Sermons
Arise and Claim the Blessings!
Matthew 7:7-11
Throughout the Bible Christians are encouraged to live godly lives. Scripture shows we aren't our own, we have been bought with the incalculable price of Christ's Blood and He has full ownership of us. Man was fashioned to serve, submit to, and worship God. It's clearly outlined how Christians should conduct their self.
1. First, God calls Christians to accountable and responsible Living.
The Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard reveals we've been hired to work.
The Parable of the Talents admonishes Christians to avoid laziness and invest their talents.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins exhorts Believers to wise and watchful living around the clock.
When Christ cursed the fruitless fig tree He disclosed the consequences of spiritual barrenness.
Every Christian is called to accountable and productive service.
2. Secondly, He's called Christians to consecrated living. In other words, we set ourselves apart for Christ.
Romans 12:1 says: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God‑‑ this is your spiritual act of worship. (2) Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will."
Matthew 16:24 says: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
3. Thirdly, Believers are called to spiritual maturity.
Hebrews 6:1 says, "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, (2) instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. (3) And God permitting, we will do so."
2 Peter 1:5 says: "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. . . ."
And the last verse of Scripture Simon Peter wrote says: "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2PE
4. God's command to responsible, consecrated, and mature living is vital, but He also called Believers to escape complacency, arise, and claim His blessings!
Do you realize that Israel couldn't become the nation God wanted them to be without departing Egypt, marching through the wilderness, and entering Canaan? God's design wasn't to merely emancipate them from Egypt and reposition them to Sinai's desert. They were destined to inherit Abraham's pledge of living in the Promised Land. And anything less would have been unacceptable to God.
So how could Israel claim their promises? That's our question today: How can Christians claim what God has pledged to provide in His Word?
How do we claim the promise of spiritual empowerment in Acts 1:8?
How do we claim the promise of having our needs met in Philippians 4:19?
How do we claim the supernatural guidance Jesus promised in John 16:13?
How do we claim 1 Corinthians 1:5 that speaks of being "enriched in every way?"
How do we claim inner peace, self-control, and a love for all men—even for our enemies?
Jesus provides us with the answer when He spoke to His apostles in Matthew 7:7. He said, "Ask and it will be given to you ; seek and you will find ; knock and the door will be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
God has a wonderful way of simplifying the secrets of our Faith. Jesus said, just "Ask . . . seek . . . and knock. . . ." These verbs are spoken in the present tense and they indicate continued, sincere, and earnest petitioning.
We ask and continually ask. We seek and continually seek. We knock and continually knock. We are to be serious about our desires and if we glibly ask and half-heartedly seek and timidly knock, it's doubtful we'll claim the blessing. Let's discuss the implications of each.
(Illustration) Some years ago my family enjoyed watching the science fiction series, Time Traks. It's about
We sometimes treat God that way. We ignore His counsel and expend needless fleshly labor to resolve life's dilemmas. We try pursuing the path of least resistance but find impediments everywhere. The Bible says in James 4:2, "You have not because you ask not." Regardless of what situation we find before us, let's learn to ask from the start.
There's a powerful Scripture recorded in 2 Corinthians that tells us how to petition God. "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God" (
We have to say "Amen" to Acts 1:8 that says: "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you."
We have to say "Amen" to Luke
We have to say "Amen" to Philippians 4:19 that says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
We have to say "Amen" to the spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12.
We have to say "Amen" to John 16:13 that says "when . . . the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth."
What is God encouraging you to claim? A deeper relationship, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, a greater knowledge of the Word, a broadened ministry, or an expansion of business? Don't permit Satan to hinder you from asking for more than you possess. Without asking you may never inherit God's highest intentions.
(Transition) Secondly, let's discuss the need to employ the principle of "seeking." Because Jesus said: "seek and you will find."
II. Employ the Principle of "Seeking"
(Illustration) There's a place in the Amazon Basin that offers the richest resources anywhere on earth—no other place can match it. Ironically, the people there are among the world's most impoverished. Despite the abundant resources the people of that region haven't expended their God-given skill and energy to claim those resources.
What a parallel to Christians and the unfathomable riches of God's Word. Provisions and blessings surround us—hundreds of promises—but they're often unclaimed. God said through the prophet Jeremiah, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
Seek the Lord! Seek His promises! You are certain to be enriched because nowhere else in the universe are blessings found that compare to what God and His Word offer!
(Transition) There is a great lesson in 2 Kings 6 about four lepers that illustrates the reward that comes from those that seek after God's blessings.
The Four Lepers and Samaria
The Aramean army had placed an embargo around Samaria until the people of the besieged city began starving to death. Inflation skyrocketed and food literally became more valuable than money. The siege created a famine so severe that the people ate donkey's heads just to survive.
As panic heightened among the Samaritans Israel's king looked for somebody on which to pin the blame. He figured the prophet Elisha was the guilty culprit and vowed to decapitate him before sundown. Despite the king's threat Elisha courageously vaulted into the king's presence with a prophecy that seemed impossible of being fulfilled: "This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria" (2KI 7:1).
It's amazing how daring and brave prophets could be at times like this. I believe I understand how they can call down fire and slay their enemies by the hundreds one day and run from the mere scowl of a woman the next. A prophet's greatest weapon is God's Word. A Word from God makes a prophet the most dangerous man on earth because His life centers on the Word. God's Word makes a prophet superhuman. His faith becomes boundless, his enemies appear as grasshoppers, and Satan is reduced to a puny pawn.
But without a fresh, burning Word from the Spirit a prophet is reduced to mortality. That's why Elisha is fearless when he utters this astounding prophecy.
Meanwhile, there were four lepers sitting quarantined from the city. They reasoned: "If we sit here we'll die, if we enter
These lepers were in for a huge surprise because something had happened overnight. God caused the Arameans to hear the thunder of chariots and horses thundering toward them and they assumed
How ironic. Here were four lepers living as outcasts and destined to wallow in misery that suddenly claimed great riches. And they did it by employing the principle of "seeking." Their reasoning was, "If we remain here in isolation we'll die and if we enter
Sometimes a last-ditch effort to do anything but nothing is the best course of action. When you decide to do nothing you are certain to nullify any chance of good coming your way.
These lepers refused to let armies, disease, or exile hinder them from "seeking" a solution. They realized "seeking" surpassed sitting.
John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress when he was crippled.
Abraham Lincoln was raised in poverty but ran for public office anyway.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was paralyzed, yet served as President of the United States.
Thomas Edison invented the phonograph when he was nearly deaf!
George Frederick Handel nearly despaired of living. He was indebted and his creditors threatened to imprison him. Yet he found strength in God and wrote one of the masterpieces of all time, "The Messiah," which contains the "Hallelujah Chorus."
Folks, the message that God has for us today is this: God's blessings aren't realized until we look past our difficulties, arise, and seek for them. How many Bunyan's, Edison's, or Roosevelt's have remained unknown because they didn't seek for God's blessings?
Satan will always place obstacles before you trying to prevent you from seeking God's best. He'll point out a handicap, a shortcoming, or a dozen reasons why something is impossible. He'll even accuse you of not being worthy of God's blessings. But you have to realize that all God's blessings come through grace and you must seek for them regardless of the circumstances.
(Transition) Thirdly, employ the principle of "knocking."
III. Employ the Principle of "Knocking"
There's faith supplied for all three of these principles. We ask because we understand God has unlimited resources; we seek because we know His abiding presence will help us find; and we knock because we're certain He's home, just on the other side of the door.
What does it mean to knock? Knocking is a noise-making experience. It alerts someone that you want attention.
(Illustration) Awhile back I planned a day of golf with a friend. He was to arrive at my house at 7:30. Without my knowing it, he arrived at my house at 7:00 a.m., and although I was awake and anticipating his arrival, I was unaware of his arrival because he stayed in his automobile until 7:30. The only way I knew he was at my house was after he came to the door and knocked. And I permitted his entrance when he made the proper noise at the door.
And what's the proper sound we should make at Heaven's door? First, tell God exactly what your need is. The Apostle Paul said, "Let your requests be made known unto God." Be clear with God. Tell Him precisely what you desire. Don't mince words.
But the Scripture doesn't stop there. Paul continued that verse by saying, "Let your requests be made known unto God with thanksgiving." Thanksgiving and praise should accompany our asking.
Psalm 100 commands the sound of joy when you knock on heaven's door when it says: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye people."
David repeatedly reminded us to echo the sound of thanksgiving and praise when you approach God.
Conclusion
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. (8) For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
Someone might say, "But I earnestly asked, sought, and knocked without receiving my request. What happened?" If we properly exegete this passage, Jesus didn't say we would receive precisely the things for which we ask, seek, and knock. But we will absolutely receive. We receive what He, as our Heavenly Father, deems best. And according to verses ten and eleven we never receive a "rock" or a "serpent." He always gives "good gifts to those who ask him."
We may ask for wealth, but if that should be a serpent He won't supply it. We may seek the chief position on the corporate Board, but should that be a rock of offense He won't grant it. We may knock for opportunity but should that opportunity poison our life, God won't supply it.
Knowing that God will answer us according to His wisdom should always leave us with a trusting attitude toward God when He denies our human requests and presents us with His heavenly answer.
I know you believe the miracles of Scripture:
You believe God blinded the Syrian army and delivered them to Elisha when he was outnumbered a gazillion to one.
You believe God robbed the fire of heat, invited three Hebrews into it, and they walked with Him un-singed.
You believe God chopped the water into and marched
If God says a flood is coming, build an
If God says the walls are on the verge of collapsing, start marching.
If God says you're going to move, start packing.
If God says manna is coming, set the table.
Copyright © 2009 by Pulpit Today
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