Series: The Importance of…
The Importance of Asking God
INTRO: Does anyone here hate to ask someone for a favor or a need? Is it kind of humbling? Does it kind of make you flinch? Sure there are1 But how should we feel about asking God for things? Does He want to answer? Does He want to give us what we seek? Does He want to meet our need?
I say, “Yes He does!” “How can you say that Bro. Gary?”
His scripture teaches us this is so. Let’s get started, and look at the Importance of Asking God.
Matthew 6:1-18(NKJV) 1“Take
heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them.
Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet
before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they
may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
3But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing,
4that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.
5“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they
love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that
they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut
your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and
your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
7And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.
For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things
you have need of before you ask Him.
9In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be
Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in
heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil
one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you.
15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses.
16“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a
sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to
be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
17But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,
18so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father
who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret
will reward you openly.
How do we ask of God?
Prayer (serious or asking prayer) should be done in private – vs. 5-6
Prayer (asking) needs to be direct – 7
He knows our need before we ask (even better than we do ourselves) - 8
So, How do we ask God?
9…Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it
is in heaven.
Address your need (s)
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil
one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Are there any other promises about asking God in the Bible?
Matthew 18:19-20(KJV) 19Again
I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am
I in the midst of them.
Matthew 21:22(KJV) 22And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Matthew 7:7-12(NKJV) 7“Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be
opened to you.
8For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him
who knocks it will be opened.
9Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will
give him a stone?
10Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11If you then, 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!
12Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them,
for this is the Law and the Prophets.
What are the limits of God’s ability?
Ephesians 3:20-21(KJV) 20Now
unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or
think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout
all ages, world without end. Amen.
Acts 3:1-10(KJV) 1Now
Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being
the ninth hour.
2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom
they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask
alms of them that entered into the temple;
3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an
alms.
4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have
give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and
immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the
temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
9And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful
gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that
which had happened unto him.
James 1:5-6(NKJV) 5If
any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and
without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is
like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
Why do my requests not happen?
James 4:1-3(NKJV) 1Where
do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come
from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?
2You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain.
You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
3You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may
spend it on your pleasures.
We selfishly ask for things to please ourselves
And let me ask this…
So God just hears everyone and answers all of the things they ask to receive?
NO!
1 John 3:22-24(NKJV) 22And
whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do
those things that are pleasing in His sight.
23And 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.
24Now 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.
We should not look at God as a “candy jar”
He is a loving sovereign God
He will help us and meet our needs
We need to know Him, love Him, and abide with Him
We can have confidence in Him if we know Him
1 John 5:14(NKJV) 14Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Before I finish, I want to look at some people in God’s Word that sought God out and He heard their requests and answered them.
In Mark 5…
The woman who had been sick for 12 years just wanted to touch His garments and be healed
Jairus who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his daughter Tabitha
She died before He got there…yet the Lord answered Jairus’ request and did even greater – He brought her back from death
God is willing to help us
God wants us to be His followers
What are reasons we do not ask or not receive?
Selfishness – James 4:3
Lack caring, love or we are unconcerned (to ask for others)
Forgiveness in Jesus’ name
We call that salvation, being saved, being born again, etc.
Have you ever asked Jesus into your heart?
Have you ever asked God to forgive your sins?
Gary Marcum – New Beginnings Church – 052310am