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.