Ask and it shall be given
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The document discusses the biblical principle of asking God for what we need, emphasizing that faith and intention are crucial in this process. It highlights that while God knows our needs, He desires us to express them through prayer. The author encourages readers to have faith in God's willingness to provide, while also acknowledging that there are guidelines for how prayers should be made.
Ask and it shall be given
- 2. Ask And It Shall Be Given! Jas 1:2-6 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
- 3. I can remember growing up that I was never a “shy child” I would talk to just about anyone that would talk to me! • I was one of them kids that was always asking questions and wanted an answer to why I had to do something, or to what someone else was doing! • I remember people often saying, “the only bad question is the onw you never asked!” or “you never know unless you ask!”
- 4. The truth is that this works in many things in life! • It works when trying to get something you need! It works when trying to learn something! It works when looking for a job or car or what ever! • Today we will be studying the biblical concept “ask and it shall/will be given!” • Truly God is good to us! A-men!!! He has given us life, jobs, homes, families, friends and even His own Son and yet He given promises to give us what we ask for!
- 5. With God having made this promise, why do so few ask? • Many lack what they need, because they have failed to simply ask! ♦Mt 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” • The question really is, “do we have faith that God will hear & answer our prayers?”
- 6. I. The Reason! • Have any of you ever really thought about “why” we need to ask for things in life? • There seems to be many reasons for this. ♦ A mother & father will teach their child to ask for the things they need & want! ♦ A teacher will tell the class if they don’t understand something, then ask! ♦ If one is lost, then they need to stop and ask for direction!
- 7. God knows what we need in life, but He still wants us to ask! • Mt 6:8 "Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. • Mt 6:32-33 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” • Php 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
- 8. Even knowing what Joel & Noah want, I still want them to learn to ask! • I want them to learn to see their needs and how they go about getting what they need in a right & proper way! • God knows what we need, but He always wants us to know it! • When we learn to ask God for the things we need, we learn to depend & trust in Him and not ourselves!
- 9. II. The Reward! • If I was to offer a reward for the first one that can say the books of the Bible, say $20 would I have any takers? • This next point is very encouraging! God has in fact promised to reward us when we ask Him! ♦Mt 21:22 "And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." ♦Joh 14:13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- 10. Do we still believe in the amazing power of prayer? Js. 5:13-18 • God is indeed a loving Father that wants to bless His children, but we have to ask! ♦Mt 7:11 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” ♦1Jon 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- 11. III. The Restriction! • We have already seen part of this in the last verse we looked at together, notice! ♦1Jo 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. • It seems that far too many just simply miss this point and then wonder why they didn’t get a new car and conclude that God must just not be real! • God does hear & answer prayers but there are “restrictions!”
- 12. The restrictions of prayer! • Ask according to the Word of God! ♦ Joh 15:7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” • Ask for the right reason! ♦ Jas 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” • Ask in faith! ♦ Jas 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
- 13. Conclusion: • When we learn to ask God for the right things in the right way we will learn to enjoy His blessings! • Do we believe that God will keep His promises? Do we have faith? • Are you lacking wisdom, then ask of God! • If you are not yet a child of God, then today you have been given the opportunity to become one! • If you are a Christian, then remember to ask of God and it will be given!