KEY SCRIPTURE: James 4:3 KJV “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts”.

James 4:1-4, teaches us why many people do not get their prayers answered. There is strive among certain people and their desire to proof that they could also get certain things or can be productive influences their asking.

James 4:1 KJV “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?” People’s desire to possess certain things proceed from a desire to score some points over their competitors or rivals and not necessarily to glorify God. This inner fightings make their request contaminated by the flesh so they pray amiss.

Hannah the wife of Elkanah and mother of Prophet Samuel, had been seeking for the fruit of the womb for a couple of years (1st Samuel 1). Her expressions in the story for a son meant her rival gave her great times of mockery. I believe she had desired to get a baby to show her rival that she could also have a baby. This attitude made her pray amiss for a couple of years. She had her prayer request right when she said Lord give me a son and I would give him back to you. Do not live your life and have aspirations in relation to what men say and do, but solely to bring glory to God.

The pain and agony of certain individuals concerning their prayer requests is because of what others do to them or talk about them. These people ask and do not get because it is coming from the inner struggles they have with peoples’ words or aspirations about them. O how miserable it is to live your life according to people’s expectation and pressure. If you are in this state, you can’t have your prayers answered because your heart is shifted from God to yourself. Dear child of God, from now, turn from people, yourself and see whatever you want in the light of how God would be glorified. With this attitude you would be in the right frame of mind for your answers.

 CONFESSION

My prayer request, is never influenced by what somebody says or does. I live solely to please God and to glorify Him. I always have my answers and never have any ill feelings towards anyone.

FURTHER STUDIES

James 4:2 KJV “Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not”.

James 4:3 KJV” Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts”.