Thought for Prayer – Keep Knocking

The Lord Jesus Christ speaking in Rev 3.7 refers to Himself as the One 'who has the key of David, [the One] who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.’ He opens and no one shuts. So He set before the church at Philadelphia an ‘open door, and no one can shut it.’

But the same Jesus shuts and no one opens. There are many doors that He shuts in our lives – doors which we would gladly go through, not realizing that they are portals to self-seeking and self-gratification, avenues which are outside the will of God. God has a plan for us, and if we desire to be in the will of God and in the plan of God, then He will shut the doors that we would fain open. Often we feel frustrated because the doors are not opening. We never ask, ‘Is this the will of God? Is this the plan of God for me?’ We have many aspirations and ambitions, but we never seek to know the will of God.

God teaches us in practical ways and through painful experience. The difficult circumstances are allowed by Him in our life, even the ‘shut doors’. This is how He chastens us, and makes us learn to wait on Him.

What do we do when we confront a ‘shut door’? Try knocking on the door. God doesn’t want us to be passive. He says, Ask, Seek, Knock. Prayer is not just asking, not just seeking, but knocking. Keep knocking.

We want something from God, we desire it earnestly, we plead with God; and if our heart is really in it, and if it is God’s will, then surely He will do it. However, if it is not God’s will, then He will not answer. And He will take away the desire for it, so that our knocking becomes half-hearted and slack as the days go by. But where we are in earnest and where God wills, it will surely be done.

There is something called a ‘burden’. This is a weight put on the heart. We are burdened about the matter. As we pray earnestly the burden increases. And not just that! But our prayer increases. Our dependence on the Lord increases. It becomes an issue that is ‘according to His will’ and accomplished ‘by His grace’.

So the Friend at Midnight kept knocking, because his need was great [he needed food for himself and his family, as much as for his friend] – and the God who supplies every need according to Philippians 4.19 met that need promptly and abundantly. The door opened to fervent and persistent knocking. The question is: ‘Do we know what we need?’ Is it ‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness’ or is it ‘Seek worldly riches, worldly name and fame, worldly security – the things of this world’?

May we know what to pray for, may we desire the things that are above, may we glorify God in all that we do, may we enjoy the abundance of His grace, may we be blessed in every way and become a blessing to many - through the power of persistent prayer! Keep knocking.

Isaiah 41.10

A. This is one of the greatest promises of God in the Bible.

'Fear not, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you.
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Comments:
1. Fear and faith are contradictory. If you fear, you have no faith. Fear is a powerful weapon of Satan. God says, Fear not. Why? Because God is with us. He is our Immanuel God. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He is with us, as He was with Joseph in Egypt. [Gen 39]. Lo, I am with you always, Jesus tells His disciples. Always.

2. Don't be anxious. Don't look here and there. Don't look at the circumstances. Look unto Me. Looking unto Jesus. 'They looked unto Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.' [Ps 34].

3. I am your God. He is my God. The Lord Jesus is my personal Saviour. He is mine, and I am His. He is God. God Almighty. The El Shaddai God. The all-powerful God. The Omnipotent God who reigns forever.

4. I will strengthen you. He will strengthen your heart, Ps 27. Your heart will be established by His grace, Heb 13. His grace is sufficient. We will obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, Heb 4.16.

5. He will uphold us, or hold us up. There is no fear of falling. Underneath are the everlasting arms, Deut 33. Nobody can snatch us out of His hands, John 10.28,29.

6. The right hand of His righteousness. He means what He says. God is true. He is a faithful God. He is a righteous God. He will never fail. He is the everlasting Rock. The eternal God is our refuge.

7. Oh, that we would keep trusting in Him. That we would keep 'looking unto Him'. That we would keep praising Him for this great promise.

8. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

B. God does not stop with this promise. He goes on with further promises, all linked up with this great promise.

He says, 'Behold, all those who were angered at you
will be ashamed and dishonored;
Those who contend with you
will be as nothing and will perish.'
'You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them.
Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent.'
For I am the LORD your God, who upholds your right hand,
Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.'
'Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you,' declares the LORD,
even your Redeemer, the H0ly One of Israel.

The Lord is continuing to encourage His saints, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. He promises to fight our battles. He says, in effect, 'Your enemies will be put to shame.' They will be like the chaff on the threshing floor, that is blown away by the wind. They will be scattered, they will perish. You will seek them, but you will not find them.

The Lord fights our battles. He says, 'Your Redeemer is the LORD.' Who is the LORD? Who is Jehovah? He is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Look at this picture in 2 Thessalonians chapter 1. 'The Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marvelled at among all who have believed in Him.'

Our Redeemer is mighty, our Redeemer is strong. The Bible declares, 'The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.' That promise from Rom 16.20 is for you and me, who are part of the church, the body of Christ.

Rest assured, the victory is ours. 'Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' 1 Cor 15.57