If we Ask let us be Looking for the Answer

“But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking; and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.” Another proof that they were wanting in faith at that time, “they were astonished.” True faith is thus known, that when we begin in faith, and continue in faith, we are not astonished when the answer comes. For instance, suppose any of you have beloved sons or daughters who are unconverted for whom you have been praying long. At last they have been brought to the Lord. The test, whether you have been praying in faith or not, is, if you say, “The Lord be praised for it,” and you receive the tidings gladly; then you have been exercising faith.
If I may use a phrase in the right sense, “We take it as a matter of course.” So, in a spiritual sense, we should be so confident that God will bless, and that He will answer what we ask, that when it comes, we should still be so confident as to say, “We take it as a matter of course; it could not be otherwise; the thing must come because God has pledged to give the blessing.” “But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. And he said, Go show these things unto James and to the brethren; and he departed, and went into another place.”