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Ask, Seek, Knock — A Journey of Persistent Faith

Have you ever prayed with all your heart—only to feel like heaven was silent? You asked, but nothing changed. You waited, but the answer didn’t come. If you’ve ever wondered why some prayers seem unanswered, you’re not alone. Jesus anticipated this struggle, and His response was not complicated theology—but an invitation into a deeper way of faith.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. — Matthew 7:7–8 (NKJV)

Jesus gives us a simple yet powerful invitation: ask, seek, and knock. Yet many believers never fully enjoy the benefits of God’s covenant because they have not learned how to live out these three actions with faith, humility, and persistence.

Let’s explore what each one means—and how they work together to deepen our walk with God.

Ask: The Beginning of Faith

The Greek word for ‘ask’ carries a deeper meaning than simply making a request. It means to call for, to crave, to desire, and to require. Asking is an act of humility. It acknowledges our need and places our trust in God as our source.

Many of us struggle with asking for help. Think back to the days before GPS—how many of us would rather stay lost than stop and ask for directions? Asking requires us to admit that we don’t have all the answers.

Children, however, have no problem asking. They ask freely and confidently, trusting that their parents want to help them. Jesus calls us to approach God with that same childlike faith.

James reminds us that God is generous and welcomes our requests:

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you… But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. — James 1:5–6 (NLT)

Asking requires a relationship. When we are loyal to God and rooted in faith, we can ask confidently—knowing He hears us.

If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. — 1 John 5:14 (NASU)

Seek: The Pursuit of Revelation

Asking is often the first step, but seeking takes us deeper. The Greek word for seek means to endeavor, to inquire, and to pursue earnestly. Seeking implies effort.

Some answers don’t come immediately. Instead, God invites us into a process where our faith is strengthened as we pursue Him.

Hebrews tells us that faith pleases God—and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Seeking God is not passive. It involves prayer, Scripture, meditation, and sometimes fasting. Jesus Himself said:

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. — Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

The prophet Daniel is a powerful example of seeking. Through prayer, supplication, and fasting, he pursued understanding—and God responded with revelation. Although the answer was delayed, it was never denied.

Sometimes the delay is due to opposition. Other times, God is working in us, aligning our hearts with His purposes. As Bill Johnson once said, “God hides things for us, not from us.” What He has for us is worth the search.

Knock: Persistence at the Door

When asking and seeking still feel unanswered, Jesus tells us to knock. Knocking implies a closed door—but not a locked one.

Knocking is an invitation to persistence. It is the posture of one who refuses to give up, believing that God is faithful and present.

In Greek, ask, seek, and knock are all written in the present, active, and imperative tense. In other words:

  • Ask and keep on asking
  • Seek and keep on seeking
  • Knock and keep on knocking

Jesus reinforces this truth in the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18). She repeatedly brought her request before the judge until he finally responded. Jesus told this parable to teach us to “always pray and not lose heart.”

Persistence is not about bending God’s will to ours—it’s about aligning our will with His. As we contend in prayer, we are drawn closer to God’s purposes.

Imagine throwing a hook from a boat and pulling toward the shore. You are not pulling the shore toward you—you are pulling yourself closer to it. That’s what asking, seeking, and knocking do: they draw us closer to God.

A Journey of Faith

Faith is a journey. Abraham waited 25 years for the promise of a son, yet his asking, seeking, and knocking established a covenant that still impacts us today.

God’s promises are sure, but the process matters. As we ask in humility, seek with diligence, and knock with persistence, we grow—not just in answered prayer, but in relationship with Him.

So don’t stop asking. Don’t grow weary in seeking. And don’t walk away from the door.

Keep knocking.

God is faithful—and the door will be opened.