3 Ways to Pray for Yourself Without Being Selfish

It’s Conditional

To fully understand this remarkable promise, we also need to know that the Bible attaches at least three conditions to the promise. 

1. The first condition is to ask in accord with God’s will. When our youngest son was learning to read, he came into my study one day and said, “Dad, can I have a Bible?”

“Why do you want a Bible, Son?” I asked.

“Because we are reading Bible stories in school and learning Bible verses in our Sunday school class,” he answered, “and I want to be able to read and mark things in my own Bible.” 

I was, of course, delighted that he asked. He had his Bible within 24 hours. His request was “in accord with my will.” God delights in our asking because we are His children. His Father-heart leaps for joy when we come asking.

2. The second condition is faith. James tells us that if we ask for wisdom we will receive it (James 1:5). But then he adds, “when you ask, you must believe and not doubt.” The person who doubts, he says, “is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7). In other words, when we ask for wisdom, or any other spiritual gift for that matter, we must believe that God hears our requests and will always keep His promise.

3. The third condition is a commitment to obedience. John underscores the need to obey when he says, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, then we have confidence before God. And whatever we ask, we will receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:21-22).

If we are not obeying His commands or doing what pleases Him, we should not expect God to grant our requests. If, for example, I pray, “Lord, make me a man of the Word,” but then leave my Bible unused on the shelf, I have no reason to expect God to grant that request.  

He’ll Have It His Way

There is one more thing to keep in mind as we think about God’s way of answering prayer. He always answers in His own time and way. He may answer within minutes or over years. If you ask for patience, He may give you trials that teach you patience. He may give you just what you ask—or more than you ask. Solomon asked for wisdom and God answered his prayer, but then God added things Solomon had not asked for: wealth, riches and honor (2 Chr. 1:12). God’s ways in answering our prayers may not always be our ways, but they are always the best ways. 

The spiritual riches that God offers are of inestimable value. The Father in heaven is the richest being in the universe. He has it all. And He wants you and me to share in His “wealth.” He is eager to bless, eager to give and eager to strengthen. He is listening for our prayers and watching for opportunities to give. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, “For the eyes of the Lord move about on all the earth to strengthen the heart that is completely toward Him.” Ask-ers are among the richest people in the world! God has made this incredible promise to us so that we may have all we need to be all He intends us to be. If we do not ask, He will be disappointed, and we will be the losers. Teresa of Avila once declared, “You pay God a great compliment by asking great things of Him.”

What are you going to ask for? I hope you will go for the max. {eoa}

*When a verb in the Greek is in the middle voice, as this verb is, it means that the subject is acting for himself or herself. The authors were saying that the pray-ers were “asking for themselves.” 

Alvin J. Vandergriend is the prayer-evangelism associate for Harvest Prayer Ministries. This article appeared in the Oct-Dec 2016 issue of Prayer Connect magazine. Prayer Connect is offering a 20% discount on a subscription to Charisma Online browsers. Use Code VGCH20 at checkout for discount.