Six Things God Wants That Should Make Your Prayers Bold

Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you.”  (Matthew 7:7)  He encourages you to be bold in asking for his involvement in your life.  Why?  The answer is simple and profound.  He cares!

Bold Prayers

The Lord cares for you.  He cares so much that he sent his Son to die on the cross and rise from the dead to secure your redemption, to bring you into right relationship with him.  He wants your prayers to be bold.  He wants you to approach his “throne of grace with confidence.” (Hebrews 4:16)

As parents, when our kids ask us for things we do not want to give, we think of ways to show them what they ask is not wise.  But when they ask us for things that we want to give, we are thrilled they are asking and eager to fill their request.  It is the same with God.

Knowing God necessitates knowing what God wants, what he wants to do in you.  When you know what God wants it is easy to know what you can pray for with confidence.

Here are six things God wants…

1. He wants to meet your needs.  Paul wrote, “God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)  Often we get our greed confused with our need.  It is not that God wants to give us anything we ask for.  But he is eager to meet our needs.  You can know he wants to take care of you.  Be open to the way God will choose to meet those needs, but be not shy about bringing your need to him.
2. He wants to guide you with his Word.  The Bible teaches “man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)  He loves when you submerge yourself in Scripture, seeking guidance from him.  You can ask him to guide you and he will.
3. He wants to treat you better than you deserve.  In the parable of the prodigal son, the Father (representing God) shows kindness, rather than rebuke, to his repentant son. (Luke 15) He treated the boy better than he deserved.  We didn’t deserve the gift of salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, but by his grace he gave it.  Perhaps you have failed, but do not shy away from coming to God in prayer and asking for help.  Maybe you don’t deserve the help.  Truth is none of us do.  But God is inclined to help the broken.
4. He wants to turn your troubles into teaching moments.  When we are facing difficulties we often think that all is wasted.  But it is not.  God never wastes a hurt.  Every challenge is an opportunity for us to learn.  Instead of asking “Why Me?”  We should be asking, “What are you teaching me in this, LORD?”
5. He wants us to return from our spiritual wanderings.  Some of us have wandered from our relationship with God, wandered from his ways.  We can be tempted to think that since we have wandered, God has written us off.  But that is not true.  In the parable of the prodigal we see the Father faithfully waiting for the return of his son.  God has not written you off.  He wants you to return and he is waiting to welcome you back into his loving arms.
6. He wants to fill you with his celebrative love.  The Father in the story of the prodigal welcomes his wayward son home with a lavish celebration.  This is powerful.  It means the God celebrates when we approach him for mercy.  God celebrates over you.  You are that precious to him.

Knowing God wants to do these things, be bold in asking for him to do so.  He will celebrate in your asking.

Question:  How are you going to choose to pray more boldly now that you know God wants to answer your prayers?  You can leave a comment by clicking here.