These three actions represent different intensity levels in pursuing a need or a desire.

• Asking involves verbal expression,
• Seeking involves an active pursuit and
• Knocking involves a determined effort to gain entry or access.

Key Bible Verses:

Matthew 7:7-8 (NKJV):

“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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Luke 11:9-10 (NKJV):

“So I say to you, 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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Contextual Background:

Matthew 7:7-8

This passage is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, a fundamental speech in which Jesus discusses various aspects of life and spirituality. The Sermon on the Mount covers topics such as the Beatitudes, the Lord’s Prayer, and teachings on love, judgment, and righteousness, and it spans Matthew chapters 5 through 7. Towards the end of this sermon, in Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus summarizes the call for active faith and perseverance in prayer.

Luke 11:9-10

These verses are part of Jesus’ teachings on prayer. Earlier in Luke 11, the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, which leads to the introduction of the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus then continues with a parable about a friend seeking bread at midnight to illustrate the importance of persistence in prayer. Luke 11:9-10 encapsulates this teaching by reinforcing the promises associated with asking, seeking, and knocking.

The Threefold Call: Ask, Seek, Knock:

Ask: This signifies making a request or petition. It involves verbal expression and the humility to acknowledge a need. The act of asking demonstrates faith and reliance on God’s provision. It is a simple yet profound gesture that opens the door to divine blessings.

• Spiritual Application: In our spiritual lives, asking symbolizes our prayers and petitions to God, where we lay our needs and desires before Him.

Seek: Seeking goes beyond mere asking; it involves an active and intentional pursuit. It suggests a more profound commitment to finding answers, truth, or guidance. Seeking requires effort, focus, and a genuine desire to see what is sought.

• Spiritual Application: Seeking represents our pursuit of God’s kingdom and righteousness. It involves studying the Scriptures, praying, and striving to live according to God’s will.

Knock: Knocking implies perseverance and persistence. Persistent knocking eventually leads to the opening even when the doors are closed. It requires determination and faith that persistence will yield results.

• Spiritual Application: Knocking signifies our continued seeking of God’s presence and blessings. It encourages perseverance in faith, even when immediate results are not visible.

In both passages, the word “ask” encourages people to engage in a persistent, trusting relationship with God through prayer. Similarly, the word “seek” promotes an active and heartfelt pursuit of God’s presence and His kingdom, fostering a deeper connection and understanding of His will. The word “knock” calls for steadfast perseverance in pursuing God’s blessings and opportunities, assuring that persistent faith will lead to divine responses and open doors.

Jesus encourages His followers to ask with confidence, seek with diligence, and knock with perseverance, assuring them of God’s readiness to respond generously.