Asking for things in prayer

[Alenci]

If God always has a will for us, isn't His will the best for us? We are always meant to ask for His will to be done when we pray and to listen for His will. So what is the purpose of asking for things in prayer? Isn't His will the best for us? It may not necessarily be what we like, or what makes us happiest, or what makes life easy- but isn't it the best?

I know there are verses about asking for things, especially that if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for. But I don't understand WHY we ask for things. Can someone help?

 

[Deacon]

Sweetheart we ask for help because we need someone to give us a push or a sign on what to do with a given situation or we ask for God to watch over as we go through life, hoping to serve Him. We are human we are prone to make mistakes and I can live with that, and I am sure you can too, but thats when we ask for help, so we can learn from those mistakes.


I hope that helps.

 

[jbarcher]

It is written, "Earnestly desire the greater gifts". The gifts are spiritual ones.

We ask for things because we want them.

Yet not my will but Thine be done.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I am not sure I understand.
We ask because we have spiritual needs, physical needs, mental and emotional needs. We ask because we see others have needs. Some of these cannot or do not know how to ask for themselves.

 

[jbarcher]

I think I can answer this question..

It may not necessarily be what we like, or what makes us happiest, or what makes life easy- but isn't it the best?

That's what heaven sounds like. But God's Word tells us otherwise. On this earth--Satan's kingdom--no easy road is promised. The only road to life is narrow.

I really think God molds us through everything we go through. Suffering is the great teacher of man, someone once said. And that is often true. By the time we are to go--we will be mature, spiritually, and ready for the kingdom of heaven.

You could compare this issue to "Which is better: a cake or fruit?"

While cake is good, fruit is better.

 

[Fiat]

Prayer is asking and receiving; it is talking with God; it is a making your request known to Him in faith. Our Lord instructs us to ask, seek and knock (Matt 7:7) because these 3 words cover the whole spectrum of prayer. When you know the Will of God regarding a need, whether it be material or spiritual, you can ask and receive. This prayer according to the revealed Will of God (1 John 5:14,15).

Prayer is seeking and finding. When you do not know the Will of God regarding a need, whether it be material or spiritual, then you are to seek His will in prayer concerning this need until you find it. This is prayer for knowledge of the unrevealed will of God in a specific need (Col 3:1).

Prayer is knocking and opening. when you know the will of God and yet you find a closed door, you are to knock and keep on knocking until God opens the door. This is tenacious prayer - prayer for mountain moving faith! Knocking prayer perseveres until the impossible becomes the possible. This is miracle working prayer (Matt 17:14-21).

 

[molly]

I love how you answered that Deacon.Praise the Lord!

 

[Alenci]

That's what heaven sounds like. But God's Word tells us otherwise. On this earth--Satan's kingdom--no easy road is promised. The only road to life is narrow.

I really think God molds us through everything we go through. Suffering is the great teacher of man, someone once said. And that is often true. By the time we are to go--we will be mature, spiritually, and ready for the kingdom of heaven.

You could compare this issue to "Which is better: a cake or fruit?"

While cake is good, fruit is better.

I'm not sure about this, but I think you accidentally missed a couple of words in my post; either that, or I didn't really understand your response. My question was essentially, "If God's will is the best (i.e. NOT necessarily the easiest or what makes us happy, but still the best for us), why don't we JUST pray for His will to be done and never pray for anything that we want?"

In response to Fiat...

Thanks for the verses. I never really heard anyone explain the "ask, seek and knock" before. But that makes sense- we should first ask God if something is his will, then if it is, ask for it in prayer, and keep asking faithfully. I think I also understand now why people always pray for something and then add on, "Your will be done." I guess it's because if there's no time to wait for God's answer, we can still pray for something; "Your will be done" is a way of letting God know that we want His will to be done in the matter and we wouldn't have asked for it if He had said it wasn't His will.

 

[Fiat]

In response to Fiat...

Thanks for the verses. I never really heard anyone explain the "ask, seek and knock" before. But that makes sense- we should first ask God if something is his will, then if it is, ask for it in prayer, and keep asking faithfully. I think I also understand now why people always pray for something and then add on, "Your will be done." I guess it's because if there's no time to wait for God's answer, we can still pray for something; "Your will be done" is a way of letting God know that we want His will to be done in the matter and we wouldn't have asked for it if He had said it wasn't His will.

Alenci, you're very welcome. God bless you

 

[victoryword]

There have been some good responses so far (particularly FIAT's). However, I would like to point out that prayer is not limited to what we believe is solely God's will. Perhaps I should phrase it this way: we do not have to limit ourselves to waiting until we explicitly know what God's will is in every single situation before we present to Hijm our desires. We have been invited to bring our desires to Him with an expectation of an answer:

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]. (Mark 11:24)

Now before I ruffle in pious feathers here, or invite extremists to overload God with a bunch of foolish requests, allow me to qualify my statement and the use of the above promise. All of our desires should be commensurate with God's Word. If we are in Him and His Word is in us, we will not ask something from God that is counter to His purposes and plans for our lives. Jesus says:

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7; NKJV)

The qualification for getting our desires is being filled with His Word and continuing in Him. If I am filled with God's Word and in fellowship with Christ then I will never ask for something that is not in conjunction with His revealed will (Example: Lord, I hate my wife. Could you kill her and give me another? BY the way, this is only an example. I love my wife.)

Nevertheless, he who does not pray shall never receive an answer. The latter part of James 4:2 plainly states this. Even though God is all knowing and all sufficient, He has sovereignly chosen to do certain things only at our request. So I say, let's pray.

 

[lands21]

You are correct, God does have a will for us. But he also wants a relationship with us. He wants us to bring our needs to him, but some times an unawnsered prayer is an awnsered one.

 

[smithaw9027]

God's perfect will is not always done. People die and go to hell without him everyday. Wars kill millions. Suicide abounds. Human misery surrounds us. We are in a spiritual war. prayer is the key to winning the war. God's purpose for us is to be in on the fight and our #1 weapon is prayer. I believe it was Charles Spurgeon who said God does nothing, except in reponse to prayer. It's up to us. pray for the lost especially!

 

[Godsgrace]

In all prayer, give thanks, give praise, ask in JESUS Name.

But I have come to realize that (1) answered prayer is not from a selfish prayer. (2) God loves you when you can "justify" so to speak, an answer to prayer. You do this by studying and giving HIS very word back to HIM in prayer. He loves to know that you have done your homework. Sort of like "pleading your case" in the goodness of the prayer. (3) Most important is to believe HE has answered your prayer.

I pray and if it is not answered the way I thought it should be. It really is when I take the time to think on it. HE loves to spend time with you in prayer.

 

[wonder111]

from my own experience, I feel an urge from the spirit to pray about something in particular. Sometimes I'll just be driving down the street, and I'll feel the spirit lead me in prayer about something. So to me, that is God's will that I pray about this. Sometimes I'll be praying (by my own will) and will feel an urge from the spirit to stop praying about it, and just keep the faith about what i am praying for

 

[Godsgrace]

I have to agree with "Victoryword" (it is hard to remember who said what).

Matt 6:5 - 15 (NIV)

Prayer

(5) "And when you pray, do not
be like the hypocrites, for they pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I will tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. (6) But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your FATHER, who is unseen. Then your FATHER, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (7) And when you pray, do not keep babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. (8) Do not be like them, for your FATHER knows what you need before you ask HIM.
(9) "This then is how you should pray:

" 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, (10) your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. (11) give us today our daily bread. (12) Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors. (13) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

(14) For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your FATHER will also forgive you. (15) But if you do not forgive men their sins, your FATHER will not forgive you your sins."

You should be very careful of what you ask for and how. I have learned that prayers are always heard and answered. Answered prayers that did not quite go the way I thought. A lot of the time it was because of how I asked for it. Now I give great thought on asking in prayer.

(((((Believe)))))

Before you even ask - know that HE knows what you need. Matt 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and rightiousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

I have a Question now. When you pray, do you pray for "things" first and foremost? Or do you pray to praise, thank, love, and visit first and foremost?

And when you pray, are you always asking for some"thing"? It is something to think about here.

May GOD's love shine upon all who "believe", in the mighty name of JESUS CHRIST, amen... That is HIS first and foremost request. YES????