“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.”  (Matthew 7:7-8)

Many times we get to be asked questions that catch us by surprise.  We may have immediate answers to those impromptu questions, but at times we get to a point of asking ourselves after we’ve given our responses, “Did I say what I needed to say to suffice the inquirer?”

When things like these happen, we need to remember that we are in a journey called life.  Our answers may be good enough for that moment, so be of good cheer!  Be not condemned.  More will be given at a later time for the Holy Spirit reveals to us progressively.  He takes us from revelation to revelation, from glory to glory.  No wonder Jesus said to His disciples at one point, “ I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now.” (John 16:12 AMPC)

How comforting indeed are His words.  He knows what we need at a given time.  He knows what we can take in as He speaks.  He is our all-knowing God, thus, we shouldn’t put pressure on ourselves to know everything.  It’s an impossibility anyway.  Instead, we respond to His invitation to SEEK FIRST the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be ADDED unto us.  More seeking means more will be revealed, and the only way to do this is to keep hearing and hearing the Word, meditating the Word and abiding in the Word.

When time isn’t ripe yet, He withholds knowledge for our sake.  He knows our capacity to receive.  See, many were offended and left when Jesus said, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56), because they did not know what He meant at that point in time, but His disciples remained with Him.  Peter even said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.  Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68-69).  They who stayed around Jesus saw the demonstration of power of what His Word meant years later and they walked in the supernatural.

I attended a conference a few years back and I always remember what Heidi Baker said, “If you cannot take the spiritual food at the moment because it still feels like a bone that is hard to chew yet, just spit it out and let it sit on a shelf until one day you’ll be ready to partake of it.” This became rhema to me that infused me with confidence everytime I stumble into a seemingly “unedible word” yet.

One day, someone dear to my heart asked me, “Why is it that some pastors were once drug addicts, adulterers, sexually abused, etc.?” 

My response was, “Because those who have been forgiven much by Jesus, love Jesus much, that out of the abundance of their hearts, their mouths speak.  When one has a powerful testimony, it makes him of great courage to proclaim the goodness of God in his life. However, there are preachers who have not gone through those difficulties because they come from a lineage of pastors who trained them well just as the Word says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it”  (Proverbs 22:6).  In addition, the will of God is to be highly taken into consideration for only the Lord knows who are called to be pastors.   It is He Who chooses and qualifies.

Hmmmm … I didn’t know if my answer satisfied her inquisitive mind, but I just left it at that.  I put my trust in God that those words I’ve spoken became spirit and life that gave light and clarity to her inquiry.  At the same time, I asked the Lord, “Next time, how would You like me to answer, Lord?”  And there was no reply.

For me, a silent response means I just need to wait upon Him, be ready and expectant that when the opportune time comes, I would be able to recognize and catch His answer.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when we ask, He will answer.  When we knock, He will open.  When we seek, we will find.  His promise remains and He is the Promise-Keeper.

A few weeks passed, I got an invitation to attend the 60th birthday party of a friend who I only met once in 2016.   I believe it was a divine connection.  Through these years, we prayerfully communicated through facebook messenger alone. 

Not long ago, she was diagnosed with cancer, but Jesus Christ saved her.  Praise the Lord.  Every detail of it was unknown to me, but all I needed to know was that Jesus Christ became her Lord and Savior.

During her birthday celebration, relatives and friends dear to her heart were present. Some were asked to say a few words about her and their relationship with her.

What made me in awe was when one of them briefly mentioned about her battle with the “Big C”, as uttered.  When that person’s tribute was done, my friend graciously and boldly made a correction and said,  “What I had was NOT the big c.  My BIG C is CHRIST Who saved me and what I had was a small c.”  My heart melted as she was speaking with such confidence and I said to myself, “Indeed, a powerful testimony of one’s life cannot be left unsaid.  That’s why most preachers who have gone through deep darkness have fired-up boldness to speak and preach the good news, the Gospel of Peace, Jesus Christ.  They become as bold as lions.

Testimonies stir up hope in the hearts of people with hopeless situations.  They breed radical expectations as faith arises hearing the goodness of God shared and spoken.  They give courage to obey and step out in faith in the midst of impossibility.  How amazing it is that the Hebrew meaning of the word “Testimony” is “DO IT AGAIN”. 

God is not a respecter of persons.  He shows Himself strong to those who take Him at His Word by faith.  What He did once, He will do it again and again and again ifnone can believe His Word, for He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Another powerful testimony that I caught during that birthday party was when my friend was asked, “Which season of your life is your favorite or considered best?”  She replied, “NOW, because and I know MORE than what I’ve known before.”  While listening to her words, I couldn’t help but think of what the apostle Paul said, “I NOW realize that all I gained and thought was important was nothing but yesterday’s garbage compared to knowing the Anointed Jesus my Lord.  For Him I have thrown everything aside—it’s nothing but a pile of waste—so that I may gain Him.” (Philippians 3:8 Voice)

And … another equally powerful testimony was when she was asked to make a wish before she blew her birthday candle.  She closed her eyes, took her own sweet time and guess what her son, who was the event’s “emcee”, said?  “Mom, you’re already praying.”  Oh wow … to me, that was a sign and a wonder that her son himself witnessed his Mom’s praying lifestyle.  He wouldn’t have mentioned it if he was not accustomed to seeing her pray.  Her actions indeed were unspoken testimonies.

This friend of mine is not a pastor, but she became a WITNESS of how good the Lord our God is and how much is His love for her that He sent Jesus to save her.  She spoke without hesitation nor inhibition.  She gave evidence and declared the goodness of our God.  Hallelujah!

In truth, what my friend went through was tough, but “the tested genuineness of her faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—was found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:7)  Glory to God!!!

Back to my story, the very next day after the birthday party, I shared all these with my dear friend who previously asked me why some pastors had dark pasts.  This time, she was in tears as she was listening.  Then, it dawned on me that those words spoken and shared became seeds that got planted into her heart. 

Remember when I asked the Lord, “Next time, how would you like me to answer this question?”, and all I got was silence?

One, He is giving us time to know Him deeper and deeper in His Word.  It is imperative for us to dig in and meditate His Word day and night because His “direct to the point” answers will come from His Word or be governed by His Word.  He is the Word. He is the Way Who makes ways to answer us.  Two, we wait patiently, for when the designated moment comes, He unveils it. We trust in His timing that is always perfect.  Three, we need to be ready and open to what and how He will reveal His answer.  Most likely He does and package it in the most unexpected way, thus, we need to tune in our spiritual ears to His frequency to accurately recognize Him, His timing and His doing.  Otherwise, we’ll miss the moment.

But above all, I believe He already completed and prepared the answer which was wrapped in my friend’s testimony all along. His Word says, “our Heavenly Father knows what we need before we ask Him.” (Matthew 6:8). Another Word says in Hebrews 4:3 AMPC, “His works had been completed, and prepared [and waiting for all who would believe] from the foundation of the world”. He was just waiting for the right time and the right scenario, for my faith to discern it as the answer. Oh how great is our Lord’s faithfulness.  SURELY He answers when we ask.

Now, what are you asking Him for?  “You have not, because you ask not.” (James 4:2 KJV) Remember, when Jesus walked on earth, He had a habit of asking, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 

Ask with an expectation to be answered, for He said, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.” (Jeremiah 33:3 AMP)

SURELY, GOD ANSWERS!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank You that Your ears are open to hear our prayers.  Thank You that You sent Your only Beloved and Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Who is The Way, The Truth and The Life.  Thank You, Jesus, for Being the assurance and our exceeding great reward when we diligently seek You.  You are the Word made flesh as Your Word is declared, revealed and spoken into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Amen!