“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
- Matthew 7:7-11
Bottom Line
God faithfully answers our prayers to live a Kingdom-centered life.
When it doesn’t feel like God is answering your prayers for transformation, remember…
- A Kingdom life requires surrendering your old life
- Transformation is a process
- Sometimes transformation isn’t obvious
- Receiving the Kingdom requires prayerful persistence
How to pray to God for a life that looks more like Jesus:
- Pray with humility
- Ask for God’s help
- Pray for specific areas of transformation you want to see in your life
- Pray for things that are in line with God’s Kingdom
- Pray with persistence
- Above all, pray honestly and with a posture of surrender
Action Steps
Prayer:
- Do you pray for God’s transforming work in your life?
- How have you noticed God doing the slow work of character formation in your life?
- Where are you still waiting for breakthrough?
- What do you think God wants you to know about that?
Practice:
- Read the sermon on the mount slowly and prayerfully and notice where God is inviting you to pray for his grace and transformation in your life
