The God Who Answers ( 2)
JOhnpiper, one of my spiritual mentors, wrote this: “God never ignores his children. He is never too busy. Never lacking in resources. Never confused. Never ill- disposed. He is always attentive. Always gracious. Always eager. Always wise. Always loving. He hears every request from his humble, trusting children, and he answers with whatever is best. It always pays to pray. Always.”
In John 16: 23- 24, Jesus makes a promise to his disciples: “In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”
God’s readiness to answer us is what I call: “Blessed Assurance.” It is baffling that the Almighty God would give such latitude in prayer to sinners like us. In John 16: 23- 24, Jesus offers a blank cheque, encouraging us to bring our petitions in his name. Then he gives the assurance: “Ask,
and you will receive, that when ye pray, believe that ye your joy may be full.” Here, receive them, and ye shall our receiving and fullness of have them,” ( Mark 11: 24). joy are linked to our asking. “If ye then, being evil, know
God does not always answer how to give good gifts unto prayers by fire or by remarkyour children: how much able signs. More often than more shall your heavenly Fanot we expect God to answer ther give the Holy Spirit to with a bang, but he answers them that ask him?” ( Luke quietly without much noise. 11: 13).
Most times, our desire is for “And whatsoever ye shall ask God to answer us more than in my name, that will I do, to understand what he wants that the Father may be glorito teach us in prayer . At fied in the Son. If ye shall ask times, God is more interested any thing in my name, I will in developing our character do it, ( John 14: 13- 14). than having our petitions “For through him we both granted. That is why it is not have access by one Spirit unto always that we get what we the Father,” ( Ephesians 2: 18). ask for, more often than not, “Let us therefore come God answers us differently boldly unto the throne of from what we ask. The Aposgrace, that we may obtain tle James says: “You ask and mercy, and find grace to help do not receive, because you in time of need,” ( Hebrews ask wrongly, to spend it on 4: 16). your passions,” ( James 4: 3). “Having therefore, brethren,
The following are nine pasboldness to enter into the sages of scriptures in which holiest by the blood of Jesus” the Lord tells us that He ( Hebrews 10: 19). wants to answer us: “And this is the confidence
“Again I say unto you, that if that we have in him, that, if two of you shall agree on we ask anything according to earth as touching anythi ng his will, he heareth us: And if that they shall ask, it shall be we know that he hear us, done for them of my Father whatsoever we ask, we know which is in heaven,” Matthew that we have the petitions 18: 19. that we desired of him,” 1
“And all things, whatsoever John 5: 14- 15. ye shall ask in prayer, believThese promises show a willing, ye shall receive,” ing God, ready to answer us ( Matthew 21: 22). when we call on him.
“Therefore, I say u nto y ou, what things soever ye desire,