Asking God For What You Need

Some of you are going through life frustrated, angry, depressed and lonely because you either are not exercising your prayer life, you feel entitled or you have been too lazy to go after what God has for you. You believe that God should have answered your prayer, simply because you prayed one time. Some of you have an attitude of entitlement. You believe that since God already knows what you need, then He should make sure you have it, since He’s God. However for some, God has answered your pray but you will not you won’t get up to go do your part, as if things will happen on their own.

That’s why Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount discourse, gives His disciples a lesson on prayer. He commands to prayer, believing God will do what they ask. He teaches them to be specific in prayer. Ultimately knowing that we can expect God respond with generosity to our requests.

Let’s look closely at this passage. We have for parts of prayer to examine from this passage today.

The Command For Prayer v.7

Jesus commands His disciples to pray. This suggest that prayer is to be a priority in their lives. And prayer is not optional.

They are to ask

To make a request with urgency, even to the point of demanding when needed, plead for something.

They are to seek

They are to try to get or reach whatever it is they desire.

The are to knock

To rap with the knuckles to signal one’s presence.

If you are in need of a job, ask God for a job. But make sure you go fill out some applications. And when the people call for an interview, make sure you show up on time, dressed appropriately and with the right attitude.

If you’re lonely. Ask God for a companion. And get out the house so you can meet somebody. And stop being so critical, when God sends somebody. After all the only perfect person God ever sent was Jesus and you struggle giving Him your all.

The Results of Prayer v. 8

Jesus explains the results of prayer.

Everyone, implies who have faith.

Receives, they will get what they ask for.

Finds, discovers, it comes into existence, what they are seeking

It is opened, it not sealed, or having been unsealed, the window of opportunity.

Whatever need you have, you can have confidence that you will receive it when you pray.

Let me be clear, you may be praying for a luxury, but what you need is a car.

God may not give a luxury car, but may provide you with an economy car. One that will fit your budget, one that will allow to live without financial frustration.

The Specifics of Prayer v.9-10

Jesus gives an analogy of prayer.

We see the child asking for bread and fish.

The request is specific and it involves a need, we need food to survive.

The father does not give the child anything that will imitate the request or hurt the child.

The point of this question is apparent when it is remembered that loaves of bread in ancient times often resembled round, flat stones since they were not baked in oblong pans as common store-bought bread is today.

The questions are rhetorical. Even a mankind in his fallen state knows how to give the right thing to his child.

Growing up, i could not eat raw onions on my food, would cause me to gag and throw up. So, whenever my mom fixed my plate, she wouldn’t hide the onions so I couldn’t see them, but she would ensure that there were no onions in or on my food. Even though she could have said, everybody eats this food with onions.

The Principle of Prayer v. 11

Jesus gives the principle of prayer.

God gives good gifts to His children when they ask.

If imperfect men can do right by their children, you can count on God to do much more.

The principle is simply this, we can expect God to respond with generosity to our request!

You have to be persistent in your prayer life. You have to keep on asking, keep on seeking and keeping on knocking.

You can count on God to give you every good thing needed in your life, when you ask for it in prayer.

Next time you pray, ask in humility, seek earnestly, and knock believing.

And watch God give you what you’re asking Him for. He’ll give you what you need.

He’ll let find what you’re seeking.

He’ll open the doors of opportunity that you have been knocking on.