By Ken Blue
“Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? 12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:7-14.
One must remember that the book of Matthew is about the Kingdom of heaven on earth. It is a time when God’s will, will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Thus, everything in Matthew must be interpreted in the context of the Tribulation or the Kingdom. Most Christians are confused about many things in Matthew because they fail to rightly divide the Word of God.
This is not a prayer promise to the Christian in this dispensation. This is a promise to those entering the Kingdom, and those who will be in it. Jesus’ ministry was a Kingdom ministry. No request was rejected by Him, and no one was turned away. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. The answer is, He was offering the Kingdom of Heaven to Israel, and working under Kingdom of Heaven principles. There are no such miracles today within the body of Christ, the church.
Today, many people pray for bread and get a stone. They pray for healing, yet die. Paul makes it clear that we don’t know what to pray for. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” Romans 8:26. Many, like myself, have a terminal illness. I have ALS, and cannot walk or talk. The average life span with this illness is five years. By God’s grace, I am able to still use my hands, but with great difficulty. I mention this because there are literally, hundreds of Christians who pray for me. Yet I grow weaker by the month.
Look at the prayer promise in our text. The Disciples are told to ask, seek, and knock, for everyone who does, receives. In the Kingdom, they will receive what they ask for. It is not a lack of faith that hinders your prayers, it’s a matter of right division of Scripture.
Since God will be a benevolent father to them, and provide every request, they are to treat others as they want to be treated. This truth is taught in the Law and the Prophets. It should be noted that the Law and miracles will also be in effect in the Kingdom of Heaven.
The requirements for entrance into the Kingdom will be difficult. The gospels and Hebrews through Revelation make that clear. In fact, only a few will enter it. One example is in Matthew 24. “11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:11-13. Of the Jews, only one third will survive the Tribulation to enter the Kingdom. “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” Zechariah 13:9. Two-thirds of Israel will be destroyed. One third will be born again at that time, and be the foundation of the new nation. That is the meaning of, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.