Matthew 7:7
“Ask,
and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.”
Matthew 21:22
“And whatever you ask
in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Mark 11:24
“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask
in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
John 14:13-14
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I
will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in
my name, I will do it.”
What do these verses mean to you as you read them? It sounds like they are saying that I can ask for whatever I want and God is obligated to give it to me.
What a dangerous
way to think. That line of thinking sounds more like
a spoiled brat. Jesus said those
statements not to tell us he’s a Genie in a bottle. He wanted us to know he’s open and available
to hear what’s on our heart. Sure we can
ASK but we can’t EXPECT.
These verses are usually
interpreted selfishly. If we are a
follower of God, then we will only pray for what God wants. If God wants it, he’ll get it.
It works like this:
- I love God and I want what God wants.
- I pray for what God wants.
- God gives me what I want which is what He wants.
You can't love God and want what you want (especially if it's counter to what God wants).
So pray God's will and if God willed it, you will see it happen.