Ask, Seek, Knock—An observation found in Luke 11:1-13

This passage is one that has been misused many times and in many ways. The most common being of the Word of Faith movement, which would say, “The reason you don’t have an abundance in your checking account is because you don’t ask for it!”

Err. Wrong.

Luke 11 begins with what is commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” which continues on to verse 4. Picking up in verse 5 Jesus begins to teach how impudence is often required to receive from even a friend when he is disturbed at an inconvenient time (v.5-8):

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.” Luke 11:5-8

Just after this Jesus gives the words: ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened (v.9). It seems as though Jesus may be using the parable of the impudent friend as a parallel for praying to the Father.

This view must be challenged, though, considering the word impudent.

Bothering someone to the point of being disrespectful just so that same person would get what he wants does not match the God of the Gospel’s desire in communicating with His children.

Instead, Jesus (Luke?) omits the word impudence in his teaching of asking, seeking, and knocking. And this method is summed up with the sole purpose of receiving but one thing: the Holy Spirit (v.13).

Would this not be directly relative to the opening instruction on prayer (the Lord’s prayer)? Indeed, it is⎯for the daily bread of God, which is spiritual, does not impart to the spiritual stomachs of the children of God without the power and work of the Holy Spirit.

This passage actually runs against the teachings of the Word of Faith movement.

Scores of false teachers have used this very passage⎯ask, seek, knock⎯as a method for gaining what ever one may want, be it health, wealth, or prosperity.

The danger in such teaching may very lead one away from Christ, rather than too him. A mal interpretation of this text makes man the center of it, rather than Christ.

When that happens, the goal becomes “what I want” instead of desiring the gift that God has to offer.

If, however, an understanding of this passage is within the context of receiving the Spirit of God⎯which is most naturally seen in salvation⎯then heresy can be prevented long before ugly doctrines emerge, and asking, seeking, and knocking after God is realized as a desire of both the person asking AND of God, and not an impudence.



What are your thoughts? Why is it important to see this passage in light of the gift of the Holy Spirit? Leave your comment below.

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