I.      Turned back to John 15:7.

A.  Here it says, "ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

1.    The NIV translation says, "ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."

a)    Thinking about it is not asking.

B.  But there is something equally as important in this verse that we have not look at yet.

1.    Verse 7 says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you." (Then ask)

2.    You can't stand empty and be filled at the same time.

a)    You can't be void of the Word of God and expect to be filled or full.

3.    He said, "If ye abide in me AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU."

C.  Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart mouth speaketh."

1.    If His words are really abiding in you, then it's going to come out of your mouth.

2. What does Joshua 1:8 say?

a)    If you're meditating on it, it's going to come out of your mouth.

b)    Gauge yourself.

D.Sometimes people are borrowing someone else's confession.

1.    It's not in their heart. Their quoting what they heard someone else say.

a)    They are repeating what they think sounds good or what say think they are supposed to say.

b)    They're copying someone else or mimicking them.

2.       Look at Matthew 15:20-28.

a)       Look again at verse 22.

b) She didn't have any right to call him "Thou Son of David."

(1)  She wasn't a Jew, she didn't belong to any of the tribes of Israel.

(2)  Rehearsed, wasn't in her heart.

(3)   Jesus knew it, look at verse 23.

3.    Then she realized a rehearsed confession isn't going to work. It's got to come for my heart.

a)Look at verse 25. She spoke from her heart, "HELP ME."

b)      Look at verse 26-27.

4.    That was pretty quick of her. Why?

a)       It was in her heart. Verse 28.

E.  At first Jesus wasn't responding, spiritual leaders (the disciples) were trying to send her way, but she wasn't going to give up.

1.    She kept pleading her case, and she spoke words of say from her heart.

2.    Jesus said she had great faith and she received her miracle.

II.   1 JOHN 5:14-15

A.   1st of all, the word “confidence” in this verse 14, is the Greek word par-rhay-see-ah and it means, “free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance.”[1]

1.    Heb 4:16 says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”[2]

2.    The Message translation says, “So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.”[3]

B.  Lets go back to 1 John 5:14-15 (read)

1.     Many Christians have not even gotten God’s attention.

2.    Go to Him and ask.

a)    James 4:2 NIV says, “You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.”

(1)  He’s saying that you do whatever you can to get something and you don’t get it. WHY, because you don’t ask.

C.  He goes on to say in 1 John 5:15 “If we ask anything according to His will.

1.    In the book of James 1:17 it says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

2.     Mark 11:24 Says, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them , and ye shall have them.”

3.    In Psa 37:4-5 it says, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.  5  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”

a)    In John 15:16 Jesus said, “the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.”[4]

b)    And in another verse that we have not looked at, Jesus said in John 16:23, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”

c)     And in 1 John 3:22, John said, “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

d)    John 16:24 “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”

4.       Go back to 1 John 5:15.

a)    Ask and you will receive what you desire of Him.

III.     Ask for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

A.      ACTS 2:16-17

1.    This was a great outpouring, but there is going to be a greater outpouring in these last days.

B.      Look at ACTS 2:2

1.    Notice that it came “SUDDENLY.”

a)    This outpouring is going to come SUDDENLY.

2.    But it’s not going to come on us unless we’re prepared for the suddenly.

3.    What is it that you’ve been believing for? It’s going to come suddenly.

a)    Are you waiting for it? Are you preparing for it? Are you expecting it?

C.      Look at Verse 16 again   

1.    This is that which they have been waiting for, preparing for and expecting.

2.    If you read on you will see the miracles, because they were expecting.

D.      Look at verse 21

1.       Notice the word “SAVED.”

2.       Let me ask you this, “SAVED FROM WHAT?”

3.       Saved from the curse of the law.

4.       Which is SAVED FROM POVERITY, SICKNESS, AND SPIRITUAL DEATH.

a)       Which means we get PROSPERITY, HEALTH, AND ETERNAL LIFE.

The Glory of God, the anointing of God, the blessings of God, the gifts of the Spirit are coming, but are you ready?

What is it to you want from God, ask that your joy may be full.

WOLCC Sunday, June, 1 2003

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[1]Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the test of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.

[2]The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (Heb 4:16). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[3]Peterson, E. H. (2003). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Heb 4:16). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

[4]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (Jn 15:16). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.