When God Stops Knocking 

As most of you know, I teach DADS class each Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30, where we have been studying “The Last Teachings of Jesus”. 

 

I am studying, the last teachings of Jesus that he revealed to his disciples. It is an intimate conversation with them before he is crucified. 

 

Usually, a person's last words are considered extremely important, and I wanted to share the words he spoke to them with them to the class. 

 

But before I could share his last teachings with the class, I had to find out when he said his last words to the general public.

 

In my research, I found that Jesus's last words in public before he was arrested and crucified were in John 12 chapter. The very last sentence was John 12:36, where he said:

 Jn 12:36 (NKJV) — 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

 

As I read and meditated on it, or as Alowe said last week, “Read it slowly,” the Holy Spirit brought another important and similar Scripture to my mind where he made a beautiful invitation. 

 

After he had been resurrected in His great grace, mercy, and love, offered us an opportunity to experience his divine presence. He said:

Re 3:20 (NKJV) — 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me

 

In all of our lives, God stands on the outside and knocks to come inside. He wants to be with us and knocks gently, persistently, and lovingly. He speaks through His Word, through his servants, through trials, through blessings, and through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. He does not force his way inside our hearts but waits patiently for our response.

 

Then, in evaluating both scriptures, I began to wonder: What happens if his knocking goes unanswered again and again? 

 

What happens when we don’t listen to his voice to open up and let him in? When we postpone and delay what he has offered or commanded of us? 

 

What happens when we repeatedly choose the comforts of this world over the promises of his word?

 

What happens when we continue to reject him over and over again? When the Holy Spirit keeps reaching out to us with grace and mercy appealing to us to turn from our wicked ways, and we don’t listen?

 

Today I’m going to answer that question with a message entitled

 

When God Stops Knocking

 

One of the most tragic things in all of Scripture is not when God speaks but it is when He stops speaking. Why?

 

Mt 4:4 (NKJV) — 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

 

We live by the word of God. The Bible tells us in Proverbs 4:20-22 that his word is our life and health to all our flesh. We survive by hearing the word of God.

 

What would happen if God stopped speaking?

 

The Bible said that would happen:

Am 8:11–12 (NKJV) — 11 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the Lord. 12 They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, But shall not find it.

 

Now, I am going to read the final sentence of John chapter 12 again that Jesus said to the people, and I want us to give it thought. When we think about it, It should terrify every one of us and cause us to stop and reevaluate our responses to what our Lord has said to us. 

 

The Scripture says the last words Jesus said were.

 Jn 12:36 (NKJV) — 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

 

He tells the people, While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.

 

Notice he says, “While you have the light.” The implication is that the opportunity to believe in the light and to become sons of light is limited. Of course, when we think about this, we think about the time will come when we might not have the opportunity to accept Jesus. 

 

We might die before we do, all we could outright reject them. But the  last phrase confirms this limited opportunity because of another reason and is startling and threatening. “He departed and was hidden from them.” 

 

Think about this, “He departed and was hidden from them.” 

 

This is not just an action of stepping away —it is a verdict of judgment on the people gathered there.

 

The loving, compassionate Savior who came to seek and save the lost now leaves the people and no longer speaks to them. 

 

The very people he came to save. He hides himself from them, and they can no longer find Him because he hides himself. T

 

They could look for him, but if he were hiding himself from them, they would never be able to find him even if they did.

 

This is not simply a statement —it is a condemnation because, with his separation from them, He removes all hope of their salvation. This lets us know that after repeated rejection of the word of God, there will come a time when Jesus will no longer make Himself available for us. 

 

Why did he hide himself from them? The following verse reveals the answer.

 

Jn 12:37 (NKJV) — 37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

 

The people had seen miracle after miracle and heard the divine truth over and over, yet we are told they repeatedly refused to believe. 

 

He healed countless people, cast out demons, walked on the water, and even raised Lazarus from the dead. He performed his miracles openly, and everyone talked about them, and many saw them.

 

The scripture says they did not believe, and because they did not believe, he left them and hid himself from them.

 

If people did not believe the master's words, I would not be surprised if some of you rejected the words of his servant.

 

But let me tell you this: There is a danger in spiritual procrastination—seeing the light and refusing to walk in it while you have a chance. The time will come when Jesus will stop knocking at your door, for you to let him in!

 

Romans 1:21 speaks of those who “knew God, but did not glorify Him as God.” As a result, verse 24 tells us God gave them up to their own desires.

 

This is what happens among us today. We know what to do, and we don’t respond. That is simply rebellion against God. 

 

Listen, there will come a time when God will let us have our way and remove Himself from our way.

 

Many of us sit week after week under good, sound teaching, being convicted by the Holy Spirit with the truth, and yet still refuse to surrender to the will of God.

 

The danger is not that God will stop loving us. He is a loving God. He is a long-suffering God, but he is not a forever-suffering God. Our repeated rejection will result in God confirming the hardness of our heart.

 

God is still knocking. Let Him be Lord over your life now. But the time is coming when He will stop knocking.

 

Now, I want you to notice this frightening progression as we continue to read. In verse

Jn 12: 37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

 

But  in the 39th verse, we are told…

Jn 12:39 (NKJV) — 39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

 

Notice the difference! At first, they did not believe, but later, they could not believe.  

 

What once was unwillingness has now become an inability. 

 

Their repeated rejection of the word of God has led to a hard heart—a heart so hard that it can no longer believe.

 

We were told this about Pharaoh. Progressively, he rejected and hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and ultimately, after several rejections, the Bible says God himself hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

 

Don’t let this happen to you!

 

God is still knocking now, but soon the knocking will stop! Respond while the knock is gentle. Soon the silence may be eternal!

 

Isaiah prophesied this would happen when he said, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts…” (John 12:40). 

 

The judgment is not fire and brimstone raining from heaven—it is just God getting out of the way and letting people have their way. 

 

This spiritual hardening of our hearts happens very slowly. At first, the Spirit convicts us of sin. But over time, if we keep ignoring him, our hearts become numb to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and we ignore him.

. 

That’s why 1 Thessalonians 5:19 warns: “Do not quench the Spirit.”  To quench means to stifle, to suppress. 

 

Whenever you ignore the conviction of the Holy Spirit, you are telling God, 

"Not now God, not now God!” 

The time will come when God will give you what you ask for and will say to you:, “Not Now Child Not Now Child ”

 

God is patient, but continued rejection leads to a point of no return. 

 

That day is coming, and it may be today when the Holy Spirit's voice will fall silent in your life.

Pr 29:1 (NKJV) — 1 He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

 

God is still knocking. Let Him be Lord over your life now. The time is coming when He will stop.

Don’t presume on the grace and mercy of God that you will have tomorrow. Today might be the day when you may no longer hear his knock.

 

How many sermons, signs, and mercies have you heard and still not responded to the knocking of God at your door?

 

Jesus told a parable in Luke 12:16–21 about a rich farmer who experienced prosperity. He tore down his barns to build bigger ones, saying to himself, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you…” 

 

This man planned for everything in life, just like many of us do. We plan for everything—except eternity. And Jesus concludes, “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” 

 

So many people are building earthly security while ignoring eternal urgency. 

 

God is still knocking, let Him be Lord over your life now, the time is coming when He will stop

 

Next in John 12:42-43 we read

Jn 12:42–43 (NKJV) — 42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

 

Now, we see that some rulers believed in Jesus but would not confess Him openly. Why? “They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” 

 

They were afraid of losing their social standing, careers, friendships, or reputations, so they kept silent. 

 

Jesus says in 

Lk 9:26 (NKJV) — 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

 

And then he says 

Mt 10:32–33 (NKJV) — 32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

 

Silence is not safe. To withhold your confession of Christ is to risk denial by Christ. 

Is your reputation more important than your redemption?

God’s patience is extraordinary, but it is not endless. 

 

Genesis 6:3 says, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever.” 

 

Hebrews 3:15 echoes the warning: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” 

 

And Isaiah 55:6 urges us, “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” 

 

These are not empty words —they are spiritual alarms. 

 

Every day is a day we have to get right with God.
Every breath we take is a gift of grace—a door still open, a knock still sounding.
But believe me, the day is coming when the door will close.

 

A day is coming when we will no longer have the chance to say yes to the Holy Spirit.
No longer a chance to say “Jesus is Lord.”
No longer a chance to repent for the things we refused to surrender.
No longer a chance to forgive or be forgiven.
No longer a chance to lift our hands in worship or bow our knees in surrender.

The time is coming when the voice of God will fall silent to the ears that refused to hear.
When the invitation will be withdrawn from the hearts that kept saying “not now.”
When the knocking will stop—because judgment has begun.

Today is the day of salvation.
Not tomorrow. Not later.
Today—because one day soon, there will be no more chances.

 

God is still knocking. Let Him be Lord over your life now. The time is coming when He will stop

So what is God saying to you today? Are you delaying repentance? Is there a sin you’re refusing to surrender? Have you heard the Spirit’s prompting but quenched it with distraction? 

 

This message is not about condemnation but about an invitation. 

 

The knock is still there. The mercy is still extended. The grace is still sufficient. But the door will not stay open forever. 

 

God is still knocking, but it won’t last forever. Let Him be Lord over your life now, the time is coming when He will stop.

Let today be the day. Open the door. Say yes to Christ—not just as Savior, but as Lord. 

 

Accept him as Lord now. Respond while your heart is still soft. Once God stops knocking, the silence will be deafening—and the consequences are eternal.

 

One of the worst things that can ever be said about you is that you confess Him with your mouth but ignore Him with your life!

 

God is still knocking, let Him be Lord over your life now, the time is coming when He will stop.

Don’t wait until God stops knocking. Respond in faith while your heart can still feel, while your ears can still hear. Let today be the day you open the door.

 

Call to Action:

• today I give you an invitation to confess Christ openly.

• I give a warning to those who are resisting the Holy Spirit.

• I give a comfort to those who will turn: He is still knocking now.

 

“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”