📜 7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
📜 8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
🌿 How We Receive Knowledge From God
A doctrinal dissection of “ask” and “seek”
3 Nephi 14:7–8 gives a three‑step pattern—ask, seek, knock—but the cross‑references on ask and seek already reveal the inner mechanics of divine learning. These two words describe two different modes of approaching God, and together they form the covenant rhythm of revelation.
Let’s take them one at a time.
To ask is not merely to request information. In scripture, asking is:
- Relational — You turn toward God as a child turns toward a parent.
- Vocal — You articulate desire, even if the words are imperfect.
- Yielding — You acknowledge that truth is not self‑generated.
- Trusting — You assume God is willing to respond.
Asking is the heart’s opening.
It is the soul saying: “I cannot know this alone.”
In the scriptural pattern, asking is always tied to:
- Prayer
- Humility
- Softness of heart
- Willingness to receive correction
- Readiness to obey whatever answer comes
Asking is the invocation—the moment you step into God’s light.
Here's the cross-reference scriptures and subject scriptures for ask
📜 29 Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
Important part of asking is prayer
📗 Psalm 55
📜 17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
📜 29 The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
📗 Joel 2
📜 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.
📜 5 ¶ And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
📕 Luke 18
📜 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;
📜 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
📒 Moroni 7
📜 6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God, except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.
📜 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
📒 Moroni 8
📜 26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.
📜 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
🗝📜 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
📜 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.
📜 24 Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty prayer and faith, in the sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a view of the things which he desires to see.
📜 11 And if thou wilt inquire, thou shalt know mysteries which are great and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest find out mysteries, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways.
📜 2 Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
📜 76 Also, I give unto you a commandment that ye shall continue in prayer and fasting from this time forth.
📜 119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
📚 Moses 5
📜 8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.
💫 Closing Summary for Ask
To ask is to pray, and to pray is to place yourself in the only posture where divine knowledge can be received. Scripture teaches that asking is not mechanical but relational: a child turning toward a Father, a soul yielding its own wisdom, a heart trusting that God hears. From Psalms’ rhythm of morning, noon, and evening prayer to Christ’s command to pray always and not faint, the pattern is constant—God responds to those who call upon Him with sincerity, meekness, and real intent. The Book of Mormon adds that prayer without intent profits nothing, but prayer with full energy of heart fills the soul with love, hope, and the Holy Ghost. The Doctrine and Covenants affirms that humility in mighty prayer opens the way to mysteries, revelation, and sanctifying light. Across all dispensations, the message is the same: asking is the gateway. Prayer is the act that softens the heart, aligns the will, and invites the Spirit to manifest truth. Those who ask in the name of the Son, with faith and sincerity, are promised that they will receive, they will be taught, and they will be transformed.
To seek is active, not passive. It means:
- Searching the scriptures
- Observing the works of God in the world
- Studying, pondering, experimenting
- Walking toward the answer rather than waiting for it to arrive
Seeking is the mind’s movement.
It is the soul saying: “I will pursue what You reveal.”
Where ask is relational, seek is behavioral.
Where ask opens the heart, seek engages the will.
Seeking is the journey—the movement of a disciple who believes God will meet them along the way.
Here are the cross-reference subjects on seek
📜 9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord: and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.
📜 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
📜 16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
📜 27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
📜 35 And by giving heed and doing these things which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive—and the kingdom is given you of the Father, and power to overcome all things which are not ordained of him—
🗝📜 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
📜 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
📒 Jacob 2
📜 18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.
📒 Moroni 9
📜 6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.
📜 7 For if you will that I give unto you a place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you.
🗝📜 63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
📜 64 Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you;
📜 65 And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation.
📜 117 Therefore, verily I say unto you, my friends, call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you.
🗝📜 118 And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.
📜 119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
📜 120 That your incomings may be in the name of the Lord; that your outgoings may be in the name of the Lord; that all your salutations may be in the name of the Lord, with uplifted hands unto the Most High.
📜 121 Therefore, cease from all your light speeches, from all laughter, from all your lustful desires, from all your pride and light-mindedness, and from all your wicked doings.
📜 122 Appoint among yourselves a teacher, and let not all be spokesmen at once; but let one speak at a time and let all listen unto his sayings, that when all have spoken that all may be edified of all, and that every man may have an equal privilege.
📜 123 See that ye love one another; cease to be covetous; learn to impart one to another as the gospel requires.
📜 124 Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.
📜 125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.
📜 126 Pray always, that ye may not faint, until I come. Behold, and lo, I will come quickly, and receive you unto myself. Amen.
To seek is to move. Scripture teaches that God honors those who act with willing hearts, ready minds, and deliberate initiative. Seeking is the disciple’s choice to engage agency, to labor diligently, to press toward the mark, and to pursue the kingdom of God before anything else. It is the willingness to study, to prepare, to organize, to teach, to learn, to repent, to rise early, to cease from idleness, and to clothe oneself in charity. Seeking is not passive waiting but covenant participation—drawing near to God so He may draw near in return. It is the steady, faithful pursuit of wisdom “by study and also by faith,” the daily alignment of life with divine objectives, and the diligent effort that opens the way for revelation, strength, and sanctifying power. Those who seek with real intent find God not by accident but by movement, discipline, and devotion. Seeking is the lived expression of a soul that believes God will meet them along the way.
When Jesus pairs these words, He is teaching that revelation is both gift and pursuit.
- Asking = receiving what only God can give
- Seeking = becoming the kind of person who can recognize what God gives
Revelation is not a lightning strike.
It is a relationship.
It is not a puzzle to solve.
It is a path to walk.
It is not a one‑time event.
It is a pattern of life.
By Elder Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
November 2009
"It is one of the most marvelous gifts the Lord has offered to mortals. It is His generous invitation to “ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”¹
"For each of you to receive revelation unique to your own needs and responsibilities, certain guidelines prevail. The Lord asks you to develop “faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God.” Then with your firm “faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, [and] diligence,” you may ask, and you will receive; you may knock, and it will be opened unto you."²
¹📕 Matthew 7
📜 7 ¶ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
¹📕 Luke 11
📜 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
¹📒 3 Nephi 14
📜 7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
📜 5 And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
📜 6 Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
📜 7 Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.
Closing Summary for ASK + SEEK = Revelation
Revelation comes through a divine partnership in which asking opens the heart to God’s gifts and seeking shapes the soul to recognize them. Jesus’ repeated invitation to ask, seek, and knock reveals that revelation is not sudden spectacle but a sustained relationship—a life lived with an eye single to God’s glory. Elder Nelson teaches that personal revelation flows as we cultivate faith, hope, charity, humility, diligence, and every Christlike virtue. These qualities tune the soul to heaven’s frequency. When we ask with sincerity, we receive; when we seek with devotion, we find; when we knock with covenant intent, God opens the way. Revelation is both God’s generosity and our discipleship, a continual pattern of turning to Him, moving toward Him, and entering the doors He opens.
If we combine the two words into a single movement, the pattern looks like this (in pure language, not diagrams):
1. Turn your heart toward God
2. Express your desire openly
3. Move your feet toward the light you already have
4. Receive more light as you walk
5. Repeat
This is why Jesus can promise:
- “Ask, and it shall be given.”
- “Seek, and ye shall find.”
Because the promise is not transactional—it is transformational.
Those who ask become receptive.
Those who seek become perceptive.
Those who knock become admitted.
By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 2025
"God knows who we truly are, who we are designed to become, and so His expectations for us are high."
"It is our part to turn away from sin, turn toward the Savior, and walk in His way, one step at a time."
"Our Father asks that we approach this challenge of faith and discipleship not as casual tourists but as wholehearted believers who leave behind and abandon Babylon and set their hearts, minds, and steps toward Zion."
"I urge and bless every member of the Church, and all who desire to be part of it, to trust the Savior and engage, patiently and diligently, in doing your part with all your heart—that your joy may be full and that, one day, you will receive all the Father has. Of this I bear witness in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
Closing Summary for The Flow of Divine Knowledge
Divine knowledge unfolds as a living pattern: we turn our hearts toward God, speak our desires to Him, walk in the light we already possess, and receive greater light as we move. Revelation grows in this rhythm because God’s promises are meant to transform us, not merely inform us. Asking makes the soul receptive, seeking makes the disciple perceptive, and knocking brings us into the life God is opening before us. Elder Uchtdorf teaches that this journey requires wholehearted discipleship—turning from sin, turning toward the Savior, and walking His path step by step. We are invited to leave behind the spirit of Babylon and set our hearts, minds, and footsteps toward Zion. As we trust the Savior and engage patiently and diligently in doing our part with all our heart, joy increases, capacity expands, and we become who God designed us to become. In this way, the flow of divine knowledge is not an event but a lifelong transformation into the fullness the Father desires to give His children.
If ask opens the heart
and seek engages the will,
then knock is the moment of holy boldness.
To knock is to:
- Approach a real threshold
- Acknowledge that you are at the right door
- Act in faith even when you cannot see what is on the other side
- Present yourself for entry
Knocking is not timid.
It is not passive.
It is not theoretical.
Knocking is the embodied act of a disciple who has already asked, already sought, and now stands before God’s doorway with the courage to say:
“Here I am. Let me in.”
By Milton Camargo
First Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency
October 2020
"An important part of Heavenly Father’s plan is the opportunity to communicate with Him anytime we want."
"To knock is to act in faith. When we actively follow Him, the Lord opens the way before us."
"Alma provides a good example of what it means to ask, seek, and knock. We read that “Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the people.” That prayer, however, was not answered the way he hoped, and Alma was cast out of the city. “Weighed down with sorrow,” Alma was about to give up, when an angel delivered this message: “Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice.” The angel then told him to return to Ammonihah and try again, and Alma “returned speedily."(Alma 8:10-18)
"What do we learn from Alma about asking, seeking, and knocking? We learn that prayer requires spiritual labor, and it does not always lead to the outcome we hope for. But when we feel discouraged or weighed down with sorrow, the Lord gives us comfort and strength in different ways. He may not answer all of our questions or solve all of our problems right away; rather, He encourages us to keep trying. If we then speedily align our plan with His plan, He will open the way for us, as He did for Alma."
Closing Summary for KNOCK
To knock is to act in covenant courage. It is the moment when desire and discipleship become embodied faith—approaching God’s threshold, trusting His timing, and stepping forward even without full sight. Elder Camargo teaches that knocking means actively following the Lord so He can open the way before us. Alma’s experience shows that knocking requires spiritual labor, persistence, and willingness to try again when prayers are not answered as hoped. Though cast out and weighed down with sorrow, Alma received strength, reassurance, and new direction, and he returned speedily in obedience. From this we learn that God often answers by encouraging us to keep moving, aligning our plans with His. When we knock with steadfast faith, God opens doors in His own way and His own time, guiding us through discouragement into renewed purpose and divine opportunity.
Knocking is expressed through:
- Obedience to the light already given
- Stepping into callings, covenants, and responsibilities
- Acting on revelation before the outcome is known
- Showing up where God told you to show up
- Crossing thresholds that require trust
Knocking is the moment of commitment.
It is the soul saying:
“I am ready to enter whatever You open.”
By Elder Michael B. Strong
Of the Seventy
April 2025
"A disciple is a follower or student of another. Disciples are “apprentices” who devote their lives to becoming like their teacher. Thus, being a disciple of Jesus Christ implies more than believing His teachings and doctrine. It even implies more than acknowledging His divinity and accepting Him as our Savior and Redeemer, as vitally important as that is."
"Of all the many divine attributes of Jesus Christ we are to emulate, one stands preeminent and embodies all others. That attribute is His pure love, or charity."
"Compassion is the portion of charity that seeks to alleviate suffering."
"Helping others along their covenant path may take the form of an unconventional act of service."
"Discipleship of Jesus Christ is the only way to obtain enduring happiness. It is a path filled with deliberate and purposeful acts of love toward others. While the path of discipleship may be difficult and challenging, and while at times we may struggle and fall short, we can take comfort that God is mindful of us and yearns to help us every time we try."
"Follow President Nelson’s invitation to prioritize our discipleship. May we “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart” to “be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; … that when he shall appear we shall be like him”(Moroni 7:48)
because we will carry a sign of true discipleship, which is “charity … the pure love of Christ.”(Moroni 7:47)"
Closing Summary for "Knocking in Discipleship"
Knocking in discipleship means stepping forward with covenant courage—acting on the light already given, embracing responsibilities, and trusting God enough to move before outcomes are certain. It is the lived commitment of a disciple who shows up where the Lord directs and crosses thresholds that require faith. Elder Strong teaches that true discipleship is more than belief; it is apprenticeship to Christ, expressed through deliberate acts of charity, compassion, and service that lift others along their covenant path. Pure love becomes the defining sign of those who knock, because charity embodies every divine attribute we seek to emulate. Though the path is demanding and we often fall short, God strengthens all who try. As we prioritize discipleship, pray with all the energy of heart, and allow Christ’s love to shape our actions, we become ready to enter every door He opens. Knocking, then, is not merely asking for access—it is becoming the kind of disciple who walks through the doorway carrying the pure love of Christ.
Because knocking is the culmination of the first two:
- Asking softens the heart
- Seeking aligns the life
- Knocking moves the body
Revelation is not complete until it becomes embodied.
You can ask in private.
You can seek in study.
But you can only knock by showing up at the door.
This is why the promise attached to knocking is different:
“It shall be opened unto you.”
Not “given.”
Not “found.”
But opened—a doorway, a passage, a new realm of understanding.
Knocking is the threshold moment where heaven responds with access.
By Bonnie H. Cordon
Young Women General President
October 2021
"The best way for you to improve the world is to prepare the world for Christ by inviting all to follow Him."
By President Ezra Taft Benson
President of the Church
October 1987
"We are meeting the adversary every day. The challenges of this era will rival any of the past, and these challenges will increase both spiritually and temporally. We must be close to Christ, we must daily take His name upon us, always remember Him, and keep His commandments."
By Margaret D. Nadauld
Young Women General President
April 1998
"We want to come unto Christ because it is only in Him and through Him that we can return to the Father."
"I bear testimony that as we accept the invitation to come unto Christ, we will find that He can heal all wounds. He can lift our burdens and carry them for us, and we can feel “encircled about eternally in the arms of his love” (2 Ne. 1:15). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."
By Elder Lowell D. Wood
Of the Seventy
April 1993
"We are fortunate to have the scriptures, which contain the words of ancient Apostles and prophets, and to have the privilege of listening to modern-day Apostles and prophets testify of Christ."
"Clearly it is vital on the journey to eternal life to exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repent of our sins, and be baptized in the proper manner by those holding the proper authority and using the proper prayer."
"As we come unto Christ, we must surrender our worldly ways, our pride, and our selfishness."
"Life is often difficult. There are trials, disappointments, challenges, sickness, and unemployment even for the Saints. These must be borne with submissive patience, for often these trials are evidence of the Lord’s hand preparing us to be worthy of living with him. To yield to Christ means to put him and his teachings first. The total submission of our will to his is one of the most difficult obstacles we face on our journey toward eternal life."
"Self-control and self-discipline are important virtues that need to be developed in the process of coming unto Christ."
"The process of being perfected requires that we receive special instruction, make sacred covenants, and receive the highest ordinances of the priesthood. These blessings are available only in the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Individuals who come unto Christ must come to his temple."
Closing Summary Jesus Places Knock Last
Jesus places knock last because it represents the moment when desire becomes movement. Asking softens the heart; seeking aligns the life; knocking requires embodied faith—showing up at the threshold where heaven grants access. The promise shifts accordingly: asking receives, seeking finds, but knocking opens. Opening is relational, covenantal, and transformative.
Modern prophets and leaders echo this pattern. Sister Bonnie H. Cordon teaches that coming to Christ always includes bringing others with us, preparing the world for Him through invitation and participation. President Ezra Taft Benson emphasizes that in an era of rising spiritual and temporal opposition, disciples must stay close to Christ through daily remembrance and obedience. Sister Margaret D. Nadauld testifies that only in Christ can we return to the Father, and that He alone heals wounds and carries burdens, encircling His followers in sustaining love. Elder Lowell D. Wood outlines the path of coming unto Christ: hearing Him, exercising faith, repenting, receiving authorized baptism, yielding pride, developing discipline, and ultimately entering His holy temple to receive the ordinances that perfect and prepare the Saints.
Together these teachings affirm that discipleship matures through embodied action. Asking turns the heart toward God, seeking turns the mind toward truth, and knocking turns the whole soul toward covenantal encounter. The door opens to those who arrive ready to enter.
In pure language:
- Ask — turn your heart toward God
- Seek — move your mind and life toward His light
- Knock — step to the threshold and act in faith
This is how divine knowledge flows:
Desire → Pursuit → Embodied Courage → Revelation
This study reveals that receiving knowledge from God is a covenant pattern of transformation, not a momentary event. Asking turns the heart toward heaven through sincere, humble prayer, opening the soul to divine influence. Seeking engages the will, moving the disciple into deliberate action—studying, laboring, repenting, preparing, and aligning life with God’s purposes.
Knocking embodies faith in motion, stepping into callings, covenants, and responsibilities with courage even when outcomes are unseen. Together these three form the rhythm of revelation: God gives, we grow; God invites, we respond; God opens, we enter. Prophets and apostles affirm that revelation flows as we cultivate Christlike attributes, walk toward the Savior one step at a time, and act with charity, diligence, and devotion.
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