Keep Knocking

I. Scripture

Luke 11:5_

Luke 11:5–13 KJV 1900

5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

luke 5:

Luke 11:9 NLT

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.

KEEP KNOCKING

II. intro

Yesterday .. Feb 1st marked the 60th year anniversary of the Greensboro sit ins.......The Greensboro sit-ins were a series of nonviolent protests in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1960,[2] which led to the Woolworth department store chain removing its policy of racial segregation in the Southern United States.

In 2018 Jade Colin made history by becoming the youngest african american to own a McDonalds chain at the age of 28..

Tell someone.. dont give up until you reach your goal..

As african americans we have went from taking the time to cook a home cooked .. 2 1/2 hr meal … to going to the drive thru and ordering a pre packaged.. precooked.. full or steroid hamburger and fry...

while we have become more educated in some areas… we have had the opportunity or made the opportunity to achieve some of our highest goals..in life..

our minds and flesh have been awaken to the things of this world… we have become more conscious of our weight.. and our time…all at the expense of a solid foundation..

you may be wondering .. what do you mean … at the expense of a solid foundation.. .. well in order to build a solid foundation .. you must first take the TIME… to dig low enough… .

to go deep enough into that hard surface.. so that what ever you build can withstand th elements..

like many of us.. some builders get in a hurry .. because they have deadlines.. any other projects .. or distractions going on.. that they only lay the minimum foundation required by law...

may of us only lay the minimum foundation with God.. thinking we are going to be able to withstand the wiles .. of the devil...

the preach says start with 10 to 15 min reading your bible and praying on a daily basis… and here we are 5 yrs later.. and we are still only reading and praying 15 min..

and you wonder why every-time sometime happens in your life you feel like.. fred sanford.... “ its the big one… im coming home Elizabeth”..

you faint and fall out.. and then you feel so defeated...

why dont you look toward heaven .. and say… LORD TAKE ME HIGHER”

you see when you begin to ask God to take you higher… in essence you will begin to dig a little dipper… every time to you ask God to take you higher… and you begin to pray more… read your word more.. fast more…

you will begin to build a closer and deeper foundation with God… its not going to happen over night… but you have to be persistent...

someone shout PERSISTENT

continuing firmly in spite of difficulty or opposition.... in other words..

Psalm 27:4 KJV 1900

4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

and when you have been persistent for a while .. then you will have a solid foundation with God…Peter.. on this rock i will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail...

and when you have a solid foundation with GOd…Peter.. on this rock i will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail...

when your build on a solid foundation… when the elements begin to slap you in the face… and fall down on you.. yo will be able to stand...

though persecution comes .. you will stand.. through the trails you will be able to stand.. why because your relationship with God says.. your bigger than any problem i may face… therefore .. im going to trust you..

III. text

in our text we have a parable about a two guys that were friends.. close enough that one could go to the other one in the midnight hour..

but one of the guys acted like he didnt want be bothered… as a matter of act.. he told him..

in the words of little darryl.... LEAVE ME ALONE..

but its at that very second… that the story shifts.... its at this point that the person i need makes it up in his mind… and says no sir… i need it.. and you have it… and im not leaving until i get it..

Iv..

well.. my time is just about up..

i came to tell somebody.. to KEEP KNOCKING...

why dont tell the person next to you.... to Keep Knocking...

you see most of us… when the bank says no.... when the school says no.... when your boss tell you . no.. you cant have the promotion…

we get mad.. and walk away… but you see God in the parable was trying to teach them something...

he wasnt teaching them to try to change Gods mind.. but trying to teach them how to be persistent in prayer…

we pray and ask God once for something and think.. thats good enough all the time.... but sometimes you have to contiue to ask.. continue to seek ..

the bible says

James 5:16 KJV 1900

16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

fervent ..meaning… intense devotion… or loyalty

you have to be loyal to that thing .. until the end..

like a marriage.... you cant waver.. until the end.. until you get what you want..

the bible says in verse 9…

Luke 11:9 KJV 1900

9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

luke

i came to tell somebody thats in need of miracle… to keep on Knocking..

i came to tell somebody.. thats in need of a break through.... to keep on knocking..

i came to tell somebody … thats been praying and asking God to do something in their life....

high five somebody and tell them.. to keep on knocking...

V. testimonies

there was a woman by the name of Hannah.. who didnt have any children… and she prayed and prayed and prayed.. to the point one day… the bible says …

i sam 1:10

she prayed and wept.... she prayed and cried.... to the Lord..

and then down in the 17th verse .. ELi spoke the word of the lord.. saying the God of Isreal grant thee thy petition...

you have to keep on knocking… keep on praying...

the was a man.. who needed healing for his son… and he took him to the disciples.. but they couldnt heal him… but instead of giving up .. he keep going .. and finally he got to the author and finisher of our faith…

he came to jesus and jesus cast the devil out…and his son was healed..

sometime s you have to keep on knocking.. keep on pushing...

there once was a son who wanted to please his father.. and get the keys to the kingdom.... he was lied on.. but he keep on going.... he was spit on.. but he keep on going…

he was whipped 39 times.. but he keep on going… he was stripped down to his undies… but he keep on going… he was humilated but he keep on going...

he was tied up and nailed to a tree.. but he keep on going… he died.. but he keep on going...

how many of you know .. that there is a goat that faints… and if your not careful.. you will think hes dead.. but as soon as you think you got him… he will pop up and run..

somebody say keep on knocking..

jesus died… but keep going.. i heard the preacher say.. he went down and knock on hells door… he didnt say… surprise surprise.. its earnest T...

but he stood flat foot in the devil face and told him.... no man and take my life… but i lay it down… . you though you had me… but my daddy said… no weapon formed against me shall prosper...

now give me my keys...

and in-my sactified imagination .. when jesus took his keys.. thats when the earth qauked..

what are you saying brother tony.. im simply saying… to keep on knocking and

cast not away your confidence because it has great recompense of reward...

Vi. prayer..

we are standing.. today i want to pray for those who.. need God to do something in their life.. and they want to to be found being presistent..

they dont want to be the one that gives up.. that stops praying for God to work a miracle even if it doesnt happen right away...