Too many times we live below our potential simply because we forget to ask for help. Yet countless times Jesus Himself instructed us to ask for the things we need. Are we too proud that we think we don’t need help? Are we concerned God is too busy to be bothered? Not only is your Father God the Creator and maintainer of the universe, He is also your heavenly Father. Fathers want to take care of their children’s needs. God is a good and perfect and caring Father. Not only does He want to help you, He has the means to do so! He is your “sugar daddy”. You may not have had a biological daddy who was either willing or able to help you, but you have a spiritual daddy who can and will!
John 16:24 records Jesus as saying “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy will be the fullest possible joy.” This gives us every indication that He does want to help and be involved in our lives. Just like any friend wants to help if they can!
Another passage indicates the qualification to asking is to believe you receive when you ask.
“For this reason I tell you; when you pray and ask for something, believe that you have received it, and you will be given whatever you ask for.” Mark 11:24
Too many times we pray before we’re sure of God’s will. You can have no confidence to pray if you’re not sure God wants to give it! Secondly, once we pray we must believe we receive what we prayed for even before we see the answer. This is faith in God in action.
So how do we believe we receive? We simply thank God that He has heard and answered and believe the answer is on its way. What do we do while the answer is coming? We praise Him every opportunity we have for the answer. I often picture prayer requests like ordering an item online. You place the order and then you anticipate its arrival. You’re fairly certain that within a period of time it’s coming. In the meantime you picture that item that you will wear or display in your living room as though it’s already yours. Just remember NOTHING is too big or too small for God to be involved!
