As we continue in our series on how to pray effectively, I want you to get these three words in your heart: How Much More!
So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:11
How much more. Husbands do not be cheap with your wife or your family; you set the tone for God in your home. When I see a man being cheap with his wife, I see a man who does not value her. This has nothing to do with money. Wives, if your husband wants to bless you, let him, do not stop him from it; that is sinful. You are asking him not to do what God tells him to do. God will bless him for blessing you. So, when you say no, you are not only robbing yourself of a blessing, but you are also robbing the man in your life of getting a blessing. Then you will pray, “God bless us.” He is in heaven saying, “I’m trying moron.”
You cannot serve God and be blessed by God and be cheap. Asking is separate from prayer.
“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from him.” 1 John 5:14-15
Follow with me for a moment because this is where a lot of Christians get lazy. If you ask anything according to His will, He hears us. It does not say He occasionally listens. If you ask things that are not according to His will, He does not even hear it. If you are someone who says, I pray, but it feels like God does not even hear me, you are right! You cannot ask for something outside of God’s will and expect to be heard. God will not go against His word for you. You are not that special. When you study to understand what His will is in any matter, how your prayer changes, you do not ask anymore. You pray the answer.
Why do most people say, Lord, if it is your will? Because they are lazy. 2 Timothy 2:15 says to study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word. If you do not know what God’s will is on a matter, then do not blame God that your prayers stink. You learn His will, then pray the answer.
