The Three Levels of Prayer: Level Two – Seeking
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“he that seeketh findeth!”
As taught by Jesus during the sermon on the mount (Matthew 7:7), there are three levels of prayer. The first being Asking; the second, Seeking; and the third, Knocking. This article treats prayer at its second level – Seeking.
What is Seeking?
Seeking can simply be defined as a search or quest to find out something hidden. It could be a knowledge; it could be a piece of information that will serve as the key that will open a long closed door; it could be a lost substance or anything. A man does not seek what he has, or can see. He only seeks when he doesn’t have it, or can’t see it.
When a man prays the prayer of seeking, he is simply exploring the spirit realm to find some information, or search for a revelation or quest for the exposition of what people would call secret. This is different from the prayer of asking.
When a man asks, he can do that for as short as he wants and can stand up in faith, hoping that it will be given to him someday. But when a man prays the prayer of seeking, he continues therein, untill he has found. Note that if you ask, it will be given to you. Look at the analogy below to see the superiority of seeking over asking.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)
If you compare the above scripture to Matthew 7:7, you will find out something common. The first step is always asking: ‘come to me for it…, ask me, and I will give you. After this, there is a higher level which is seeking: take responsibility…, seek it and and you will find it. If a student is in primary (Basic) school, his teacher is mandated to teach and spell out everything for him. At this level, the student needs not make any research.
Everything he needs, he asks the teacher and the teacher must tell him. When he climbs a step higher on the ladder of education, say he goes to secondary (high) school. At this Level, the student has little research to make. The teacher teaches him more and he makes less research. But when he gets to a higher level of education, say he goes to university for B.Sc. or M.Sc. the story changes a bit. Not everything will be readily given to him by the lecturer.
At this stage, the ratio of his personal research (seeking) to what the lecturer will be giving him in class (asking) is 50:50 (1:1). By the time he becomes a PhD student, his personal research outweighs the lecture that will be given to him. The seeking outweighs the asking. This is how it has always been with God also.
The reality and information that places a man above the world are already there (concealed) and appear to men as mysteries. Only the one who seeks will find the understanding of the mysteries and the purpose and reason of things. Haven’t you read?
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:
Searching (seeking) is the price for the prize of true riches of the kingdom, not asking. Remember that the Father will not commit much into your hand until you have shown yourself able to manage it. And one of the major ways to prove your ability to manage the wealth of the kingdom is your endurance in the place of seeking.
Only the basic needs of life are given on asking; true riches must be sought and found. The higher you go in your walk with God, the more your seeking outweighs your asking. The more you will understand that asking should not be your major concern but seeking. Or have you forgotten Matthew 6:33?
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
A poor Christian only asks for the basic needs of life, but a great Christian seeks the kingdom of God to be established here on earth. By the time the asker gets what he asked for, the seeker would have found what he has been seeking and all the basics needs of life (and even more) would be an additional package for him as a tip. That is the meaning of the above scripture. Can you see that it is better to seek than to ask?
“seek and ye shall find!”
What am I to Seek?
Oh that you will ascend to the level of seeking today. Seeking what?
1. Seeking to know the will and purpose of God for your life, your family, and for your endeavours. If you do this, you will stop being a victim to the fraud of false prophets and prayer merchants.
2. Seeking to understand spiritual mysteries, just like Paul the Apostle said in 2 Cor 12:7 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations…” Again in 1 Corinthians 4:1, he said “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.” You must have seen certain men with great insight to the scripture.
Among many others, I will like to mention two names and they are Brother Gbile Akanni and Apostle Joshua Selman. If you have ever listened to them, you would know that they are really custodians of the mysteries of this kingdom. It is a sign that they are seekers because only seekers become that kind of man.
That kind of depth is not reached by asking, you have to seek to get there. Remember – John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” The quantity of pasture you find or have at hand depends on how much seeking you do.
3. Seeking to understand the mind of God for a generation or a territory. One of the mighty men of old who sought this is Daniel. In Daniel chapter 10, we have the account of Daniel’s prayer. For so many years, I only knew that Daniel fasted and prayed for 21 days, his prayer was withstood by the prince of Persia, delivered by Michael the chief prince and towards the end of the programme, he had lost strength and become so week. That is the only thing I Knew, I never knew the subject of his prayer. In case you care to know Daniel’s prayer point? It was to know the mind of God for his people, his generation and the answer to his prayer is a revelation.
Daniel was such a man who indeed established Zion in Babylon; a man who established the kingdom of light in darkness, a man who established the kingdom of God on earth. Yes, he was a seeker and everyone that will do such exploit must also be a seeker.
Daniel was always seeking in all his prayers and he found what he was seeking. Not only that he found what he was seeking, a tip was also given to him. What was the tip? A great position in secular (political) government. He became a governor. I hope you know there were lots of people asking for that position but were never given. But here is a man who was just seeking in all his prayers and that which many were asking was given to him as a tip.
4. Seeking to know the unknowable and see the invisible. Any man who will go far in life must see the invisible. The one who is always controlled by his sight can not go far. Why? The road that leads to glorious ending doesn’t look good. It takes an eye that can see the invisible to see beyond the rough surfaces on the road and continue therein.
How Do I Pray the Prayer of Seeking?
This type of prayer is prayed in the Holy Ghost and goes along with deep and constant study of the word of God. You don’t pray it hastily; you must be ready to forget yourself in the place of prayer if truly you’re going to find. Praying in the Spirit will launch you into the deep and you will begin to find so many things that the men standing on the shore can never see. The more you pray in the Spirit, the deeper he will take you. And the deeper you go, the higher your stability, the higher the mysteries you see, the higher the understanding of mysteries you have, the more rugged you become, the more the power you carry, the more the knowledge you have, the larger your influence in the Spirit realm, the more popular you become in the Spirit realm, or have you forgotten the confession of that demon on that day? Acts 19:15 “…Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” That is to tell you how popular Paul was in the Spirit realm. See the secret of Paul here in 1 Corinthians 14:18, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.” See this also: “The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.”
Final Words
Ever heard that when seemingly prayerful folks from Africa get to developed countries like USA or UK, their prayer lives mostly reduce drastically? Yes, it has to be so! Why? Because all the time they were praying and seemed prayerful, they were just asking for the basic needs of life. And anytime they see a greener pasture, there will be really no much to ask for again. That is always the end of the stories of askers. But for a seeker, there is no amount of physical substance that can reduce his prayer life. As the possessions come, he will say unto them “get thee behind me”. The Cross before me, the world behind me. “No matter how much the money is, it must go behind me, following me, while I keep pressing on.” That is the faith of seekers.
Seekers, after they’ve found become steward and custodians of the mysteries of the kingdom, carriers of power, highly knowledgeable, adequately informed and greatly experienced men. And all these will make them solutions to many peoples’ problems, and answers to many questions on earth. This in turn will make them givers rather than beggars. This in turn will make them blessed daily. Or haven’t you read from the scripture “it is more blessed to give than to receive”?
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This article was written by David O. ADEREMI. You may also click to read The Prayer That is Not Prayer written by the same author.