Ask
Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
We have spoken of these verses before…..but I wish to point out the personal pronoun….”you”. It shall be given “you”…..it shall be opened unto “you”.
So, if you would have what the Lord has for you…..”ask”
We think of “ask” as…..beceeching the Lord for something….and sometimes that is true…
….but here it means….”to petition for something due us”.
Luke 11:9-11 “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?”
This is why we can “ask”….petition for something that is due us…..because we have a Heavenly Father that gives us the Holy Spirit.
Luke 11:13 “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
The Holy Spirit was given Christ Jesus without measure……His capacity was limitless.
Our capacity to “hold” the Holy Spirit is limited……but it is limited by our subjection and obedience.
In other words, we have more of Him…..and all that He gives,….as we trust and obey.
This is to ask aright.
We often petition the Lord for things……I do this, too.
We have a need…..so we begin there….instead of asking for more of the Holy Spirit….which gives us all the things of Christ to our soul.
For myself and others, I have been asking for contentment of late. And the Lord has showed me a great lesson:
1 Timothy 6:6 “But godliness with contentment is great gain.”
When we think of riches…..money comes to mind.
Some might think of family first. Or the love of someone or something.
(And we should be thankful for all of the things God gives us.)
But God says:
A right relationship with me…..and contentment with what I give…..is riches indeed.
These riches,….if you would be rich in God….come through the Holy Spirit. He is within us, always giving us things…..always bestowing all we have in Christ….into us.
And contentment is one of these things.
Contentment means: “I have enough, and so I am satisfied”……it is a personal thing. A thing between you and the Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation (your walk through life) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Now we are to ask for what is “due us”…..as God’s children.
And that is more of the Holy Spirit within.
What can He not do?
Guide us? He does.
Strengthen us? He does.
Give us Light to brighten our minds and hearts? He does.
Give us peace….that peace that Christ won for us on the Cross? He does.
Give us ability? Yes, He does.
Shall He withhold contentment…..or satisfaction with His Way? No, but He will surely give….surely fill us up….to our capacity.
But do we want more of Him?
Do we want His many and manifold gifts to “me”? For it is personal.
“Ask”…..and….”how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?”
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 