PRAYER: Ask. Seek. Knock.
Preached to: Middle & High School Students
Speaker: Pastor Amanda Hahn
Big Idea: Prayer isn’t a one-time event — it’s a lifestyle. Jesus calls us to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking because God hears, God cares, and God answers in His time. Don’t give up!
When I was a kid, I would drive my parents crazy by asking for something over, and over, AND OVER again — until they finally gave in. Toys, candy, even a cat! As a parent now, I understand how annoying that can be, but I’ll admit I’ve also caved when my kids kept asking — if I thought it was in their best interest.
Sometimes we think prayer is like that — just pestering God with a list of things we want. But prayer isn’t about bothering God. It’s about showing our trust that He’s the One with the answer.
Prayer Is a Lifestyle
In Luke 11:9–10, Jesus says: “Keep on asking, and you will receive… keep on seeking, and you will find… keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.” Prayer isn’t a one-time event. It’s a lifestyle of faith that refuses to give up.
Ask
God invites us to bring our needs to Him. Asking is childlike faith — it reminds us that He is the source. James 4:2 reminds us, “You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.” Start each day with simple prayers for guidance, provision, and strength.
Seek
Prayer isn’t only about answers — it’s about pursuing God Himself. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.” Seeking is active, not passive waiting. When we pray, we’re not just seeking blessings; we’re seeking His presence.
Knock
Knocking means persistence. It’s easy to stop praying when answers don’t come quickly, but Jesus calls us to keep pressing in. Every prayer builds faith and trust, even when heaven feels silent.
Don’t Give Up
Prayer is a lifelong rhythm: keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. Don’t just pray occasionally — pray consistently and constantly. Pray until the door opens.
Next Steps
Ask daily: Write down 1–2 specific things you’re praying for this week.
Seek His presence: Set aside 5–10 minutes a day to read a verse and be still before God.
Keep knocking: Identify one area you’ve been tempted to give up on — and keep bringing it to Him.
Find a prayer partner or start a prayer journal: Don’t walk this journey alone.
Keep up with all that’s going on at Amplify Youth, including dates, times, sign-ups, and forms, on our main page.
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Night 1 – Ask Boldly
Read Together: James 4:2 (NLT) — “…you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”
Discussion Questions:
What’s one thing you’ve been asking God for lately?
Do you sometimes feel nervous or guilty about asking God for things? Why?
How can we as a family start our day by asking God for what we need?
Action Step: Each family member shares one prayer request, then everyone prays for each other.
Night 2 – Seek His Presence
Read Together: Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) — “If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.”
Discussion Questions:
When do you feel closest to God? (In prayer, worship, nature, journaling, etc.)
What gets in the way of us seeking God more consistently?
How can we make space this week to “seek God together” as a family?
Action Step: Play one worship song together (students can pick!) and spend a few minutes thanking God.
Night 3 – Don’t Stop Knocking
Read Together: Luke 11:9 (NLT) — “Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”
Discussion Questions:
What’s one prayer you’ve prayed for a long time?
Have you ever seen God answer a prayer after a long wait? Share the story.
Why do you think Jesus told us to keep praying and not give up?
Action Step: As a family, choose one prayer request to keep “knocking” on together this week — write it down and pray for it daily.
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Intro
As a kid, you probably kept asking your parents for toys, candy, even a cat until they gave in.
Transition: Prayer is not pestering God. It’s trusting that He is the One with the answer.
Big Idea: Prayer isn’t a one-time event — it’s a lifestyle. Jesus calls us to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking because God hears, God cares, and God answers in His time. Don’t give up!
Point 1: ASK – God Invites Us to Bring Our Needs
Asking shows childlike faith.
Asking reminds us that God is the source.
Scripture: James 4:2 — “You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.”
Application: Start each day with simple prayers for guidance, provision, and strength.
Point 2: SEEK – Go Beyond Asking, Pursue His Presence
Seeking is active, not passive waiting.
Seeking moves us from wanting things → to wanting God Himself.
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:13 — “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Application: Make space in your week to worship, read Scripture, and simply enjoy God’s presence.
Point 3: KNOCK – Don’t Give Up, Keep Pressing In
Knocking implies persistence.
Persistence builds faith and trust.
Scripture: Luke 11:9–10 — “Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”
Application: Even when heaven feels silent, keep praying. Your consistency is proof of your faith.
Next Steps for Students
Ask Daily: Write down 1–2 specific things you are praying for this week and lift them up daily.
Seek His Presence: Set aside 5–10 minutes each day to read Scripture and sit with God.
Keep Knocking: Don’t give up on something you’ve stopped praying for. Commit to pray persistently.
Prayer Partner / Journal: Team up with a friend to encourage each other, or keep track of what you’re praying for and how God answers.
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Luke 11:5–10 (NLT)
5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him,
6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’
7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’
8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.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.
10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.James 4:2 (NLT)
You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it.
Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT)
If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Luke 18:1 (NLT)
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)
Never stop praying.
