06/18/2018
Jesus said that whatever we asked in His name He would do, so why is it that you are praying and He isn’t doing what you are asking of Him? This is a common question asked about prayer, and one that causes many pastors to begin making excuses for Jesus and God. The inability to understand prayer based on one verse of scripture, taken out of context, leads to the downfall of many.
“If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
John 14:14 ESV
We hear it on television, and other forms of reporting the news; a single bite of conversation pulled from a lengthy speech or description someone is offering, and misused to serve the reporter’s motives. A few words out of many that had been offered, which, when quoted alone, make what was said appear to be the opposite of what was intended. This happens with scripture as well, and nowhere is it more prevalent than John 14:14. Sermons are preached around the simplicity of just asking and Jesus will give it, but if we read the verses preceding 14:14 we find that there is more...
“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
John 14:11, 13 ESV
And then later in the next chapter John delves into this again by saying...
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
John 15:7 ESV
Even as we read John chapter 12 we were being prepared for 14:14 with these words...
“Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”
Luke 12:31 ESV
And, as if this weren’t enough, Matthew wades into this subject by saying...
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33 ESV
This has been a lot of scripture, but what does it mean? Well, it means that the few words of John 14:14 do not stand alone. We should no more believe that we can pull them from context and the totality of scripture than we should believe that the entire gospel of Jesus Christ can be told in a single verse. If we were to attempt that, which verse would we choose? John 11:35? Or how about Mark 14:27?
No, Jesus says that if we believe in Him he will give us what we pray for, but first we must understand what it means to believe in Him. We know that His entire life was focused on doing the will of God so to believe in Him means we must also believe in that... to do the will of God, to obey, and to seek the kingdom of God as He did. Jesus is motivated to answer prayer so that it will glorify the Father. What glory would come from answering a prayer contrary to the will of God?
I have four children, and as I raised them I provided for them, but sometimes one of them would ask me for something that I couldn’t do, perhaps it went against what my faith would allow, or at other times it would set a precedent for the family that was detrimental to who I was, and what I wished for them to be. I didn’t say “no”... I said “I can’t.” They were asking because they either didn’t understand who I was, or they were exploring the boundaries of my tolerance so that they could set their own boundaries.
So when we pray for something, how are we determining if it falls within the tolerances of who God is? Are we asking because we believe this is truly who He is, that it would be within His will, or are we asking because the desire, or pain, we are feeling at that moment is strong enough to challenge our own faith? Perhaps we are asking to test the boundaries of who God is and His will so that we can set our boundary stones... we are looking for the border of righteousness. Whatever the reason we must understand who God is, have faith in Him, know what we are asking will glorify Him, and trust that He will be good to His Word... in its entirety. Attempting to trap God in one verse is to dishonor Him, and will destroy your faith.... I asked and He didn’t do what He said He would... “really?”
Seek God, understand who He is, honor Him, and allow Him the glory in what you request. Jesus prayed first and foremost that He was within the will of God in what He desired. He performed no miracle that was contrary to that will.
“So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.”
John 5:19-20 ESV
When we pray, are we praying within God’s will, or our own? Are we asking for something that would glorify God, or something that eases our own pain, or glorifies us despite who we know Him to be? Seek he first the kingdom of God, and search out God’s will... then ask Jesus in all assurance, because His word is truth.
Prayer:
Father, thank you for answered prayer, and for revealing yourself to me so that I know how to pray within that will, and within who you are. Help me Holy Father to understand who you are by accepting the Holy Spirit, and His guidance in my faith, and life. Strengthen me Merciful Father so that my own weakness will not bring me to ask you for things that are contrary to your character, and who you are. Let everything I ask bring you glory and nothing I ask dishonor you. Build my faith Holy Father so that when I am tempted to ask you to turn rocks into loaves of bread I can resist this temptation. Let my comfort in who you are be sufficient, and allow me to endure the hardships and suffering of my life by asking that your will be done in whatever circumstance I find myself in. Hear me when I pray Lord, and guide me to your will, so that you can answer for your glory. Let your will, not mine be done, as I serve you with all my heart. Lift me up in my knowledge of you Father, so that if by chance I ask for something that is outside the boundary of who you are, my faith will sustain itself through the disappointment and lesson I learn I you. Great are you Holy Father, a True is your Word. Help me in my understanding, Help me in my unbelief, for Holy, Holy, Holy, are you.
Rich Forbes