"Whatever We Ask We Receive" Really?

Dear Saints:

 Why should God continue to bless you with more when He knows that you will spend it only on yourself without loving and helping your brother or sister who is in need? 

 As we continue our study, we see that apostle John ties answers to our prayers to obeying the Lord’s command to love our brothers and sisters and doing those things that are pleasing in His sight.

 Disclaimer: God always answer the prayers of any sinner who cries out to Him for forgiveness and salvation. Romans 10:13 “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Prior obedience is not required for the sinner’s salvation. Apostle John is addressing the children of God (those born of God, born again by God’s grace and have trusted in Christ). 

 Let’s continue our reading and study of 1 John 3:18-24:

 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but indeed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 

22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

 His command is simply - believe and trust Jesus and love one another. Have you evaluated your prayers lately to see how many that are being answered? We can do this by looking back and seeing how we have used what God has given us already. Have you spent your health, money, house and etc. for yourself only and not to advance God’s will on earth? 

 God only answers prayers that are according to His will. We get to know God’s will when we are in good fellowship with Him. As we fellowship with God, He reveals His heart and will to us and those are the things we ask for because we have confidence that He will hear us and answer. Our confidence comes from the sure promises of God’s Word and not from our feelings even if “our hearts condemn us”. 

 Notice that every promise of God comes with a condition or responsibilities on our part. 

 Praying should no longer be wrestling with God to convince Him of my own position but reminding Him of His will which He is bound to bring to pass at His own time. Praying is not “naming and claiming it” but seeking what pleases God. 

 Can we start praying the mind of Christ? James reminds us of this key concept of receiving from God. “Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:2-3. 

 Of course there are things that accrue to us for the fact that we are God’s children. He Loves us and provides for our basic needs; but we must not take Him for granted but rather always thank God. 

 We must move beyond the basic needs to praying “thy will be done on earth as it’s in heaven”. His will/desire is that all will come to know Him and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Can that become your prayers and can you use your health (no matter the state) and resources he has given you to make it happen?

 Our healings can be powerful testimony to turn hard hearts to Christ. I know and have lived through it. My stroke of four years ago and subsequent recovery has done more to advance the gospel than when I was in “perfect” health. God will use everything we have for his glory when we give it to Him. 

 Did you see this command; “that we should believe on the name of His son Jesus Christ”? I didn’t think about it before as a command. It is therefore a command to the whole world. Bringing this command into obedience in my life and another’s life is therefore a condition for receiving from God when we pray; because, it is “pleasing in His sight”.

 In essence, praying is putting into action, sharing the Gospel and loving our brothers and sisters. These are the things that are pleasing in God’s sight. I trust that going forward, our concept of praying and receiving from God will be changed for the glory of God.

 God blesses us to be a blessing to others. This is God’s standard plan. Abraham our father in the faith is a good example. He obeyed and trusted God; and through him Christ came and blessed the whole world. Please let us stop quoting this scripture half way. “Whatever we ask we receive from Him”, we must quote the rest “because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight”. 

 Thank you Lord for removing my old sin nature and now You live in me by your Holy Spirit. Lord, thank you for all you have given me in Christ for your purpose and for your glory. Lord, please continue to remind me that I am your child and that you love me so much. 

 Please Lord, help me to obey your command to know you Christ and to love my brothers and sisters. Also, Lord help me to help others to know and obey your command “that we should believe on the name of His [Your] son Jesus Christ”. Amen.