Praying the prayer of petition
Prayer petition overview
The prayer of petition is the right to petition our heavenly Father for our needs and desires. Based upon the finished work of Jesus on the cross the petition is made to the Father in Jesus name. We are admonished to ask in Matthew 7 and for the person who refuses to do so, they may go without the answer. James says that you have not because you ask not.
People refuse to ask for a number of reasons such as pride, unbelief, fear, and a host of other reasons. But the facts still remain the same, God wants us to petition him just as a child petitions their parents. Petitioning the Father must be in faith or it will not be answered. Many times a person feels as though they need a special prayer on paper or religious communication before talking to God, but the truth is that God wants a heart felt prayer and not a show.
Jesus became upset with the religious pharisees and called them hypocrites in Matthew chapter 5 because they prayed only to boost their egos. This Christmas season my granddaughter was very funny because every toy commercial she saw on television she petitioned me for. Of course I could not get everything that she wanted because some of the toys were not appropriate for her age, and it just would not have been wise to get everything. God is the same way with us as we look to him for answers to petitioning prayer.
Wisdom is not receiving everything you petition for
In the example with my grand daughter she received her Christmas gifts according to my will and not hers because she didn't know what was good for her as well as I did.
God knows whats best for us also and the answer of our petition to him will be based upon his will.
1John 5:14 says that this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us and if he heareth us we know that we have the petitions we desired of him.
How can I know the will of God for my life?
May I tell you that you can know the will of God for your life and petition to him accordingly. First of all his word is his will and when you find a promise in the bible that speaks of his will for mankind, then you and I have the evidence needed to stand on that promise because he can not lie (Numbers 23:19).
He tells us that we as parents are to provide for our families, so when I come to him petitioning him for finance , I have scripture that says it is his will for me to provide for my family (if that is my real desire). The bottom line is that the word of God must be the grounds for petition. Without this boundary people may ask for any and everything and just like a loving parent, God will never give anything that will hurt mankind.
The bible says in James 1 that every good and perfect gift comes from above. God gives good gifts to his children because the bible again says that if we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall our heavenly Father give good things to his children. God is saying that all of our love for our children pales in comparison to his love for his children, in fact its like evil in comparison.
Petition God for things that affect purpose and destiny and not for things that one can do for themselves. Asking God for a washing machine when one can get it themselves with proper money management is not a wise petition. But on the other hand if one cannot get a washing machine, God is concerned about what concerns his people no matter how small it may seem. God wants his people to petition him for things that only he can provide so that when he does, there is no question that he did it!
Petition God for things that affect purpose and destiny and not for things that we can do ourselves
Can my petitioning be trusted?
We live in a world where many people are self centered and selfish and the bible even says in 2 Timothy 3:1 that in the last days men shall be lovers of themselves. Apart from a changed heart, a persons heart is desperately wicked, so with these statistics how can a person know if their petitioning is sincere or selfish?
God has included a clause in his word the bible that answers this question. John 15:7 says that if we abide in him and his word abides in us then we can ask what we will and it would be done of my Father which is in heaven. God is concerned about relationship just like we would not want someone we love to just use us for what they could get out of us.
To abide in him is like a married couple who live in relationship with each other. They become one and share the same name. This married couple would not ask for something from each other that would ruin their relationship because they love one another. When a persons relationship with Christ grows they will not ask for something that will harm the relationship because they love him. This is why the request will be granted.
He also says if his word abides (lives) in a person because true relationship and discipleship is keeping his word. Jesus said that if you keep my word then are you my disciples indeed. when a persons relationship with God is right, then that person can trust their petitioning because it is not for selfish reasons.
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If the answer is yes explain, others feel free to add your thoughts
