Jesus said to all of us:
Lu 11:10 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it is opened."
A Great Misunderstanding
We grew up in the church during a day of great misunderstanding. We were led to believe that we needed to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking (after all isn't that what the widow did with the unjust judge? Luke 18:1-8). We were led to believe that the things we needed were outside of us and needed to be added. We were led to believe that our blessings would come to us, that if we asked anything in Jesus’ name He would do it. We were led to believe that receiving meant we didn’t have it yet.
We all know that a promise is something not yet given, or not done yet. A promise is not needed if you already have it. If I’m married I don’t go to my wife and promise to marry her—I already have. When we see the promises of scripture we often think that these things are yet to be given.
Lu 11:10 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it is opened."
A Great Misunderstanding
We grew up in the church during a day of great misunderstanding. We were led to believe that we needed to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking (after all isn't that what the widow did with the unjust judge? Luke 18:1-8). We were led to believe that the things we needed were outside of us and needed to be added. We were led to believe that our blessings would come to us, that if we asked anything in Jesus’ name He would do it. We were led to believe that receiving meant we didn’t have it yet.
We all know that a promise is something not yet given, or not done yet. A promise is not needed if you already have it. If I’m married I don’t go to my wife and promise to marry her—I already have. When we see the promises of scripture we often think that these things are yet to be given.
Jesus taught before His glorification. He had to teach the law in its purest form in order to bring to light how bad the situation was for all of us. There is no one who is righteous; especially by any effort of self righteousness. Jesus taught the power of the law because He was teaching unsaved, unregenerate people—no one was born of the Spirit.
When He taught about the promises they were all set for the day of salvation. Jesus was speaking about a future period soon to come at His own expense that would take the promise and make it ours. While He walked the earth all of the promises of God would be outside of us; however, after He is glorified, descends into the abyss and rises to the Father’s right hand, the Spirit of promise will come to us and abide in us. Therefore, the promise goes from being outside of us to inside of us.
What this means is that we have received, we have found, and the door has been opened to us as Jesus promised--when we became born again.
What We Have Now!
We received forgiveness of all our sins and we were cleansed from all unrighteousness. We were made righteous and stand in God's kingdom just as Jesus does (I John 4:17). This changed everything because we received all the treasures and wisdom of God when Jesus came into our life (Col. 2:3). This is like having been given a "VISA" card which allows us to purchase anything in His name. This power and authority has been vested in us and God is waiting for us to take it and use for His glory. We have the blessing of Abraham, it is Christ in us (Gal. 3:13-16).
The receiving, seeking, and knocking we do now as Christians in our born again mode is discover what God has done in us in Christ. When we talk about receiving it isn't bringing into our being things we didn't have; it is bringing to our understanding what we didn't know or get before. We are receiving new understanding and the right believing.
Philemon 1: 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
This means change the way we think, operate, and do business with God. Stop asking for help and start thanking Him for His already accomplished help in Christ (II Cor. 6:2). Stop seeking wisdom as if the wisdom of God doesn't dwell in you in the Spirit; Start thanking God for wisdom being revealed to you for whatever need you have. Stop asking God to do things He has given you power to do; start speaking to the situations that the will of God be done (Mark 11:23, 24)!
All of this takes us from unbelief to believing. It takes us from hope to faith. It takes us from misunderstanding to understanding; from doubt to confidence as we stand upon what His Word actually teaches.
We recently sang a very familiar song that may still be quite popular:
God will make a way where there seems to be no way; He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide hold me closely to His side; With love and strength for each new day He will make a way, He will make a way...
This has touched millions of lives and blessed them so I don't want to take away anything from what God has used; however, if we are going to be accurate or more effective, we need to acknowledge what God has already done (Philemon 1:6)...He said He helped us (II Cor. 6:2)! He said He's poured out His love and grace (Rom. 5:7). God has made a way...so the song would be better rendered...
God has made a way where there seemed to be no way; He worked in ways we cannot see, He has made a way for me.
He has been my guide, held me closely to His side; with love and strength for each new day He has made a way, He has made a way...
Putting it in the past tense takes it from hope to faith. It also agrees with the promises of God in scripture which are also in the past tense as having already been done on our behalf. This exercise isn't meant to criticize but to show the difference and bring to light what we are to do in acknowledging everything we have received!
When He taught about the promises they were all set for the day of salvation. Jesus was speaking about a future period soon to come at His own expense that would take the promise and make it ours. While He walked the earth all of the promises of God would be outside of us; however, after He is glorified, descends into the abyss and rises to the Father’s right hand, the Spirit of promise will come to us and abide in us. Therefore, the promise goes from being outside of us to inside of us.
What this means is that we have received, we have found, and the door has been opened to us as Jesus promised--when we became born again.
What We Have Now!
We received forgiveness of all our sins and we were cleansed from all unrighteousness. We were made righteous and stand in God's kingdom just as Jesus does (I John 4:17). This changed everything because we received all the treasures and wisdom of God when Jesus came into our life (Col. 2:3). This is like having been given a "VISA" card which allows us to purchase anything in His name. This power and authority has been vested in us and God is waiting for us to take it and use for His glory. We have the blessing of Abraham, it is Christ in us (Gal. 3:13-16).
The receiving, seeking, and knocking we do now as Christians in our born again mode is discover what God has done in us in Christ. When we talk about receiving it isn't bringing into our being things we didn't have; it is bringing to our understanding what we didn't know or get before. We are receiving new understanding and the right believing.
Philemon 1: 6 that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
This means change the way we think, operate, and do business with God. Stop asking for help and start thanking Him for His already accomplished help in Christ (II Cor. 6:2). Stop seeking wisdom as if the wisdom of God doesn't dwell in you in the Spirit; Start thanking God for wisdom being revealed to you for whatever need you have. Stop asking God to do things He has given you power to do; start speaking to the situations that the will of God be done (Mark 11:23, 24)!
All of this takes us from unbelief to believing. It takes us from hope to faith. It takes us from misunderstanding to understanding; from doubt to confidence as we stand upon what His Word actually teaches.
We recently sang a very familiar song that may still be quite popular:
God will make a way where there seems to be no way; He works in ways we cannot see, He will make a way for me.
He will be my guide hold me closely to His side; With love and strength for each new day He will make a way, He will make a way...
This has touched millions of lives and blessed them so I don't want to take away anything from what God has used; however, if we are going to be accurate or more effective, we need to acknowledge what God has already done (Philemon 1:6)...He said He helped us (II Cor. 6:2)! He said He's poured out His love and grace (Rom. 5:7). God has made a way...so the song would be better rendered...
God has made a way where there seemed to be no way; He worked in ways we cannot see, He has made a way for me.
He has been my guide, held me closely to His side; with love and strength for each new day He has made a way, He has made a way...
Putting it in the past tense takes it from hope to faith. It also agrees with the promises of God in scripture which are also in the past tense as having already been done on our behalf. This exercise isn't meant to criticize but to show the difference and bring to light what we are to do in acknowledging everything we have received!