Ask and You Shall Receive: Powerful Promise For 2023

The Bible verse “Ask and you shall receive” (Matthew 7:7) is one that many Christians have heard throughout their lives. But what does this phrase actually mean and how can we use it to our benefit in our relationship with God?

Meaning Of Ask And You Shall Receive

The phrase “ask and you shall receive” tells us that when we come to God in prayer with a need or desire, He will answer our prayers. It is a promise of divine provision— if we ask God for something in faith, He will give it to us.

Isn’t this incredible? God is telling us that no matter what we ask of Him, He will provide if it is in accordance with His will. If our prayers are according to His plans and purposes, they will be answered.

This should motivate us to pray! God rules over all things. He has all power and is the King of Kings. We can be confident that if we ask Him, He will answer. In Philippians 4:19 it says, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Are you in distress? Do you desperately need something? Are you facing a great challenge? God will answer. He is faithful, and His promises are true.

The phrase “ask and you shall receive” carries with it a powerful promise from God that if we come to Him in faith, He will answer our prayers. We can be sure of divine provision when we seek out His will for our lives.

It’s important to remember that while this verse is often seen as a guarantee of success in all things, that is not necessarily the case. We must remember that God’s plans are often different from ours and sometimes His answer may be “no.”

So how do we know what God’s will is? One way to ensure that our prayers are in line with His will is to seek out His Word. Reading the Bible helps to cultivate faith and provides us with guidance on how we should live our lives.

By asking God in prayer and understanding what He has said, we can have assurance that He will answer us according to His perfect plan. Let us be bold and confident in our prayers to the Father, trusting that He will answer according to His perfect plan.

How To Ask God So That You Receive

If we want to see results from our prayers, there are certain things we should keep in mind when praying.

Ask With Faith

First, it is important that we ask with faith—we must believe that what we are asking for is possible through His power. It can be difficult to trust God and have faith in Him when we don’t know what He has planned. But the Bible tells us to “trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5).

When we pray with faith, it shows God that we believe He will answer our prayers and work in our lives according to His promises.

Having faith also helps us to remain hopeful in difficult situations, as we know that God is always listening and working for the good of those who love Him. Our faith strengthens us even in times of doubt and despair, reminding us that ultimately God’s plans are perfect.

Additionally, when we pray with faith it demonstrates our dedication to a relationship with God, as prayer is an expression of our love for Him.

By praying regularly, we can cultivate a deeper connection to Him and learn more about His character and nature. Praying with faith also allows us to better understand His will for our lives and be open to allowing Him greater access into our hearts.

In Hebrews 11:1, we are reminded that “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” We must have faith that God will provide what we need even when it doesn’t make sense to us.

Ask With Humility

Second, it is important to approach Him with humility—not taking for granted any gifts or blessings He gives us but recognizing them as coming from Him alone.

Praying with humility means recognizing that God already knows our needs, have already made plans for our lives, and are always working in the best interest of His children. Humility also acknowledges that we are all sinners who need a greater power and wisdom than ourselves in order to make wise decisions.

By praying humbly, we commit to seeking guidance from God and trusting Him to provide for their needs. Prayer opens the door for us to come before God with all of our concerns, requests, and questions, knowing that He hears us and loves us unconditionally.

It is in prayer that we can ask for divine help with difficult situations and give thanks for the blessings we receive.

Prayer reminds us of our dependence on God—it reinforces the fact that without Him, we would be powerless. In prayerful humility, we are reminded of how dependent we truly are on His mercy and grace.

Ask With Patience

Thirdly, it is important to be patient —answers don’t always come immediately but they do usually come when the time is right according to His plan.

Prayer is a long-term process, and one that requires us to remain steadfast and devoted. Patience in prayer helps to keep us focused on the bigger picture, and remind us that our faith will be tested at times but ultimately God will answer our prayers in His way and timing.

Patience also helps us to persevere through difficult trials, as we can trust that God will use them to refine our character and prepare us for whatever He has in store.

Additionally, it allows us to appreciate the small miracles along the way – understanding that even when things don’t happen quickly or as we anticipated, God still shows up faithfully. In times such as these, having patience helps us keep a healthy perspective of hope and trust in Him.

Pray With Submission

Finally, it is important to approach Him with submission —recognizing He knows best even if His answer differs from what we asked for initially.

Submission to God demonstrates that we are willing to lay our own plans and desires aside, in order to make room for His will and direction. When we submit ourselves to God’s authority, it humbles us before Him and allows us to truly rely on Him for guidance.

This not only brings us closer to Him, but deepens our trust in His perfect wisdom and timing.

Submission also helps us to stay aligned with His plans even when they don’t align with our own, reminding us that ultimately He knows what is best for us.

Moreover, when we submit ourselves to the Lordship of Christ it allows us access into a deeper understanding of what He wants from us – a knowledge that can only come through allowing Him greater access into our hearts and thoughts.

Why Does God Want Us To Ask?

God wants us to ask because He desires an intimate relationship with each of us where we can freely communicate our needs and desires with Him directly through prayer.

Asking also helps strengthen our relationship with Him by increasing our trust in Him —we learn that no matter what happens He will always be present in every situation even when things don’t turn out as expected.

Additionally, asking helps deepen our understanding of who He is ––we discover more about His character by seeing how He answers our prayers according to His perfect wisdom and love for us.

Who Said Ask And You Shall Receive?  

The phrase “ask and you shall receive” comes from Matthew 7:7 which reads “Ask and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”

This verse was spoken by Jesus Christ himself as part of what has become known as “The Sermon on the Mount.”

Jesus was reminding his followers not only of the importance of prayer but also encouraging them to never give up hope – no matter how difficult life becomes – because they have access to an infinite source of strength through their relationship with God Almighty Himself!

Bible Verses About Ask And You Shall Receive  

There are several other Bible verses related to this topic including:

  • Luke 11:9-10 – “So I say unto you…if ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit unto them that ask him?”
  • James 4:2-3 – “Ye have not because ye asked not”
  • 1 John 5:14-15 – “And this is the confidence that we have toward him…if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”
  • Psalm 37:4-5 – “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it.”
  • Psalm 50:15 – “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me.”
  • James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God…and it shall be given him.”

Understanding what Jesus meant when he said “ask and you shall receive” (Matthew 7:7) can help guide us through life’s struggles. It reminds us that no matter what happens God, will always provide if we just keep praying faithfully despite whatever obstacles may stand in our way.

The power of prayer should never be underestimated – so let’s continue asking boldly knowing full well that whatever answer comes forth comes straight from heaven!

Hey, I'm Stephen Altrogge. I'm a dad and published author. I've written for The Gospel Coalition, Desiring God, ERLC, Church Leaders, Crosswalk, and many more outlets. You can follow me on Instagram and Facebook .

2 thoughts on “Ask and You Shall Receive: Powerful Promise For 2023”

  1. I know that God is real
    I know without a doubt he’s the source of everything in my life
    Why is there so much wrongness an evilness with people that a trying there hardest to live rite to do rite to walk as he walks to be a follower of Christ
    Why so much hardship
    Why can’t life be happy free an just love..

    Reply
  2. Great teaching on prayer…so let us continue pray and praise and worship God in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah…amen

    Reply

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