This is part 4 on my series on answered prayer.

The reason we pray, is to receive answers.  To see others or ourselves, healed, our needs provided, our fears dispelled.

We pray when we need direction, wisdom, knowledge, comfort, or peace.  How often are we disappointed, not satisfied, left empty.  

 Wondering where is my God?  Do we really want to pray prayers that move God to action?

Do we delight ourselves in the Lord?   Do we receive the Desires of our hearts?

Once again we come back to these 3 simple letters.    ASK.

We must learn to focus on the Lord.   We must know Him, we must know His WORD.

We do not always need, to quote  Scripture and verse, but we certainly need to know it’s meaning, and Spirit.  To learn this we must Ask.

Ask Him to open our eyes, ears, minds and hearts.  Ask Him to draw us close, to change us, mold us and make us, evermore into His image.   

We must, Ask Him, to give us compassion toward the lost, the sick, the disobedient. 

We must Ask Him to teach us how to Seek Him. 

The Amplified Bible, guides us in the right direction.  (Never give up).

Luke 11:9-13 (AMPC)

“So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you.

For everyone who asks and keeps on asking receives; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.

What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent?

Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?

If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him!”

 We must learn to Seek Him, (study His word, learn how to knock, pray), to know Him better. 

Not for what we might gain.   

There are warnings to those who do not Seek Him with a true heart.

Proverbs 1:28
“Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:”

Hosea 5:6
“They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.”

Amos 8:12
“And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.”

Why do you Seek Him?  Is it for personal profit, for acclaim, to be above, to rule, to Lord it over others.

Or have you taken James 4 to heart?  Do you know how to humble yourselves, become servants, care for the needs of others, above your own. 

The example of Daniel.   

At 15 years of age, brought into  captivity, made a slave, along with all of the Kingdom of Judah.

His Name changed, his diet changed, maybe even turned into a Eunuch, and forced to Worship, to learn of false Gods.

“Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the prince of the eunuchs.”  (Daniel 1)

Because Daniel’s heart was right towards the Lord, he was blessed in the midst of his capacity.  

He had enough and more than enough, he prospered even as a slave.  We can be prosperous in the midst of our darkest hours. 

“The Lord would have us prosper and be in good health, even as our soul prospers.”

Prosperity, isn’t about money, jobs or any other temporal things, it is Spiritual. 

The prosperity preachers, are not totally wrong.   There is truth in all of God’s word.  

If:

   >  Our motives are pure.   Our desire is a closer, more personal walk.  

   >  We purpose in our heart to give of our gain, not spoil ourselves with his bounty.

   >  We would learn to have and extend compassion. 

Daniel loved His God, did not allow his circumstances turn him away. He, “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself”

If we study his life, and the life of the 3 Hebrew children, we can learn how to Ask, Seek and Knock on the Lords door.

First, because he would not defile himself, (today that could be,  what we watch, read, listen to, eat, enjoy in our lives),  he found favor with God.

He was promoted to a position of authority.   As he was able, he found himself a prayer closet,  and used it 3 times a day.

He did not cower in fear, in secret, but without a prideful spirit, was not worried about being heard, even after it was illegal,  to pray to God.

(Daniel, prospered under 4 different leaders).

His prayers, elevated him, to a place of power, saved him from the lions. 

The 3 Hebrew children, before being cast into the fire, for refusing to Worship the Kings false God said:

“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Daniel, after finding Gods promise in Jeremiah 29,  prayed for the end of captivity for his people.
   ~ Daniel, had a heart towards God.

   ~ He read and studied the scriptures that were available to him.  Found Words from God in Ezekiel and Jeremiah, that quickened His Spirit.

   ~ He then prayed God’s Word, back to God.  Like Moses and Abraham,  prayer that moves God, reminds Him of His promises.

This prayer moved God to action.

Psalm: 9. 10. 

“And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”

John 7:34

“Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither ye cannot come.”

The Lord promised we will find Him, if we seek Him with our whole heart.

Deuteronomy 4:29
“But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.”

So, how do we knock?

When we pray the Word of God, we are knocking on the door of His heart.  Do not stop, even if the answer we desire doesn’t seem to be there.

Daniel was told:

Daniel 10:2-5 (KJV)

2. In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.
3.   I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.
4.   And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel;

5.   Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:

7.   And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

9.   Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground.

11.  And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.”

Daniel 10:12-14 (KJV)

12.   “Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13.   But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
14.  Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.”

ASK:

DO NOT QUIT, STAND FAST, ACT YE LIKE MEN.

“GOD HONORS (WATCHES OVER), HIS WORD, TO PREFORM IT.”

Right heart, (seeking God),  right words, (Gods will and Words).  the door, will open,  (the answer will come).