For every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Luke 11:10
Charlatans like Joel Olsteen love today’s text. He and other prosperity gospel preachers have made untold millions by using this verse to support their false doctrine. Olsteen’s sermons, books, and videos are all designed to help people to develop the necessary faith to believe and act on this verse, or at least what Olsteen claims this verse means. By claiming this text, Olsteen contents, we can tap into God’s willingness to give to us all of the money, all of the material possessions, all of the contentment and fulfillment, and all of the goal achievement that we can wish for. Failure to obtain these things means we don’t have enough faith, and therefore have to buy more of Olsteen’s books and videos to learn how to build up our faith to the receiving point. The words of our text certainly don’t mean that at all, and Olsteen and his ilk will have much to answer for when they appear at the Great White Throne. But what did the Lord Jesus mean when He uttered these words?
First of all, this text is part of Jesus’ address to His disciples on the subject of prayer. They are being taught principles on their responsibility regarding prayer. As our text indicates, they are to ask, seek, and knock. God’s responsibility is to respond. But that response is not necessarily to provide us with exactly what we ask for, seek, and knock upon.
When it comes to prayer, we can, and should, ask for that which upon our hearts. We are instructed elsewhere not to ask for those things that we will consume upon our lusts. We are instructed not to ask amiss. And if we follow those instructions, we will not be disappointed when we receive the answer. Our Father knows what we need, and He knows what is best for us. Even if our asking is done in ignorance and lack of understanding, God’s response is always in perfect wisdom. We ask for what we think is needed; God answers with what He knows is needed.
The same principle applies when we seek, especially if we are seeking the Lord’s will in any matter. Whenever we seek, we usually have an idea of our own as to what we want to find. The key to finding what we need is to allow our ideas to take second place to the purposes of God. When we seek, we might not know where to look, but God always does. If we seek, we might not always know what the object is. But God always does. So for whatever we seek, we should allow Him to find.
We have all heard the expression that when God closes one door, He opens another one. But it is hard for us to accept a closed door, especially if it was a door that we desperately wanted to enter. But if God closes a door, we are not supposed to enter it. If we can accept that, we will be more willing to enter whatever door God sets before us.
Let us ask, seek, and knock, because our God is longing that we might receive, find, and enter His blessings. – Jim MacIntosh