Believe and you will recieve?

[Genesis22]

Lately, I've been praying about a certain situation (there are details in the other thread I posted if you want to know), and don't really know what I'm supposed to be praying for. I want it to turn out a certain way, but I don't know what God's will is...is it wrong to pray for what I want anyways and believe that He will do it for me? I obviously don't believe in telling God what to do and being selfish, and I've always rejected WOF type beliefs that say we will get whatever we ask for. But now that I'm in a situation where I want something that I don't have, I've read these following verses and am not sure what I should be doing. These make it sound like we can ask for anyting and believe that we will get it. These don't seem to be just for those specific people, do they? Should I be asking for things to turn out my way and believing that they will (but of course staying faithful to God even if He says no), or should I ask only for His will? I'm not trying to spread any false doctrine and I'm not saying that this is right; I'm just asking because I'm confused. All of these verses are from the New American Standard Bible:

"Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. Seeing a long fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, "No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you." And at once te fig tree withered. Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, "How did the fig tree wither all at once?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain 'Be taken up and cast into the sea', it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." -Matthew 21:18-22

"Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted to you." -Mark 11:24



On the contrary though, these verses say otherwise:

"You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." -James 4:3

"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me- to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times tat it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." -2 Corinthians 12:7-9 In this case, Paul asked in faith and God said no.



So here's my question: Should I be praying for what I want and believing that He will do it, or should I only ask for His will? If I ask for what I want, I'm still not going to be angry if He says no or anything, so is that okay to ask for something even if it might not be His will? For now, I'm praying for wisdom about what to ask for- because that is a prayer that God always says yes to. And I'm leaving the rest in His hands.

[Jan51]

Is there any chance that what you are asking, if different from God's ideal will, might be better than His plan? Because we can't see the future like God can, we can't see how our plan would play out farther down the road. Do you believe God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving? Then trust Him to do what He knows is best for everyone in the long run, for His own purposes, and ask Him to give you a heart to trust Him about this, regardless of how you feel right now or how things appear. Thank Him that He is working in and through this situation. Thank Him that He has a Big Plan and that He is working it out all the time, whether we can see it or understand it. I don't see how you could go wrong praying like this. I believe it will give you more peace than praying for what you think is best. This is how He taught us to pray, Matthew 6:10.

[Genesis22]

No, there's no chance that my plan is better than His plan...but there is a chance that His plan is for me to pray for what I want and then receive it because I did...which is what I'm asking. Let me re phrase the question...when Jesus said to ask and then believe that we would receive what we asked for, does that apply to every person even today? And what verses are there to back up whatever the answer is to the first question? We can never go wrong simply praying for God's will obviously, but my question was whether or not we should pray for specific things that we want and believe that He will do those things? Because I mean, in the bible, Rachel (I think it was Rachel?) prayed for a son and countless sick people in the bible asked Jesus to heal them....they all asked very specific things just because they wanted them. They asked and believed for sure that He would do it, and He did because of their faith.

[so-blessed]

When we pray, we should pray according to His will. Now the tricky part is acertaining His will. Mostly this is easy because we have His word. Does what we are asking for align with His word, or our own desires? When we pray for anothers' salvation, we know that lines up with scripture because it's His will that non should perish, but sadly the outcome is not always salvation. When we pray for healing, it gets a bit trickier - is it His will for that person to get healed then? I think we only know His will in that if they are healed, DH, I & literally hundreds prayed for his brother to be healed, but he didn't get it this side of Glory & went to be with His saviour. We just petitioned God hoping it was His will. Prayer achieves more than we know, as I'm sure you know.
But with the personal things, Genesis, it does get hard at times. I've been there. Sometimes God says "No" to our prayers, sometimes "Not yet" & sometimes "Yes". But we hold on in Faith that whatever the outcome, our Father knows best. So yes, seek His will, ask Him to give you His hearts desire for you. Focus on Him & not the things you "think" you may want. After all, "..how much more shall your Father in Heaven give good things to them that ask Him." Matt 7:11b
If He gives you something, I can testify from very recent experience, that whilst initially you may think " Hang on, this isn't what I want, this doesn't line up with my plan." He will give you the heart to accept His plan if you ask Him. He is always so Faithfull. Seek Him & His will 1st.
I hope that helps a little

[Dan the Elder]

The "analogy" in the Bible that God is our Father and we are His children is there for a reason. When you were young and asked your father for something did he always give it to you? If you asked him if you could go play in the middle of a busy intersection, I'm sure he would have turned you down. If on the other hand you said "Dad, I'm really dying of thirst, could you get me something to drink", I'm thinking he would have done his very best to supply your request. He was willing to give you whatever was best for you and within his power. That's why Jesus said this in:

Mat 7:7-11 "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!"

You do notice however, that the "son" was asking for bread or a fish (not a mercedes-benz). I've known some people who have prayed they would win the lottery ~~ and if God would only answer their prayer they would give "most of it" to the church.... Can't you hear the buzzer going off/ NOT
God already knows your needs and the desires of your heart. He is loving, patient, caring and wants whatever is in your best interest (not just within the next 24 hrs, but for eternity). Asking is not a problem, believing what I just explained, and knowing He has the power to provide is essential. The answer may be "yes, no, or wait" and you must be willing to accept that too.

Paul had a problem he considered a real "need" but didn't get the answer he would have preferred.

2Co 12:7-9 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.

We are to talk to God as though He were our Father, because He Is: "Our Father, who art in heaven"..
By all means ask, He Loves you!

God Bless,
Dan

[mbrown1219]

No, there's no chance that my plan is better than His plan...but there is a chance that His plan is for me to pray for what I want and then receive it because I did...which is what I'm asking. Let me re phrase the question...when Jesus said to ask and then believe that we would receive what we asked for, does that apply to every person even today? And what verses are there to back up whatever the answer is to the first question? We can never go wrong simply praying for God's will obviously, but my question was whether or not we should pray for specific things that we want and believe that He will do those things? Because I mean, in the bible, Rachel (I think it was Rachel?) prayed for a son and countless sick people in the bible asked Jesus to heal them....they all asked very specific things just because they wanted them. They asked and believed for sure that He would do it, and He did because of their faith.

Here's a whole sermon on this question if you care to listen to it.

http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons...t--performance

Subject line should be Matthew 21:18-22.

[Mitsy]

I've been prayed for my Kitty to be healed years ago. He died from cancer anyway.

Believe & you will receive??? I don't know anything anymore.

Pray in the will of God. The Bible says He provides yet I know many Believers who are not getting their needs (not wants but needs met). Is it His will to heal me? I don't know because God doesn't speak to me directly.

Since my Kitty died of cancer I pray but I don't expect to get what I have prayed for anymore. (I'm being honest here and I'm not trying to be controversial).

I've seen many brothers and sisters in Christ not get what they have prayed for as well it's not just me. Maybe it is wrong motives or sin or whatever. I've stopped trying to analyse it and just leave it up to God.

Ask and hope. God will say yes or no. We can't control God's answers to our prayers.

If you get a YES then great, If NO then we need to learn to accept it and remember God is Perfect, Just and Holy.

[pixelpusher]

I've been prayed for my Kitty to be healed years ago. He died from cancer anyway.

Believe & you will receive??? I don't know anything anymore.

Pray in the will of God. The Bible says He provides yet I know many Believers who are not getting their needs (not wants but needs met). Is it His will to heal me? I don't know because God doesn't speak to me directly.

Since my Kitty died of cancer I pray but I don't expect to get what I have prayed for anymore. (I'm being honest here and I'm not trying to be controversial).

I've seen many brothers and sisters in Christ not get what they have prayed for as well it's not just me. Maybe it is wrong motives or sin or whatever. I've stopped trying to analyse it and just leave it up to God.

Ask and hope. God will say yes or no. We can't control God's answers to our prayers.

If you get a YES then great, If NO then we need to learn to accept it and remember God is Perfect, Just and Holy.

Mitsy, I'm the same way.

[Acts5:41]

I ask God for His will to be done, in every situation.

*I* may not like the short-term, but I know the long-term will be worth it.

I've never had a problem leaving my life in His hands. It's when I run ahead, doing what I deem best, that I run into trouble.

[Genesis22]

Everything that you guys are saying makes sens and that's what I would have always told people. However, what I don't understand is, that's not what the 2 verses that I posted say. So how does that fit in? Those verses don't say to ask for God's will and we'll get whatever that is (I know other verses say that). They say to believe that we have received what we are praying for and we WILL receive it. Was that only for those specific people? Or only when we ask for the right things? Jesus didn't say that...but maybe it's just implied that He meant only when we ask for the right things? The words "believe and you will receive" aren't something that people made up- it's word for word in scripture. I just don't know how far to take it.

Thanks for the John MacArthur link. I'm at work so I can't listen to it right now, but I definitely will!

[Acts5:41]

Well, I can't answer that directly.

However, everything inside of me tells me it is far better to seek God's will, than my own. That yes, I can ask God to ____ and He may very well do so, but I would rather not take the chance of asking something that might be contrary to His will.

Even when my husband was hurt, I upset a lot of people because I didn't ask God to make him better. I asked God to work His will, whatever that was, for Ron. If that meant death, so be it. If that meant recovery, so be it; but nothing out of His will.

Now, I did ask God to guide the medical professionals and smooth family relations; but I figured that would be in His will regardless.

I also asked God for a sign as to what I could expect, death, or life. I did get that sign when I opened my Bible.

Psalm 72:12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out,
the afflicted who have no one to help.
13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy
and save the needy from death.
14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence,
for precious is their blood in his sight.
15 Long may he live!
May gold from Sheba be given him.
May people ever pray for him
and bless him all day long. [NIV, 1984]

Once I had that, I knew he would live, even before the doctors. Everyone kept giving me looks...

But until that point, I was asking for God's will. After that, I felt fine asking God to help him recover, as it was clear to me God intended to do just that.

I just don't feel comfortable asking for my will; over God's. God created me. He knows what I like, and need. I trust Him to cover everything.

If I need a sign, I feel fine asking for that. I will always ask for things that are in line with scripture, peace for a family member, stuff like that.

But "God, please help me to get this job". How do you know if it's the RIGHT one? I prefer "God, if this is the right job for me, please help me to get it."

When I had two job offers on the same day, I took the lesser-paying job. I had asked God to make His will apparent on the job hunt; to show me the right job as I interviewed, the one in His will. He made it clear to me, and I took the job that paid $3K less a year, as a result. I never regretted it, either.

[IMSAVED]

God is not a Genie.Someone who you can rub the lamp three times and he will give you anything that you want.You need to ask that God's Will Be Done.If he does not want you to have it then He has a reason.

[Jan51]

Notice how godly people in the Bible prayed, especially Paul (he says what he prays for at the start of each letter). I don't see an example of asking either for "stuff" or for life to turn out a certain way.

[IMSAVED]

Notice how godly people in the Bible prayed, especially Paul (he says what he prays for at the start of each letter). I don't see an example of asking either for "stuff" or for life to turn out a certain way.

God gives us what we need not what we want.People need to be Thankful for food,clothes basic transportation and employment.Employment is a big one.Their are alot of people filling for unemployment right now.I am not going to pray"God I sure would like to have that Mercedes that I have been wanting".

[Mitsy]

Everything that you guys are saying makes sens and that's what I would have always told people. However, what I don't understand is, that's not what the 2 verses that I posted say. So how does that fit in? Those verses don't say to ask for God's will and we'll get whatever that is (I know other verses say that). They say to believe that we have received what we are praying for and we WILL receive it. Was that only for those specific people? Or only when we ask for the right things? Jesus didn't say that...but maybe it's just implied that He meant only when we ask for the right things? The words "believe and you will receive" aren't something that people made up- it's word for word in scripture. I just don't know how far to take it.

Thanks for the John MacArthur link. I'm at work so I can't listen to it right now, but I definitely will!

Scripture has to always be interpreted in light of what we know in other scripture.

So what else do we know about God's answers to prayer or about praying.

1JN 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.

So this scripture now qualifies that our prayer must be in accordance to His Will!

JN 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

AND here's another qualification of getting what we ask for in prayer. You should be in relationship with the Lord so you are called his friend and that you are bearing Fruit (spiritual fruit of course) and THEN it says you can receive what you ask in the Name of Jesus.

If you are in relationship with the Lord and bearing fruit (or mature in Christ) you should be praying according to His Will becuase you should have matured enough to learn what the Will of God is.

There are many good examples of what God is willing to give us and we can be perfectly confident He will give us if we pray for them.

JAS 1:2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

So here in the above example of scripture we can see Wisdom is certainly one thing you would not be denied by God!

Yes I have seen those scriptures you have quoted and I understand from those scriptures alone you could interpret them as God will give you everything you want all you have to do is ask. You can try it but I know from my own experience and that of others it doesn't happen. God is not under any obligation to give us everything we want or ask for. He is a good and loving parent who weighs up from His knowledge and what he knows of us what would be good to give us and what will not. Good responsible parents don't give their children only cakes and sweets and junk food everyday to their children but they try to give them nutritious food and save the other stuff for the odd occassion. So when it comes to answering prayer know God will act according to His character which is revealed to us in the Bible.

[Trance]

So here's my question: Should I be praying for what I want and believing that He will do it, or should I only ask for His will? If I ask for what I want, I'm still not going to be angry if He says no or anything, so is that okay to ask for something even if it might not be His will? For now, I'm praying for wisdom about what to ask for- because that is a prayer that God always says yes to. And I'm leaving the rest in His hands.

I believe that when we pray for something, we need to ask 'How does this serve my Lord'?

[TimothyK]

I've been prayed for my Kitty to be healed years ago. He died from cancer anyway.

Believe & you will receive??? I don't know anything anymore.

Do you think it was God's will that your cat died of cancer? Or if not from cancer, from any other malady given the circumstances? Or do you not know your cat was doomed to die regardless?

Why do you suppose that is? These are the right questions. Though they lead to some very hard truths.

Is it because God hates cats or because He wanted to crush the heart of one of His daughters? Cats and every other kind of creature die all the time. Not to mention us, mankind.

Is it God's will that we suffer and die? If there is a fault, to who does it fall that we suffer and die? Is it God's fault?

[Jan51]

Do you think it was God's will that your cat died of cancer? Or if not from cancer, from any other malady given the circumstances? Or do you not know your cat was doomed to die regardless?

Why do you suppose that is? These are the right questions. Though they lead to some very hard truths.

Is it because God hates cats or because He wanted to crush the heart of one of His daughters? Cats and every other kind of creature die all the time. Not to mention us, mankind.

Is it God's will that we suffer and die? If there is a fault, to who does it fall that we suffer and die? Is it God's fault?

"These are the right questions."

[Mitsy]

Do you think it was God's will that your cat died of cancer? Or if not from cancer, from any other malady given the circumstances? Or do you not know your cat was doomed to die regardless?

Why do you suppose that is? These are the right questions. Though they lead to some very hard truths.

Is it because God hates cats or because He wanted to crush the heart of one of His daughters? Cats and every other kind of creature die all the time. Not to mention us, mankind.

Is it God's will that we suffer and die? If there is a fault, to who does it fall that we suffer and die? Is it God's fault?

This is being totally disrespectful to me.

[Wally]

Is it God's will that we suffer and die? If there is a fault, to who does it fall that we suffer and die? Is it God's fault?

I believe Tim left this as a rehtorical question as we who know Christ, know this:


It was not God's design that man should suffer, it was not His will that death should enter into creation.
It was man's choice, it started at a Tree and continues to this day.

The incredible compassion and mercy of God is that He would sacrifice His own Son to redeem us.
In spite of us being His enemies...... Christ died for us.



I have found in my brief existance, as His children, we can ask God anything. We can complain, grumble, argue.
We can promote our opinion and second guess. And God is big enough to take it.

Mauturity is seeing our own pride and foolishness in these rants and selfish petitions, humbling ourselves, and saying:

Not mine, but Your will be done. Luke 22:42 NKJV

Its not about asking so much as it is Trusting God to answer in Love and Perfection, even when it is "No".