Just Ask

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. -Ephesians 1:3 NIV

There is a wonderful lesson to be learned from James 4:2. It simply says, …You do not have because you do not ask God (NIV). Sometimes, we can find ourselves in the midst of a storm and hope for change or desire something better but never stop to simply ask the Lord. One of the greatest reasons for unanswered prayers is failing to actually pray!

What can we ask God for? We can ask for anything that His Word says we can have. If we’re not sure, the worst thing that can happen is we ask God for something that isn’t in His will and He doesn’t give it to us. But He won’t be angry with us for asking.

Ephesians 3:20 says that God can do much more than we could ever think, hope or imagine. Maybe you are not asking God for big enough things. I often say I would rather ask God for a lot and get some of it than to ask Him for nothing and get all of it! Don’t be afraid to ask God for big things, because He is a big God who loves to do big things. Always remember that He wants to bless you not because you are good but because He is good.

One of the greatest verses in the Bible is John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (NIV). In giving Jesus, God gave His best and His only.

I was hesitant to ask for big things until God taught me better. I believe that many times we don’t ask because we know we don’t deserve any of God’s blessings, let alone big ones. We ask if we are desperate for God’s help, but if it is something “extra” that we could do without, we are often not bold enough to ask for it. But do you know that God wants you to approach His throne boldly? (See Hebrews 4:16.)

Because we know that God loves us, we can go boldly to His throne and ask for whatever we need, even when we know we are far from perfect in our behavior. We all have weaknesses, but weakness is different from wickedness. God looks at the heart. Many people who have a heart after God also have weaknesses they are working through, and those weaknesses won’t keep God from helping and blessing them.

We all make mistakes. We sin and truly don’t deserve God’s help in any area of life. Thankfully, we don’t get what we deserve, but we share in what Jesus deserves. We are co-heirs with Jesus (see Romans 8:17).

God knows we could not ever deserve His goodness, and this is one reason He sent Jesus. Jesus had no sin, and He deserves everything God has. If we believe in Him and have a good relationship with Him, loving Him with all of our heart, we join in enjoying His inheritance. What He has becomes ours!

I encourage you to do three simple things that will greatly impact the power of your prayers:

1. When you sin, repent immediately and sincerely.

2. Don’t allow unforgiveness in your heart toward anyone, because unforgiveness hinders prayer.

3. Be extremely thankful for all God has done and continually does for you. God will answer prayers, but He doesn’t answer complaints. Gratitude prevents us from complaining.

In Matthew 7:7 (NIV), Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” When life is difficult and you’re searching for answers, the most powerful thing you can do is talk with God, praise Him for who He is, and simply ask for His help. You can be assured that He delights in you coming to Him and hears your every request.

Adapted from the book Blessed in the Mess by Joyce Meyer. Copyright 2023 by Joyce Meyer. Published by Hachette Book Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Prayer: “Father, please remind me that I can come boldly before Your throne and ask for big things. You are a big God, capable of doing the impossible, and You desire for me to run to You with everything that concerns me. Thank You for meeting every one of my needs and doing greater things than I can even ask or imagine. I don’t deserve Your blessings, but I can receive them because of what Jesus did for us. I am so grateful! In Jesus’ name, amen.