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Jul 31, 2022

Ask. Seek. Knock. Part 5

Ask. Seek. Knock. Part 5

Speaker: Dennis Gallaher

Series: Ask. Seek. Knock.

Category: Sunday Morning

Prayer recognizes our citizenship in Heaven as well as our place at the table of our Heavenly Father. 

We are studying prayer - prayer that is not an afterthought or a haphazard kind of blind hope but prayer that recognizes our citizenship in Heaven as well as our place at the table of our Heavenly Father. 

Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. The "ask" has a meaning in the Greek that is a continuing to ask for what is required and to keep on asking. Ask refers to the gift that needs to be given and to keep on asking. "Seek" is a word that is to seek after God and keep on seeking. We are to seek to know the Father. "Knock" speaks of entrance into God's dwelling place - an opening the door of fellowship to the Father.

This is the process of prayer:

  • Asking - To ask but not only asking but to keep doing so. "Ask whatever you will and it will be done." 
  • Seeking - To seek the Giver, not just the gift.
  • Knocking - To fellowship, communion, hang out, enjoy conversation, sit in His presence. It's a great delight not just for us but for God as well. 

These 3 verbs have a continuing nature - to keep on beyond the initial request. It is 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. Without ceasing. The kind of praying that we need to develop is:

  • Full of faith - Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us... 
  • Persistent.
  • Does not weaken the Word with our human wisdom.

Mark 10:46-52 tells of Bartimaeus, a blind man, an honorable son. Mark 10 has 5 movements.

1. Mark 10:47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Boldly ask God and accept God's view of who you are and not your own or others. How many of us believe the devil's view of ourselves rather than God's view? These are a few statements about your worth and relationship to God: 

  • He is our Daddy. Romans 8:15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 
  • We are His temple. I Corinthians 6:19-20 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
  • We are His child. Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will.

2. Mark 10:48-49 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” Jesus hears our cry. Bartimaeus called to Jesus, Son of David, Messiah. We don't have to do different, better things to get Jesus attention. Just cry out to Jesus. Jesus leaves the 99 to go to the lost sheep. The Holy Spirit pulls us and we respond by crying out to Jesus. 

3. Mark 10:49-50 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. Prayer is about doing what we are to do and letting God do what He will do. Jesus told Bartimaeus to come to Him. Make prayer a normal part of our lives by praying:

  • In the morning. Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch.
  • Throughout the day. I Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. 
  • With others. Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. 

4. Mark 10:51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”  What do you want Jesus to do for you? Dig below the surface. Don't be vague and pointless. Jesus knew what Bartimaeus needed but had him name it.

  • Cry for mercy and tell God where mercy needs to be applied.
  • Ask to be delivered from sin by naming the sin and forsaking it.
  • Bear the burden of others while praying for blessing.
  • Know the direction of the field of harvest for you as your pray for peace and outpouring.

5. Mark 10:52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road. Bring all to the Lord... your prayers, requests, needs, desires, hopes, pains and then follow hard the path that Jesus has for you. 

What do you learn from Bartimaeus? 

How do you see yourself in God's eyes? What needs to change? 

How have you been challenged to pray more specific in one of these areas?