LifeLink Devotional

Friday, March 19, 2021

I am not an interior designer. I do not do well at visualizing how a space can be decorated. However, when it comes to hanging things on the wall, I am your guy. Why? Because they will always be level. I have a calibrated eyeball. It would be totally contrary to who I am for you to ask me to intentionally hang a picture crooked, even if you wanted it that way for effect. I would not and could not do it.

Yet when we pray, we often ask God to do things that are not in agreement with His nature and eternal purpose. We have misapplied the words of Jesus when He said we could ask anything in His Name and He would do it.

John 14:12-14 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Very simply, Jesus said we could ask anything of Him that is in accordance with who He is, and He would do it so that the Father is glorified. Jesus did not promise that we could ask anything. He will not do what contradicts His nature and character. That would make Him unholy. Jesus will only do what confirms the nature of God and collaborates His redemptive purpose.

I have heard far too much teaching from those who think the level of my faith is the basis for receiving anything we ask of God. I have heard those teachers tell people, “If only you had more faith than God would have answered.” LIES! I do not apologize for being so blunt. The only faith necessary to receive from God anything we ask is for the request to agree with who Jesus is and what Jesus wants to accomplish.

Prayer is not my tool to get my way. Prayer is the Holy Spirit’s gift to us so that we may see life from God’s perspective and ask Jesus for anything we need to accomplish His purpose. Jesus will always say yes to those requests that are made in His Name because they glorify the Father.

When you pray, your requests must confirm the nature of Jesus and comply with His redemptive purpose. If they don’t, and you know when they don’t, then don’t ask. And if you’re not sure, then ask for the wisdom to know what to ask. The desires of your heart are irrelevant unless they are motivated by your delight in the Lord.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Pastor John