How to open heaven’s door – Part 1

People have many esoteric ideas about prayer, one of which says that there are those better equipped to pray for you. Yet, this brief passage contains a lot for the education and edification of every child of God in every age. The privilege and power of prayer is not left on the unreachable branches of a tree of philosophy, but the branches are low enough for all members in the family to pluck the fruits. In these verses, the Lord has not given us some deep well of theological mystery with nothing to draw with; He has brought the supply of every need to the table, and we will do well to come and dine.

The opening verse supplies the key to the interpretation and application. We are to ask, seek and knock. These three verbs are in the present imperative in the original text. That simply means that they demand continual, repeated action. Ask and keep on asking until you receive; seek and go on seeking until you find; knock and continue until the door is opened. Pray and keep on praying, until the Father answers according to His promise.

The whole process is put in the family setting. We are not asking as a beggar from an unknown stranger, we are asking as a trusting child from a loving Father. We are not seeking as a traveller seeks water in a desert; we are seeking fruit as a member of the family in the family garden. We are not knocking at the door of a house guarded by wild dogs, we are knocking at the door of our Father’s house, Who is waiting to open the door and receive us.

“Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Comparing Matthew 7:7,8 with Luke 11:5-10, it is obvious that the Lord is teaching us and calling us to importunity in prayer. We often give up too soon, just before the door to heaven’s storehouse is opened. Our lack of supply is often the result of our lack of importunate supplication. A few of us are ignorant of what is in the storehouse for us. Others knock at the door of the storehouse so feebly that they are barely heard. So very few ever knock continually with a firm hand of the prayer of faith.

There was a great famine in Egypt. The famine had spread beyond Egypt to other nations. To meet the needs of all people, Joseph had beforehand filled the vast storehouses in the land. As the people came from all the lands “Joseph opened all the storehouses” (Genesis 41:56). Everyone who came received enough sustenance from the opened storehouses.

Jesus is waiting for us to come and knock at the door. Whatever our needs are, the door will be opened and we shall be satisfied with justification, salvation, regeneration, transformation, provision, restoration, sanctification, impartation, protection, preservation and finally, glorification. We are not knocking only to stop after receiving an initial supply of grace. We keep on knocking until we receive abundant grace, sufficient grace, grace for every need.

Further Reading (King James Version): Matthew 7:7-11; Matthew 7:7,8; Acts 12:13-16; Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8; Genesis 18:23-33; 32:24-28; Deuteronomy 9:18-20; Daniel 9:2,3,10-14; Acts 12:5-12; Hebrews 4:14-16.