What the Bible says about Asking God for Our Needs
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Matthew 6:9 A Christian's relationship with God is rightly analogous to that of a human child with his human father. The Bible describes a process of spiritual growth from birth to maturity (and ultimately glorification) that the Father begins through a summons to His Son (John 6:44). Christ then works to bring us to belief and repentance to the point that we accept Him as our Savior and commit to a life of submission to God. God then gives us His Spirit. When this occurs, regeneration happens (see Titus 3:5); it is a new birth—a new man is created (see Colossians 3:10), born spiritually into true life (Romans 6:4; I Peter 3:18). The recent convert begins to learn and grow—just like a human baby—striving to mature “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). The apostle John puts it slightly differently: “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and . . . whatever is born of God overcomes the world” (I John 5:1, 4; see John 16:33). Like a human father, God the Father cares for His children, providing them the benefits they need to thrive in their new life (Psalm 103:1-14; see I Peter 5:7, 10; II Peter 1:2-4). Jesus promises, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. . . . Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:23-24). Richard T. Ritenbaugh The Model Prayer (Part Two): Our Father in Heaven Related Topics: | Asking According to God's Will | Asking God for Our Needs | Born of God | Family Relationship with God the Father | Father Child Relationship | Fullness of the Stature of Christ | Spiritual Maturity | Spiritual Maturity, Process of | The Model Prayer

Luke 11:11-13 This context actually begins back in verse 5 with a story about a man going to another person's house, knocking, knocking, and knocking on the door, but the man asleep inside does not want to get out of bed. We often think that the lesson we are to glean from this is to be persistent with God. However, that is not the lesson in this particular story. The lesson is the contrast between the churlish man, who had to be forced out of bed to give his friend some help, and God, who readily gives the anointing of His Holy Spirit. A person does not have to beg God to receive His Holy Spirit from Him! He wants to give that to us! It is the one thing that He wants above all other things to give to us, and we do not have to beg Him for it. Jesus is not saying that we should not be persistent when going before God. Certainly, we should be courteously persistent, but that is not the lesson here (it is, however, the lesson in Luke 18:1-8). Luke 11 teaches that one need not beg God for His Holy Spirit. He will give it to us generously, all that we need, to get us through every single day. He will anoint us with it! We need to ask Him for it, because it is what will make the day worthwhile. It will smooth out all the irritations and aggravations—the metaphorical flies that buzz around our head every day. Each of them may be capable of leading us to commit spiritual suicide—should a sin grow into something more dangerous. John W. Ritenbaugh Psalm 23 (Part Three) Related Topics: Ask, Seek, and Knock | Asking God for Our Needs | Gift of God's Holy Spirit | Gift of the Holy Spirit | Holy Spirit, Gift of | Knock at the Door | Knocking as Metaphor | Parable of the Persistent Friend | Persistence | Persistent Prayer | Prayer, Persistence in

Hebrews 1:3 Jesus has been exalted to sit at the Father's right side in heaven. By the power of the Father, He rose from the dead to work with the Father on Their plan to complete the creation of mankind in God's image. No plan of Theirs has ever failed by even the smallest degree. Yet few use their faith in Jesus' work. Most make no effort to seek His help in producing the fruit that glorifies God. Conclusion: Humanity shows it cannot be bothered with such a triviality as prayer. John W. Ritenbaugh Why Hebrews Was Written (Part Ten): Christianity's Claims Related Topics: Asking God for Our Needs | Bearing Fruit | Branch and Vine Analogy | Faith in Christ's Sacrifice | Faith in God | Jesus Christ at Right Hand of God the Father | Jesus Christ's Ascension | Prayer, Time for | Producing Fruit that Glorifies God | Why Hebrews Was Written

 

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