Message #17 (of 20) from the PrayerPower radio series
"Asking - God’s Way"

by Kaye Johns

Jesus taught us to ask for what we need in prayer, but we don’t always get what we asked for. Sometimes that’s because we ask for the wrong thing, as Moses did in Numbers 11, when he asked God to "put me to death right now." [Numbers 11:15] That clearly wasn’t God’s will. If you read the whole passage [Numbers 11:10-15], you see Moses’ problem: He used "I," "me," "my" and "myself" fifteen times in five verses. His attitude was wrong, because his focus was wrong--on himself, rather than on God.

King David asked for his son to live [2 Samuel 12:16], but his prayer was against God’s expressed will; God had already told him the child would die.

James’ and John’s mother asked that they be allowed to sit at Jesus’ right and left hand [Matthew 20:21]. Her request wasn’t granted because it was from the wrong motive--pride--and it wasn’t God’s will.

Paul asked that the thorn in his flesh be removed [2 Corinthians 12:8]. We might think that a reasonable request--but God said, no, His grace was sufficient. God knew Paul needed the thorn to keep him from spiritual pride. He was protecting Paul out of love. Neither Paul nor we can know what is really best sometimes.

We need to linger in our prayers, thinking over what we’re asking, listening for the Lord’s discernment and insight. The more we understand about prayer, the less disappointed we’ll be.

Pray with me now -- Lord, give us the gift of discernment, that we may better know what to ask, in Jesus’ name, amen.

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