Getting What You Ask For

"For this is the message you have heard from the beginning:  You should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother.  And why did he murder him?  Because his own actions were evil and his brother's righteous.  Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.  We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.  Anyone who does not love remains in death.  Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.  This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his  presence whenever our hearts condemn us.  For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.  Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. "  I John 3:11-21

 

How do I get what I want from God?  Many a book has been written and lectures have been given to help people get their prayers answered.  But the solution is really quite simple.  And, hint-hint, it is contained within today's verse. Simple as pie, right?

All we have to do is  belong to the truth, be at rest in his presence, have a heart that does not condemn us, and then we receive from God what we ask.  That was a mouthful!  Truth is, it is not all that hard to get our prayers answered just as we ask.   They just have to spring from his will to begin with.  I cannot begin to count the number of times I have asked God for something that was simply not his will.  It was hard when my prayer was answered in the negative.  Sometimes I have looked back and understood how his denial was to my benefit.  But other times, I have been left puzzled as to why it was not his will.  But when we pray, it is important to always keep in mind that he is sovereign and has his reasons for all that he does.

Having said that, we need to be inspired to pray big, bodacious, bold, faith-filled prayers.  We need to know his will and pray with confidence in accordance with his will.  If we walk in truth and keep his commands, his  ear is inclined to us, and he hears our cry.  When we please the Lord, we show that we can be a good steward of his blessings, and he freely pours out his blessings in our life.  That is very good news!

There have been times in my life that I have prayed for certain outcomes in situations.  There were times that God did exactly what I had hoped for.  Other times, however, he began to change me.  Before long, I was no longer praying for my desire, but praying for his will instead.  The sure-fire way to get what you pray for, is to ask for what God desires. 

So what is God's  will?  Should I take this job? Should I date this guy?  Should I buy this house?  Should I pray for my friend's salvation?  Should I pray  for my boss to be healed? In the first three examples, there is no obvious Bible verse, "Go thou into the world and work at ____ Corporation."  Instead, we pray for his will and direction and are led by peace.  If we feel nothing but confusion and conflict, it is probably not God's leading.  Should I date this guy?  Well there is a little more Bible for that- is he a Christian?  Do you have a similar burden/calling?  Do your parents approve of the union?  But in the question of  "should I pray for salvation for my friend?"- the answer is obvious!  God "is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (II Peter 3:9)

The person who gets the most prayers answered, is the person walking most closely to the center of God's will for their life.  If we are walking in the knowledge of the Word of God, if we are living a surrendered life, constantly led by the Spirit...then we can expect to see great results in our prayer life.  If your prayers are not being answered as you desire, the problem may not be how your are asking, but rather how you are living.

Dear Lord, help me to keep in step with your leading in all areas of my life.  Direct me, guide me.  Help me pray in accordance with your will and live a life you can bless.  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.

Sherri