Knock and Open || Keep On! #4 (FINALE)

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8

This passage talks about what God will give to you. If you continue to ask, then you’ll receive. If you continue to search, then you’ll find it. If you continue to knock, the door will open. It’s a verse that sounds straightforward but has a deeper meaning. This passage led me to create our latest series, “Keep On.”

This series will examine what it means to ask and receive, seek and find, and knock and open. I will explain the concepts through word studies and then go into scriptures that use these words to help us build upon the context of what Jesus is teaching us. My goal for this series is to help you keep going to God in prayer for anything you need.

This blog concludes the series by discussing knocking and opening doors.

To knock is the Greek verb krouó (kroo’ – o), which means to strike or knock, to beat a door with a stick, or to gain admittance.

Acts 12:13-15

13           He knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named Rhoda came to open it.

14           When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and told everyone, “Peter is standing at the door!”

15           “You’re out of your mind!” they said. When she insisted, they decided, “I must be his angel.”

The prayers of this group of believers were answered even during their prayer. When their answer knocked on their door, their reaction wasn’t to open it. When Rhoda saw Peter, she ran back in to tell her friends. Luke gives us an authentic, real-life example of how we might respond. If your kids got into drugs and went missing for a while, and while you were praying for their return, you heard a knock at the door. Wouldn’t your mindset be the same as Rhoda’s? We’re seeing a very human response to prayer. This was even humbling for Peter. Even after an angel had supernaturally broken him out of prison, he and his friends were still just people. He couldn’t open jail bars without help from an angel, but he had to wait for Rhoda to let him in the house.

We should be people of faith who believe God answers the prayers of those who continue to seek his ways. When you pray, believe you’ll get an answer. When the answer comes, be thankful. God’s timing to answer prayers is beyond what we can comprehend. The main thing is that we need to have faith that God will answer them. His answers will knock on the door of our hearts. His answers will knock at unscheduled times. His answer will knock either when you’re alone or with a group of friends. When he knocks, answer and be thankful.

Revelation 3:20

20           “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.

The Laodicean church was complacent and prosperous; they felt self-satisfied, but they didn’t have Christ’s presence among them. Jesus knocked at the door of their hearts, but they were so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that they overlooked that he was trying to enter. The world’s pleasures – money, security, material possessions – can be dangerous. Why? Their temporary satisfaction can make us indifferent to God’s offer of lasting satisfaction. There are tons of things wanting entry into our hearts. It’s almost like the FBI knocking at the door with how intense everything can feel. Money is great, but we might not have it all the time. Friends are great, but we might not have them all the time. Yet, God is eternal, which means God lasts all the time. Sounds like that is the door I want to open.

If you find yourself feeling indifferent to church, to God, or the Bible, you have begun to shut God out of your life. Leave the door of your heart constantly open to God, and you won’t need to worry about hearing this knock. Jesus knocks at the door of our hearts because he wants to save us and have fellowship with us. He patiently and persistently waits to get through to us – not breaking and entering but knocking. He allows us to decide whether to open our lives to him and welcome him.

That’s the beautiful part of having a relationship with Christ. He doesn’t force us into it. He doesn’t force his love upon us. He doesn’t force his blessings upon us. It’s up to us. Jesus wants to save us from our sins. Jesus wants to have a relationship with us, so will you answer the door?

John 14:22-23

22           Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name) said to him, “Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to us and not to the world at large.

23           Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.

The disciples were still expecting Jesus to establish an earthly kingdom and overthrow Rome; they found it difficult to understand he did not tell the world that he was the Messiah everyone had been waiting for. Jesus confronted Judas by saying that those who truly loved him would know who he was. Not everyone, however, could or was willing to understand Jesus’ message. Ever since Pentecost (Acts 2), the Good News of the Kingdom has been proclaimed in the world, yet not everyone is receptive to it. Jesus saves the deepest revealings of himself for those who want to honestly know, love, and obey him.

Jesus knocks at everyone’s door. Yet those who want to honestly know, love, and obey him will answer it. Suppose Jesus broke in and entered everyone’s heart regardless of whether they wanted him there. Would that make the specialty of the relationship with him worth it? Would it make you want to pursue it if Jesus just broke in?

To open the door is the Greek verb anoigó (an-oy’-go), which means to open. It’s simple.

Acts 14:27

27           Upon arriving in Antioch, they called the church together and reported everything God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too.

The church can knock on the door as well. We can knock on the door. Sharing your testimony with your community is what those knocking sounds are. In his church planting trips, Paul opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Paul provided many opportunities for those who believe and don’t to come and, at the very minimum, hear the word of God. The best thing you can do is plant the seed. God will take care of the sowing. You can knock on someone else’s door, but God will wait for them to open it.

Colossians 4:1

1             Masters, be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master – in heaven.

Masters were to provide what was just and fair. In today’s society, employers should treat their employees justly and fairly. Paul’s instructions encouraged the masters to be responsible and integral. Christian employees should be doing their jobs as if Jesus was their supervisor. Christian employers should treat their employees fairly and with respect. Leaders should take care of their volunteers and not abuse them. If you have a responsibility over others, treat them justly and fairly.

When you knock at someone else’s door, you treat them justly and fairly. If someone is knocking at your door, you answer it justly and fairly. No matter whom you work for or with, the one you ultimately should want to please is your Father in Heaven. At the end of the day, you are accountable to them. You are accountable to those around you; remember that. You are accountable to your employer to do the job you were hired to do. You are accountable to your employees to manage them fairly and respectfully.

When you knock on the opportunities that God has for you, God will open the opportunities to go and honor him. Until next time, stay blessed!

Father God, we thank you for the many times opportunities to knock and wait faithfully with the opportunities to serve you. Help us to remain patient for when these doors will be open. The timing of them is up to you and within your control. When those doors are ready, please give us the courage to take one step at a time. Please help us focus on you and the path the door leads to. It’s in your name, we pray. Amen.