Ask and it shall be given unto you?

Answer 1

Many feel that the Greek term used here for 'ask' is more accurately translated 'KEEP ON asking', in the continuous sense, so if you KEEP ON asking God for something, in harmony with his will, you will get an answer.

This was direction from Jesus for his followers to be persistent when praying. Not to give up until the prayer is answered one way or another, with a Yes, No, or Wait, because God WILL answer all prayers from a sincere and righteous heart.

Other scriptures that back this up are:

**Be persevering in prayer, remaining awake..with Thanksgiving(Colossians 4:2)

**Pray incessantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

**With one accord all these were persisting in prayer…(Acts 1:14)

**Then he went on to tell them an illustration with regard to the need for them always to pray and not to give up. . .(Luke 18:1)

God is the 'hearer of prayer' (Psalm 65:2) and doesn't' give this job to anyone else.

Jesus told us how to pray to his father and also what would be acceptable things to ask for. (Luke 11:1-2) (Matthew 6:9-13) (Matthew 6:14&15) (James 4:1-3)

He then added that we must "Keep on asking, and it will be given YOU; keep on seeking, and YOU will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to YOU. For everyone asking receives, and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking it will be opened. …Therefore, if YOU… know how to give good gifts to YOUR children, how much more so will YOUR Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him? (Matthew 7:7-11)

Answer 2

These words are from what is known as the "Sermon on the Mount", spoken by the Lord Jesus to His disciples, beginning from Matthew 5. The words are intended primarily to the children of God, the ones who know God as their Father, but more important is not who is asking, but what they are asking for, and they have to be "good things" Matthew 7:7-11 - "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you, for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 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?"

God will not give us what is not good, it does not matter if we think that it is a good thing, or how badly we want it, but what is truly good, and that will benefit us and bring glory to God with the view on eternity. Romans 8:28 - "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." James 4:3 -"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."