The Message of the Teachings on the Mount (67)
By Abraham Eli
This study was first taught on March 29, 2011
Topic: ASKing (2): Asking
No audio available for this study.Background
We began our new theme, “ASKing” last week, by defining its meaning—an acromym formed from Asking, Seeking, and Knocking, noting that it is to be distinguished from ‘Asking’ which is ‘to make a request’. We noted that the Lord is telling us to keep on asking, seeking, and knocking, until we receive, find, and the door opened unto us, respectively.
As we sought to address the issue of who to ASK, we observed that many people ask, seek, and knock on the doors of spouse, friends, family, judges, professionals or experts, great nations, great kings and their military, and even lifeless idols. Unfortunately these human beings, nations, systems, and carved/molten images, cannot deliver or save in the time of trouble. Indeed, vain is the help of man! Those who put their trust and confidence for deliverance and salvation in man of any stature and status, as well as idols are cursed and doomed to destruction, respectively. Sadly, a number of so-called believers in Christ direct their ASKing at human beings, nations, systems/organizations, and even idols.
We said that our ASKing should be directed at God who is closer than a friend, more loving and caring than parents, and who is able to do what no man can. We also saw that God judges righteously; defeats nations, mighty armies, and national idols; and is able to save from the storms of life, bondage and captivity, oppression, and troubles of every kind. We saw further that God controls the nations and their leaders and can get them to do His bidding. So powerful is our God that by merely speaking, He established the heavens and the earth; which is also how God resolves and takes care of issues and situations. Indeed, nothing is too hard or impossible for Him. It is to Him that our ASKing should be directed!
We also noted that if we need to ASK any man for help, God Himself will give us His leading and bring us into favour with such men, no matter how highly placed they are.
Scripture Text(s)
Matthew 7:7-8
Having done with Who we are to ASK, we shall tonight, begin to study each of the components of ASKing—“asking”, “seeking”, and “knocking”. May the Holy Spirit help us as we study, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Our scripture text clearly distinguishes between asking, seeking, and knocking. We shall be looking at asking tonight. So what is ‘asking’? And what principles govern asking?
Psalm 34:4-6; John 11:41-42; Psalm 121:1-2; Philippians 4:6; 1 Samuel 1:1-17; James 4:2; Ephesians 3:20; John 14:13-14; Philippians 2:9-10; Hebrews 7:25; John 15:7, 16; 1 John 5:14-15; Romans 8:26-27; Luke 11:1-4; Isaiah 59:1-3;1 Peter 3:7; James 4:3; 1:5-8; Mark 11:12-14, 20-24, 25-26; John 16: 26, 24; Philippians 4:6-7; Luke 9:28-33.
Conclusion
Asking God for something is basically praying to God. Asking can take the form of a request or petition to God; looking up to God for sustenance or assistance; crying out to God for help; or a speaking within one’s heart and barely uttering audible words. Asking is not the same as desiring something, longing for something, wishing something, dreaming or even thinking about something. Whatever, we may desire, long for, wish, and dream or think about, will remain as such, until we put them in the form of a request, or petition to God.
However we choose to ask, we are to do so in the name or by the authority of Jesus Christ. This means that the person asking recognizes Jesus as the One Who is the basis for the Father hearing and answering the prayer. In other words, if Jesus is not the basis of our asking, the Father will not hear nor answer our request.
If our asking is to have the results we require, then we must do well to observe the following: we must be in agreement with Christ and His word; we should be doing what God has called us to do; we should ask according to the will of God for which the Holy Spirit is on hand to help us; and our asking is to be reverential. Furthermore, we must not be living in sin; neither should we treat our wives cruelly; nor should our motive for asking be wrong. In addition, we should ask in faith (trusting or believing that what we have asked, God will do or has already done); not with a double or undecided mind, prevaricating between opinions. We need to forgive all those who have offended us, so that our prayers will not be hindered; and, we must go to God on our own, not through ‘prayer warriors’.
Asking aright brings joy to our hearts, as well as a peace that passes human understanding (even when the matter may seem yet unresolved). Asking aright also changes our lives for the better, and enables us obtain answers to our requests, and much more than we may have thought. So keep on asking, and don’t stop until you see the result you are expecting—anything short of that result should not be accepted, unless of course God says, otherwise!
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