Series: Inspired Word of God
Scripture: John 15:7 ESV
John 15:7 MSG
I’ve been part of many discussions in my life about our ability or right to ask and receive what we want or need from God.
As a younger person I was told there are stipulations to what we can receive and what we should/need to ask God to give us or to do for us.
Quite frankly, I found it all very confusing.
In order to gain a better understanding on the subject I looked for Christian books so I could read about asking and God’s will. I’m not saying many of the authors were wrong, but it seemed like there were a lot of “if’s, and’s, or but’s” on the subject.
I can’t say my questions were answered.
Growing up my da always reminded me while people can have interpretations and thoughts about scripture that they were often inspired to write, that does not replace how God inspires me.
He taught me that when I read, stop, and listen…God will speak.
In John 15:7 the Apostle was inspired to write, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
When it comes to the subject of listening I’ve learned with time and with the patience of God that God has given me a desire to hear.
Seminary gave me tools in my tool box, but everyone isn’t called to go to seminary. Trust me…if you are not specifically called to go do not go. My M.Div. was 144 graduate level hours and it was a very costly program (both with time, years spent, and money). It was a great journey, but it’s not for everyone.
Having said that, in today’s world there are great tools online that you can learn and utilize tools available.
The ancient Hebrew text and translation of the Old Testament is online.
The Koine Greek text and translation of the New Testament is online.
I would caution anyone doing self-study to look for reliable sources. If you aren’t sure if something is a reliable source you might ask your Pastor for help.
The initial reading of the text and the surrounding verses will help you to know the subject matter and perhaps the questions you have about the text.
Even before I went to Seminary, I had been taught by very wise Pastors how to sit with the text and listen.
I once had the opportunity to attend a great set of classes on Listening Prayer.
I learned a lot about listening and waiting for the movement of the Spirit. The main thing I realized is that recognizing how God speaks to you will help you long-term. Once you know how God speaks to you, you can watch and wait for it.
I’m not sure how it came about but I remember being frustrated when I started. I was pretty young but I prayed. Then, I went to hear Billy Graham speak at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. That night I experienced the movement of the Holy Spirit.
After that night when I read scripture the Spirit would nudge me by putting pressure on my right ear lobe. That may seem strange, but every time I was reading scripture and I had a question and I felt pressure on my right ear lobe, I stopped to listen for God. Sometimes I had a feeling what to do, at other times I heard a thought (and it wasn’t a thought I would have had). I also had dreams and visions that came true after I had the dream.
All of those were different ways God spoke and inspired me.
That was many decades ago and God still speaks to me the same way today. Around twenty years go I had the opportunity to pray with a group of gifted pray-ers and I came to realize being sensitive to the presence of the Spirit in me was important.
Once I realized God in me was reacting in a positive or a negative manner I sharpened those skills by paying attention to the Spirit. I learned that when the Spirit was warning me of the presence of a negative Spirit I needed to immediately walked away. The same was true of being aware the movement of the Holy Spirit in another person.
When I was twenty years old I met a man who was filled with a strong and powerful Spirit of God. I will not forget how strong and powerful it felt. Because of that experience I know how to recognize the Holy Spirit in another person.
Now to ‘Abide in me’ and ‘ask whatever’. That’s the really difficult part of John 15:7. The Message says, “if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon.“
It took a great deal of time and patience for me to fully understand how God was communicating with me.
God is NOT Santa Clause. God will not give you anything you want because God will not bring evil to you. So, if you ask for a mansion and that would ultimately bring evil God will act on your request by saying no.
John 15:7 gives us the key to prayer. When we abide in Jesus AS ONE…and we abide in His WORD we will know what to ask. There isn’t any rogue thought here. It’s a seamless connection between Jesus and us. We know what to ask when we abide IN God and listen.
Spiritual Practice: Abide In Jesus
What do you ask?
In God, Deborah