ASKING OF THE LORD by G.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA · Sep 5, 1900

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 26, No. 36.

ASKING OF THE LORD.

By G.

THE Lord gives us a plain, straightforward promise in regard to supplying our needs. He says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Then He emphasizes it, saying, "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Matt. 7:7, 8. As compared with the willingness of earthly parents to give good gifts to their children, He is much more willing to give His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. Luke 11:13.

In view of these plain, positive promises, why is it that we hear so much complaint of unanswered prayers, of petitions apparently unnoticed? The answer is found in the failure to appreciate what it means to ask of the Lord. Asking of God means more than the mere childish whims of, Give me this, or, Give me that, just for temporary gratification. When the ordinary beggar goes from door to door with his stereotyped plea for aid, his sole purpose is to supply personal temporal wants. He has no thought of first honoring the householder with the donation he may receive. Now James tells us that this is why we fail in receiving the things for which we ask of the Lord: "Ye ask, and receive not; because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts" ("spend it in your pleasures," R. V.).

The poor man wants more means, that he may be in easier circumstances; the sick man wants relief, that he may feel better; the one about to die wants restoration, because he fears to die, or because there is something of a temporal nature that he wishes to accomplish; or perhaps there has been some well-known duty neglected, and he imagines he would be more faithful if spared a little longer. Another wants mental qualifications, or even spiritual gifts, that he may be able to hold desired position or compete with others. Simon Magus offered money that he might be able to lay his hands on people and cause them to receive the Holy Ghost. Apparently this would be for the good of the people, but Simon's real purpose was selfish—he wanted to increase his own power and influence.

The promise, "Ask, and it shall be given you," is no more positive than are the conditions. The Lord said to His disciples, "If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7. It ought not to be deemed necessary to fortify such a plain declaration of the Lord, or any other declaration of His, for that matter; but that there may be no mistake, and to give the word "if" in this promise its full force, we add the alternative assurance, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. 28:9.

Another condition of asking—which is practically the same, tho differently expressed—is the possession of the abiding Spirit. God knows what is best, and answers accordingly. So His apostle tells us that "the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which can not be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." Rom. 8:26, 27. Then the promise, "Ask, and it shall be given you," depends upon the petitions being according to the will of God; and the petitioner must have the Spirit abiding in him in order that his prayer may be the mind of the Spirit, which alone can know the will of God. Mark, the Spirit must abide, else there is no assurance of always asking what you will "and having it done unto you;" for what you will must be also the mind of the Spirit and the will of God. It is not enough that it be something that will add to your personal comfort or gratify some personal desire. Even the apostle Paul was denied freedom from personal suffering (2 Cor. 12:7-10), and on another occasion he was obliged to leave Trophimus, a fellow-laborer, at Miletum, sick (2 Tim. 4:20).

A further condition, pertaining directly to the home life, is implied in the counsel given by Peter to husbands: "Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered." 1 Peter 3:7, R. V.

Not the least important condition, however, of asking of the Lord, is absolute faith. "What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24. When the disciples expressed surprise because a fig tree was withered at the word of Christ, He said, "If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done." Matt. 21:21. The apostle James reiterates this promise in these words: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."

Unless the Spirit of God abide in the heart, as it did upon Jesus (John 3:32), the individual will surely be wavering; for it is impossible to serve God without the guidance of the Spirit. Now James adds, concerning the wavering one, "Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." Then let no one be deceived in the matter of asking of the Lord, nor blame Him if prayers are not answered as desired. "God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Gal. 6:7. The wavering man who deliberately sows some of the time to the flesh, "turning away his ear from hearing the law," and tries to sow part of the time to the Spirit by a formal profession, has no promise that his prayers will receive any attention whatever. Those who have requests to make of God, on the strength of the promise, "Ask, and it shall be given you," should take heed to the conditions. We are not to live on part of the Word of God, but "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."