At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5 NKJV)
If God asked you that question, what would you ask for? When God asked Solomon, Solomon could have asked for anything. He could have requested money, a bigger house, a designer tunic, or a state-of-the-art chariot. Instead, he asked for something that would help him to rule God’s people well – wisdom.
So again, what would you ask for? Jesus said, “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14 NKJV). And James told us that “you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2d NKJV).
Of course, God’s not a genie, there to grant your every wish. Before you get carried away, James went on to say, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3 NKJV). And notice that Jesus said we should ask in His name. Which made me wonder: What does God want us to ask for?
I found the answer in God’s Word, the Bible. Here are eleven things, along with the Bible verses, that God wants us to pray for. Many of them come from when Jesus taught His disciples how they should pray. And one of them aligns with Solomon’s request.
1. The Holy Spirit
Jesus said, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13 NKJV).
2. Wisdom
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5 NKJV).
3. Healing
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14 NKJV).
4. To send more people to spread the Gospel
“Then [Jesus] said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:37 NKJV).
5. God’s kingdom to come
“Your kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10a NKJV).
6. God’s will to be done
“Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10b NKJV).
7. Provision
“Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11 NKJV).
8. Forgiveness
“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12 NKJV).
9. To keep from falling into temptation
“And do not lead us into temptation” (Matthew 6:13a NKJV).
10. Deliverance from the evil one
“But deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13b NKJV).
11. Other people’s needs
“Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men . . . .” (1 Timothy 2:1 NKJV).
So, what would you ask for? Remember: you have not because you ask not. Change that this week. Ask God for all these things in Jesus’ name as you walk by faith with Him.
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