonderful statement The Lord had given him. “This day is not just another 24 hours. It is a canvas, and your words are the brush that paints it. You were never meant to chase the day. You were created to rule it with divine authority. You were not created to be a passive participant in life. You were created in My Image, The Creator, and with that Image comes authority and power. The authority and power are not earned, it is given.” The moment we were “born again,” we were given the authority and power to reign in life with Christ Jesus.” What beautiful Words given us by our Father. What did you paint your canvas with this morning? The Word of God in declaration with praise and thanksgiving or with your problems. Does your canvas reflect a radiant, joyful day or a cloudy, broody day?
Two years ago, The Lord spoke to my heart that Matthew 16:19 and 18:18-19 were very powerful verses rarely used by Believers to achieve the outcome of II Corinthians 2:14. Recently, The Lord spoke the same to me about Matthew 7:7-8. Powerful verses that when studied and obeyed by Believers yield exceeding abundant results (Ephesians 3:20). Can we use some “exceeding abundant” results in this earth to help our families and to help us live pleasing lives for God and to accept and receive The Blessing and our name made great so we can be a blessing to the families of earth (Genesis 12:2-3)? Not only can we, but we have been commanded by God to do this.
Matthew 7:7-8
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
These verses are part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), a foundational teaching on Kingdom ethics, Spiritual priorities, and divine relationship. Matthew 7:7–8 teaches that persistent, faith-filled prayer is the pathway to receiving from God, finding Truth, and entering a deeper relationship with Him. The verses emphasize divine responsiveness to sincere seeking.
The use of the three verbs, “ask,” “seek,” and “knock,” in the two verses, are called progressive parallelism in the Hebrew language. Progressive parallelism involves a sequence of related actions that build upon each other, each with increasing intentionality and persistence. It is designed as a continual, fervent, repeatable, and victorious process.
In Matthew 7:7–8, the verbs “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” are present participles in Greek, emphasizing ongoing, persistent action. The verbs “receive,” “find,” and “be opened” are in the indicative mood, showing assured, or as I like to say, “guaranteed,” outcomes through the blood covenant between God and Jesus Christ. As Believers, we are blessed with a double guarantee, or double portion, of the outcome as “heirs’ of God and “joint heirs” with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17).
Each verb – Ask, Seek, Knock – represents increasing levels of engagement with God
| Verb | Action Type | Spiritual Implication |
| Ask | Verbal Request | Prayer and dependence |
| Seek | Active Pursuit | Desire for Truth and righteousness |
| Knock | Persistent Effort | Intimacy and access to God’s presence |
Matthew 7:7
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”
“Ask” – This implies prayer and dependence on God. It’s not passive; it’s an invitation to engage with God. The Greek verb here is in the present tense, suggesting continuous action: “keep on asking.”
“It shall be given you” – This reflects God’s willingness to respond. It’s not a maybe—it’s a promise. The giving is not based on merit but on relationship.
“Seek” – This goes beyond asking. It implies effort, desire, and pursuit. Seeking God’s will, His presence, and His wisdom requires intentionality.
“Ye shall find” – Another promise. Those who earnestly seek God will find Him (see Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart”).
“Knock” – This suggests persistence and boldness. Knocking implies you’re at the door, expecting access. It’s a metaphor for entering deeper fellowship or opportunity.
“It shall be opened unto you” – God doesn’t just hear; He responds. The door represents access to God’s Kingdom, wisdom, provision, or revelation.
Matthew 7:8
“For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
This verse reinforces the promises of verse 7 with certainty and universality.
“Every one” – This is inclusive. It’s not limited to a spiritual elite. Anyone who approaches God with faith and persistence is included.
“Asketh…receiveth” / “Seeketh…findeth” / “Knocketh…it shall be opened” – These are parallel constructions, emphasizing that God responds to faith-filled action.
The repetition also shows that God is not reluctant. He’s a good Father (as explained in verses 9–11), and He delights in giving good things to His children.
The question by most Believers is “how” do I apply this to my daily life. This will be answered at a high level here and at a deeper level in the additional messages in this series. Some good, applicable guidelines are:
1. Persistence in Prayer – Jesus encourages Believers to be persistent, not passive. This echoes the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1–8).
2. Faith and Expectation – These verses build confidence in God’s character. He is approachable, generous, and responsive.
3. Progressive Intimacy – The sequence (ask → seek → knock) suggests increasing levels of engagement with God:
Asking: verbal prayer
Seeking: active pursuit
Knocking: bold approach to enter
4. God’s Accessibility – These verses assure us that God is near, not distant. He invites us to come to Him and promises to respond.
The overall themes of Matthew 7:7-8 are:
God’s responsiveness: The promise that “everyone who asks receives” reflects divine generosity, not mechanical transaction. It assumes sincerity and alignment with God’s will (James 4:3).
Faith and persistence: Jesus encourages ongoing prayer, not one-time requests. The Greek verbs are in the present continuous tense, implying “keep asking… keep seeking… keep knocking.”
Relational access: “Knock and it will be opened” evokes imagery of entering a home—symbolizing intimacy with God, not just receiving things.
Practical Application
Ask: Bring your needs, questions, and desires to God in prayer. Requests must align with God’s will (1 John 5:14-15)
Seek: Pursue Truth through Scripture, wise counsel, and Spiritual disciplines. Our motives matter (James 4:3).
Knock: Persist in faith even when answers seem delayed—God honors endurance (Ephesians 6:13).
ASK — Prayerful Petition and Dependence
| Verse | Text | Theme |
| Matthew 21:22 | “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” | Faith-filled asking |
| John 14:13 | “And whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that The Father may be glorified in The Son.” | Christ-centered petition |
| I 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:” | Alignment with God’s will |
| James 4:3 | “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” | Warning against selfish asking |
| John 16:24 | “Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My Name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.” | Joy through answered prayer |
SEEK — Active Pursuit of God and His Kingdom
| Verse | Text | Theme |
| Matthew 6:33 | “But seek ye first The Kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” | Priority of divine pursuit |
| Jeremiah 29:13 | “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.” | Wholehearted seeking |
| Proverbs 8:17 | “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me.” | Diligence rewarded |
| 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.” | Faith-driven pursuit |
| I Chronicles 16:11 | “Seek The LORD and His strength, seek His face continually.” | Ongoing communion |
KNOCK — Persistent Invitation and Divine Access
| Verse | Text | Theme |
| Revelation 3:20 | “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” | Christ’s invitation to fellowship |
| Luke 11:8 | “I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.” | Assurance of divine response to bold, persistent faith *importunity = persistence |
| Revelation 3:8 | “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My Word, and hast not denied My Name.” | Divine opportunity and assurance |
| Luke 18:7-8 | “And shall not God avenge His Own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when The Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” | Assurance that persistent prayer (read “knocking”) is heard and answered decisively |
| I Corinthians 16:9 | “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.” | Ministry, business, investment, Kingdom, etc., opportunities amid opposition |
In the next message we will continue looking at Jesus’ commandment for us to daily, “ask, seek, and knock” to bring us into alignment with God’s will and the volume of the book of remembrance He has written for each of our lives before the foundation of the world. This powerful triad of continual, persistent, and intensifying faith-filled actions follows the same Spiritual process Jesus used with His Father. Jesus commands us to achieve the same works He did and even greater works with Jesus working in and through us (John 14:10-15). He modeled it for us.
In closing, let us remember that “real victory begins where striving ends. Stop trying to build your life by effort and start building it by Grace. Once you’ve learned to live surrendered, you’ll never want to live by your own strength again.”
B’shem Yeshua (John 14:13),
Larry