The Breakthrough Point in Prayer
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (Matthew 7:7, KJV)
Prayer is one of our greatest privileges, yet it can be challenging when answers or results don’t come immediately. We pray, but sometimes nothing seems to happen. We ask for help, but see no change. We seek guidance but feel directionless. In these moments, we might wonder if God hears us. But the Bible encourages us to persist—to ask, seek, and knock until we see a breakthrough.
In Matthew 7:7, Jesus outlines a progression in prayer. Asking, seeking, and knocking reveal increasing intensity, teaching us that some breakthroughs require more than a simple request. Sometimes, we must press deeper, seeking earnestly and knocking persistently. The promise is clear: if we keep pressing, we will receive, find, and have doors opened to us.
Consider Daniel’s experience in Daniel 10. He prayed and fasted for understanding, but after days of seeking, there was no answer. Unknown to him, the answer had been sent on the first day he prayed, but spiritual resistance delayed it. For 21 days, Daniel persisted. Finally, the angel arrived with the answer, saying, “From the first day that you set your heart to understand… your words were heard” (Daniel 10:12, KJV). If Daniel had stopped on day 20, he would have missed his breakthrough. Persistence in prayer brought victory.
We often face similar delays in our own prayers. The initial silence doesn’t mean our prayers are being ignored. It can be a test of endurance and faith in God’s timing. Are we willing to continue praying even when we don’t see immediate results?
Another area of breakthrough is our fellowship with God. Many of us can relate to starting prayer and feeling like we’re not connecting with Him. At times, it feels like our words are bouncing off the ceiling. Yet, if we press on, we often find something shifts. We break through the fog, and suddenly God’s presence becomes real. Like any relationship, deep fellowship with God requires persistence.
The Bible is full of examples of persistent prayer leading to breakthrough. Whether it’s Daniel facing spiritual opposition or the persistent widow in Luke 18 pleading with an unjust judge, God honors those who don’t give up. He hears us from the first moment we pray. But sometimes, persistence builds our faith and character as we wait for the answer.
Meditate
What areas of your life have you been praying about without seeing results? Reflect on how persistence can lead to breakthrough.
Act on the Word
If you’re discouraged by unanswered prayers, commit to pressing in. Trust that God hears you, and like Daniel, know that your breakthrough may be closer than you think. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking.
Pray
Father, help me to persist in prayer, trusting that You hear me even when answers seem delayed. Amen.
Recommended Read
- How Prayer Begets Prayer: The Ever-Growing Flame
- Why is a Consistent Prayer Life So Hard?
- Three Dimensions of Prayer to Explore
- The Battle for Your Prayer Life
- What It Means to Wrestle in Prayer
- All Deshen Daily Devotionals
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