Scripture: Luke 11:9,10
Key Verse: “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you . . . For everyone who asks receives”
Spiritual B3
Documentation beats conversation every day of the week. How can you claim to really be asking for something that you want to receive, if you have not put it on paper? How can you measure your progress if you don’t have a starting line? How can you build your belief without a record of what God has already done?
Reflecting on my law school experience, Part II of the journey began more deeply drawing upon all the information I had acquired across the years. One big thing was the power of a contract, or in the Christian context of prayer a covenant. This document is powerful and should be incorporated into your relationship with God. You can get started with something as simple as a sticky note where you ask God for something that will give Him glory and you’ll end up with the overflow blessings. In a contract or covenant it is based upon two sides agreeing to do something. What are you willing to do for God in order to see the manifestation of what you are asking God for?
Once you put it on paper, spend time looking at it daily and start doing at least one thing each day toward receiving what you are asking for. I promise things will begin to happen in your life. The larger the ask, the more time it may take, but the more it will be worth it to see the manifestation of what you are asking God for in prayer. On the journey I was intentional about building my faith and reflecting on why I could trust and believe God based on His past performance. Then it hit me how many prayers God had answered that I never took the time to stop and say thank you because I had not written it down, therefore I had no tangible reference to go back to and track my prayer progress.
Our asking is more about us than it is about God, for as Matthew 6:8 tells us, God knows what we have need of before we ask. In the asking, and specifically putting it on paper, it takes us through a mental and evaluation process of truly doing the work to identify exactly what it is we are asking for. If you are praying about finances, don’t just say, “Lord I want you to bless me financially”, but actually write down and meditate on what that looks like in your life.
Here is the second revelation and warning, be careful, because once you put it on paper and start doing the things that demonstrate you are serious about what you are asking for— you will receive it. You have no idea how powerful your ask is! There are things in my life I asked God for, but I didn’t do the proper evaluative work on the front end. First, be specific and detailed in the ask. As an example, sometimes my generic prayers for the healing of others works, but I see a greater success rate when I take the time to research, pray, and meditate on exactly what I am asking God to do in a person’s mind or body
Second, spend time really seeking God in prayer about the ask on the front end. Some of the things I have asked for and received through God’s permissive will happened, but I eventually had a serious case of buyer’s remorse. Truthfully, there were some things I had made up my mind that I wanted and made God an afterthought in the process. I would even go as far to pray and fast about something, and then because I was arrogantly so sure about it, I would stop the fast before I even gave God time to fully speak to me if that was His will for my life in that season. I’d even go as far as to say that I heard God say I would receive what I had asked for simply because I asked in faith, I was serious, and I did things daily toward the pursuit of what I asked God for. When the thing I asked for, or situation backfired or I was miserable because I received it, when I started complaining God had to quickly shut me up because that was what I had asked for. If you get nothing else, do the work on the front end, because once you ask in belief, are serious, and are doing things to receive what you ask— it will happen!
Stop wasting time and get started today by writing down what you are asking God for in prayer and intentionally start with at least adding one thing into your daily life toward that ask.
CPR Kit for the Soul:
- Centering: Sit still and meditate on exactly what you want to ask God for.
- Prayer: Ask God for the focus to spend time reflecting on what you have asked God for.
- Reflection: How will I measure time for receiving the ask going forward, in minutes and seconds, or in seasons of growth? Once I make the decision, how can I cultivate the seeds of my asking?
T3 Prayer Booster:
- Father God, I sometimes feel like a single drop of difference in an ocean of need, please help me decide what it is that I am asking You for that will bring You the greatest glory and help others?
- Lord, grant me the focus to revisit my ask daily. I know where my focus goes, my energy flows.
- Lord, help me to realign my thinking from minute by minute to seasonal patterns of growth. As I realign my thinking into seasons help me to recognize and react appropriately to the season.
