Prayer: He Gives What We Need, as He Wills (it is not always what we ask for)
GOD gave His creation what we needed. GOD gives His creation (and faithful ones) what He wants. GOD shall always grant each of us what is necessary according to His will. It is not always what we ask for.
What do you think about that? I had to think on those statements for a bit. I even rewrote them in the attempt to cover all with a soul.
I intro’d and attempted to emphasize the concept that what we receive from the LORD GOD is often based on what is truly needed and aligned with His will, rather than simply what we request. If you and I have this perspective, it will encourage trust and acceptance, recognizing that our desires and prayers may not always match what is ultimately best for us.
The Bible consistently teaches that the Omniscient One (is all-knowing) and extremely compassionate. It carries the notion that He is aware of every aspect of our lives. This would very much include our thoughts, struggles, and needs—before we even express them.
Scripture details for us these things:
Psalm 139:1-4: “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar... Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD.”
Matthew 6:8: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”
Matthew 6:31-32: “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’... your heavenly Father knows that you need them.”
These verses highlight that GOD’s awareness is not limited to our physical needs but extends to our spiritual and emotional well-being as well.
Our overall provision is rooted in His understanding of what is truly best for us—not just what we ask for. It must come from His perspective and not ours. The main idea (and factoid) must be that GOD gives according to what is needed and aligns with what He sees coming, where we are at this moment and maybe even the amount of Spirit driven reassurance you, myself or anyone may need at just the right time. Our trust and acceptance of Him for these things of His are needed even when our prayers are not answered as we expect.
The Scripture that talks about us “delighting ourselves in Adonai (Lord)” opens us up to how relishing in GOD and positioning our desires with His will leads to complete fulfillment. Does that not make sense that trusting and delighting in His would suggest that we are and would grow closer to Him in the process? Our needs and desires become more attuned to what He already knows is best for us.
The Word assists believers to trust the Wisdom of the Ruach’s (Spirit’s) timing, knowing that He cares for us as a loving parent would care for a child (see Matthew 7:9-11).
Trusting in the Father’s provision means believing that He knows our needs even better than we do, and that He will provide in ways that are ultimately for our good, even if they differ from our immediate desires.
Do you trust Him?!
The Bible provides numerous references emphasizing that the Holy One answers prayer and provides for His children's needs according to His sovereign will. In the “selfish” and “I want” mode, we tend to overlook the “His will” portion.
Scripture details for us these things:
1 John 5:14–15: “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us, and because He hears us, we know we have what we requested.”
Matthew 6:10 / Luke 11:2: Yeshua instructs believers to pray, "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven".
John 14:13–14: Jesus promises to do whatever is asked in His name to glorify the Father.
NOTE: "…in My name" indicates alignment with His character
Hebrews 13:20–21: This passage speaks of GOD equipping believers with "every good thing to do His will" and working in them what is "pleasing in His sight".
The Bible reassures believers that GOD, our Father, is aware of their needs and is faithful to supply them:
Philippians 4:19: "…and my GOD will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus".
Matthew 6:31–33: Jesus teaches that His Father knows all our needs (like food and clothing) and promises that if we seek His kingdom first, "all these things will be added to you".
Psalm 34:10: Assures that those who seek the Lord "lack no good thing".
Isaiah 65:24: A unique promise that GOD hears and answers even before the prayer is finished: "…before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear".
Here is an area where I may lose some of you. Why is that? It is because, when we ask for things with selfish motives, the Bible teaches that our requests are often denied because they do not line up with GOD's character or His greater purpose for our lives.
Even though we need to hear that, we don’t’ want to hear that. We want what we want, even though we may know and understand that the Lord may not want it for us.
I am thinking you are fighting this one off in your mind, but you already know, you are unable to escape the Truth of GOD’s Word. Prayers may go unanswered because the motives of that person are wrong. The Bible shares, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures" –James 4:3
Other Scriptural tie-ins:
Proverbs 16:2
James 4:4
QUESTION: What do you think about unconfessed sin? – Psalm 66:18
QUESTION: How about lack of compassion for the poor? – Proverbs 21:13
Wrong Motives explains that some do not receive because they "ask amiss." Could this be a link to moral failure or spiritual sickness? We should not discount it.
Try some self-examination. You may find some roots still fighting to stay alive.
In James 4:3, the Greek word translated as "amiss" is kakōs
Literal Meaning: It primarily means "badly," "wrongly," "evilly," or "miserably".
Moral Implication: In this context, it describes a prayer offered with a corrupt heart or "wicked intent". It suggests that the person is not just making a mistake but is "not hitting the mark" because their request is in direct opposition to GOD's Word and character.
Physical Connection: Interestingly, the same word is frequently used in the Gospels (B’rit Chadasha) to describe those who are "sick" or "physically ill" (Matthew 4:24).
While "asking amiss" is a New Testament phrase, it draws on established Hebrew concepts of improper motives and missed targets.
Ra: The Greek word kakos is often the Septuagint translation for the Hebrew word ra, which means "bad," "evil," or "unpleasant". It refers to anything that is contrary to GOD's Law or harmful.
Hata: This common Hebrew word for "sin" literally means "to miss the mark". In the context of prayer, asking amiss is a form of spiritual "missing" where the petitioner's aim is centered on their own desires rather than GOD’s glory.
Tefillah: The Hebrew word for prayer, tefillah, comes from a root meaning "to judge" or "to differentiate". This suggests that true prayer involves a process of self-judgment where one examines their motives to ensure they are not "amiss" before presenting them to GOD.
NOTE: Obedience and Relationship – 1 John 3:22
NOTE: Faith without Doubting – James 1:6–8 and Mark 11:24