Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. – Mark 11:24 ESV
Our prayers are often motivated by our own desires and interest and we like to hear that we can have anything that we pray for. But Jesus prayed with Gods interest in mind. When we pray we should express our desires but should want Gods will above our own.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are 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! – Matthew 7:7-11 ESV
Jesus tells us to persist in perusing God. People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude that the answer to their prayer is “No”. But knowing God takes faith, focus and follow-through and Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded. So don’t give up in your efforts to seek God.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
It may seem impossible not to be anxious for anything but Paul’s advice here is for us to turn our worries into prayers. The equation that you can use for your prayers is to minus worry add prayer add supplication and multiply with thanksgiving. When you use this formula the answer is the peace of God that passes understanding in your heart.
You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. – James 4:2-3
James mentions the most common problems in prayer:
God wants you to ask for whatever you need but you first need to examine your motives. Your prayers will become powerful when you allow God to change your desires so that they are perfectly aligned with His will for you.
Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. – John 16:24 ESV
What we need to remember when we have a desire is that God does want us to enjoy whatever we are asking for. You can ask God for something in prayer that may be frivolous. Just remember that whatever God blesses you with it will Give Him glory, cause you to grow closer to Him spiritually and also be a blessing to others.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:13 ESV
Even though good fathers may make mistakes, they still treat their children well. How much better our perfect Heavenly father treats His children.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. – Psalm 37:4 ESV
To delight yourself in someone means to enjoy their presence. The more time you spend in Gods presence, the more the desires of your heart will change to align with God’s desires.
Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” – Mark 9:21-24
Sometimes the answers to our prayers may take longer then we want but if it does not happen in our timeline, we need to remember to keep hope alive and believe for the answer to our prayer. In this verse, The father sounded like he almost gave up on believing for the complete healing of his son and just wanted Jesus to do anything. But Jesus is able to do everything.
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. – 1 John 5:14-15
The emphasis that I want to make with this verse is on Gods will, not our own. When we communicate with God we don’t demand what we want, rather we discuss with him what He wants for us. If we align our prayers to his will, he will listen and we can be certain that if He is listening, he will answer. This is where your confidence comes from.
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? – Romans 8:29-32
If God gave His son for you, He isn’t going to hold back salvation from you. If Christ died for you, He isn’t going to turn around and condemn you. He will not withhold any that you need to live your life for Him so just ask for whatever you need.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. – Matthew 6:33 ESV
To seek first His kingdom and His righteousness means to turn to God first for help and to fill your thoughts with his desires. It is very important to make sure that whatever you desire does not bump God out of first place in your life.