Do you have a problem asking for help from God or from other people? Asking for help is the first step in establishing the power of agreement.

Learning the power of asking the right questions to the right people releases the potential of the power of agreement.

I don't have trouble asking God for help, but I have great trouble asking other people for personal help. My wife, Marsha, and I could not have made it through the last seven weeks battling COVID-19 without asking for a lot of help.

Our culture from childhood to adulthood teaches us, "Don't ask!"

Don't ask too many questions; people will think you're dumb.

Don't ask for help; you don't want to be a burden to your family.

Don't ask for a raise; you will get fired!

I get excited about raising money for other missionaries, and I have no problem asking people for help when it comes to planting churches in Russia, leadership training for the youth or other missions projects. When it comes to asking others for personal help, though, that is extremely difficult for me.

Many people approach God in prayer with the same trepidation, though the Word of God makes it clear in Matthew 7:7 that we are supposed to ask our heavenly Father for things. Jesus instructed us, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you." It's right there in red letters.

So why is it so hard for us to "make ... [our] requests known to God" (Phil. 4:6)? I suspect that for a lot of people, the issue is that they apply human relational dynamics to their relationship with God. They've asked others for help before, and they have been turned down.

They've been scoffed at. They've been scolded. They've been made to feel wrong or rude or weak or uncomfortable or even greedy for asking for something. In one form or another, they've learned their need or desire was unworthy.

Maybe they have come to believe they are unworthy themselves.

Perhaps they find it hard to petition God because it feels like struggling through their circumstance is holy, or they have decided it is a sort of penance; that somehow "fixing things" themselves can make them good again or earn back His affection, if they have made poor choices in the past.

This is not how God works. This is not His heart. And it is not what He calls us to do in His Word.

Jesus Himself said we shouldn't extrapolate our relationships with people to our relationship with God. Even the best father, one who delights in giving "good gifts" to his children, can't compare to the love of our heavenly Father (Matt. 7:11, NKJV). His love is so "much more," even and especially toward His children "who ask Him" for good things.

But it doesn't stop there. God doesn't just want us to ask Him for the things we need or want. He beckons us to pursue Him. To seek Him. To knock—and keep knocking—knowing that He is on His way to open the door to us.

Have you ever seen a little child knock on a door? They have no concept of the time it takes for someone to hear the sound of little knuckles rap against the wood and then get up out of the chair and walk to the door. A child will knock and keep knocking and keep knocking and keep knocking until the person they are waiting for shows up. When the door opens, they aren't surprised. They are simply glad.

Do we have that childlike trust and confidence that God is welcoming us to run with excitement up to the door of heaven and knock on it repeatedly in prayer? If not, we must ask ourselves, Why not? Then we must press into that answer until the lies and misconceptions that have held us back are replaced with Holy-Spirit truth.

God is not put off by our requests. He welcomes them!

No matter what you need, just ask Him.

If you need healing, just ask Him.

If you need finances, just ask Him.

If you need peace, just ask Him.

If you need joy, just ask Him.

If you need wisdom, just ask Him.

Your relationship with God should not be complicated. It should not be a chore. It must not be a religion.

God isn't complicated. God doesn't want your relationship with Him to be complicated. God doesn't want you to come to Him by religious obligation. If you need something—anything!—or if you need help, just ask Him. God knows where you are in life. He knows your needs, and He wants to help you.

His power is released through us asking, seeking and knocking. The Scriptures reveal what will happen when we get the courage to ask, seek and knock: Your request "will be given to you ... you will find [what you need] ... and it will be opened to you" (Matt. 7:7).

It may be difficult to shift your mindset in this area, but it is worth it. The Holy Spirit will help you. Are you ready to ask Him to show you how?

You're beautiful. I see Jesus in you.

Have an awesome week!

Mikel French has challenged spiritual awakening all across America, where many celebrations extended into multiple weeks, and has conducted celebrations in France, Sweden, Russia, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia, Germany, South Africa, Malawi, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Haiti, Japan, Singapore, India and Thailand. He conducted an outreach celebration in Manila, Philippines, reaching 200,000 teenagers with the book of hope. Through the generous support of partners, he has presented the message of Jesus Christ to millions of people in the nation of Russia through televised citywide soul-winning celebrations. Mikel considers it an honor to assist in conducting the annual pastor's conference, where thousands of pastors from Russia's 11 time zones come for training, teaching and equipping. Mikel and his wife, Marsha, reside in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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