Bible Studies

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When you pray, are you confident that God will give you what you’re asking for? There are two very different schools of thought on prayer these days. On one end of Christianity, you have people who don’t believe that God hears their prayers. He created the stars and the moon, but surely He has better things to do than care whether you get the job you want. Perhaps you have even prayed for things and were disappointed. Then there are those who believe that God can give you whatever you desire. All you have to do is believe it. Of course, as with most things, the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

Those who believe that God will give them whatever they want often rely on Mark 11:22-26, where Jesus basically says that whatsoever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive it, and you shall have it.

Jesus also said that all things are possible to those who believe (Mark 9:23). And that nothing is impossible with God (Mark 10:27). Looking at this, it’s almost like we set the bar. And we do—to a point. Our faith determines how much of the blessings of God come into our lives. Our attitude should be that God is bigger than any circumstance in our lives. God can do anything, and He is waiting to bless you. But you can’t take a couple of scriptures and build a doctrine. We have to look at what the word says as a whole.

In Mark 10:35, James and John go to Jesus and ask Him to give them whatever they want, which, no less, is a position by His throne. But Jesus’ reply is, “You shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of and be baptized with the baptism that I shall be baptized. But to sit on my right hand or on my left hand is not mine to give.”

A few scriptures back we read that we can have what we want. Now we see two people who desire something and Jesus basically saying, “I can’t do it.” Why? It was already set in heaven. Clearly, there are boundaries within the word of God that lay out what you can and can’t have. We need to know what these are so we can pray with confidence that God will answer us.

The word tells us that nothing is impossible — according to His will. In 1 John 5:14-15 we learn that if we ask anything according to His will, we can have absolute confidence that He grants it to us. If you understand what God wants in a situation, then your prayers and desires line up with His plans and desires, and there’s the blessing. It’s not something you dreamt up on your own, or decided is the best way to go. For example, it is God’s will for us to have salvation. It’s already sanctioned in heaven. It’s what He wants and desires for humanity. So when your prayer and your faith line up with that, it’s yours. It’s ordained and your prayer brings it into your life.

Isn’t it hard to believe in something you’re not really sure of anyway? God knows what you need better than you do. How many times have you hatched some great plan only to wonder what on earth you were thinking a few weeks later? Or how often have you found yourself spinning your wheels? Jeremiah 10:23 says it’s not even natural for us to direct our steps. We simply don’t have it in us. We have no clue what lies ahead—but God does. He is far better at figuring out the best for you—and will think even bigger than you do. We have this intimate relationship with God who says, “I’ll help you make your life the best it can be. All you have to do is believe in me and yield to me.”

Psalm 37 says to trust Him and do good and you’ll be provided for. Trusting in the Lord with all your heart means not relying on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Your life is committed to Him. You acknowledge Him in everything you do. As a result, your desires must match up with His—and your prayers are answered.
Meanwhile, there a few reasons God doesn’t answer prayer: sin; your intentions aren’t right; God has a higher purpose; or God has a better plan. In the next segment, we’ll look at the first: sin.

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