Purposed Prayer

“You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires.”
James 4:3

Jesus did say, “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:14). At first glance this may seem like a blanket promise from Jesus to His followers that if we ask for anything (house, car, land, healing, drugs, spouse, cash) it will be given or done for us, but it is not. This verse must be kept in context. Here Jesus is speaking to the disciples preparing them for when He returns to Heaven. He is letting them know that the church will be in their hands and when they ask  the Father for what is needed to fulfill His purpose in the church they will have what they ask for. The key phrase is “glorified in the Son.” Jesus had taught this group of twelve that they existed for God’s glory and they were on mission with God. As His servants He would empower them to carry out His will for the sake of His mission. Every prayer that a disciple of Jesus prays should be for Jesus’ sake and not their sake. As the disciple lives out Jesus’ mission to seek and to save the lost and to make disciples of all nations God the Father is going to grant whatever is needed to accomplish this task. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God with all authority in His hand. Interceding for the church when Peter or John ask God for help in prayer Jesus leans over to the Father and says this prayer request will be beneficial to Kingdom of Heaven growth on earth. Then God grants this and every other request.

James, points out that many in the church are not having their prayers answered and the reason is their motive is wrong. They ask for their sake not Jesus’ sake. The purpose of prayer is to discern the Lord’s will, request wisdom and discernment to know when and where to take action and request strength to carry out that will to the fullest most possible extent.

Jesus prayed in the Garden, “Father if You are willing take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). God gave confirmation to Jesus that His plan was for Jesus to receive God’s cup of wrath upon Himself. Then God gives Jesus discernment that He will go to the cross and He gives Him strength to endure the pain that will be thrust on Him as He receives the sins of humanity. In addition He lets Jesus know now is not the time to act but the time to be carried away by the Roman soldiers.

We are called to follow Jesus and as we go He makes us His disciples and as disciples we pray for discernment to know His will and as we gain this wisdom we learn how to pray for His names sake. When we ask for His sake according to His plan we know that we will receive what we have asked of Him.