Good morning family!

If you want your life to be different, you must dare to think differently and learn to delight yourself in the Lord. He promises that He will give you the desires of your heart (see Psalm 37:4).

We are all familiar with the prayer of Jabez from 1 Chronicles 4:10.  This is what it says,

  • Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”  So God granted him what he requested.

I always pray Hebrews 4:16 when I am asking God for something, whether it be for wisdom, financial need, even the nations.  It says,

  • Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

I boldly ask God to enlarge my territory.  I ask Him for the nations. Psalm 2:8 (Amp) declares,

  • Ask of Me, and I will assuredly give [You] the nations as your inheritance, and the ends of the earth as your possession.

Jesus said to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (see Mark 16:15).  So, when I pray, I ask  Him to allow Randy and I, our children and our ministry to reach every square inch of this planet with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is thinking outside of the box.  1 John 5:14-15 says,

  • Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Family, God’s Word is His will, so if you find a promise in His Word and pray it, you are praying according to His will.

I love John 14:13-14.  In it, Jesus declares,

  • And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it.

And again, in John 16:23, Jesus says,

  • And in that day you will ask Me nothing.  Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my Name He will give you.

The Lord Jesus says to us in Matthew 7:7 (Amp),

  • Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you…

I love the story of Hannah from 1 Samuel 1.  Hannah had no children and desired to have a baby.  Eli the priest saw her praying and said to her in verse 17,

  • Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.

The Scripture goes on to say in verse 20 that in the process of time, Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”

Now, let’s look at what happened with Solomon.  In 1 Kings 3:5, 9-14 we read,

  • At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask!  What shall I give you?”  (Solomon’s reply):  “Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.  For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?” The speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.  Then God said to him:  “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern justice, behold, I have done according to your words; see I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.  And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days.

Solomon asked the Lord for wisdom and became the wisest man ever.  1 kings 10:23 declares,

  • So king Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom.

All throughout the Bible, you can see Jesus asking this question, “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?”  In Mark 10:51-52 we read,

  • “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?“, Jesus asked him.  The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”  And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.

I exhort you in this way today, “WHAT DO YOU WANT?”  Jesus is waiting for your request!

Love in the Lord,

Lisa Gordon

Assistant Pastor

Jesus City Church