(All scripture from the World English Bible, ebible.org, all rights reserved)
“In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years about which Yahweh’s word came to Jeremiah the prophet for the accomplishing of the desolations of Jerusalem, even seventy years. I set my face to the Lord God, to seek by prayer and petitions, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to Yahweh my God, and made confession, and said, “Oh, Lord, the great and dreadful God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned, and have dealt perversely, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even turning aside from your precepts and from your ordinances. We haven’t listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.”
(Daniel 9:1-6)
“You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Be subject therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners. Purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
(James 4:3-10)
The Israelites had been in exile a long time. Isaiah had prophesied the return of the people to the Land. Jeremiah said the exile would last seventy years and that time was almost up – with NO sign that the Israelites were going to be allowed back to the Land. Daniel wanted to verify the prophesy. Daniel wanted to give the people hope. Daniel yearned for the fulfillment and wanted to make sure that he was understanding what God had said. Daniel was seeking clarification about what God had said. He was seeking knowledge, but not for selfish gain or just out of curiosity. He wanted to know God better. He wanted to understand God’s Word better. He wanted to encourage the people and give them hope. God answered Him.
Prayer is not just talking to God. Or asking Him for something. We need to think of our motivations. Not every prayer should be answered. Some of them are just selfish. We’re thinking only of ourselves and what we want. Or what we THINK we want. Or we’re asking for things that ultimately will be either a detriment to us or to our walk with the Lord. Like wanting to be financially well off so that we can get the things, the food, the entertainment, and have a great time without worrying about responsibility. So that we can be lazy consumers of whatever we want. That’s greed. It’s one thing to want to be financially secure (that’s good). It’s another to want to go on shopping sprees and have massive ‘cheat’ days and party every weekend. We need to think about what is right and good. God is not against us having things. God is not against us being secure and solvent. God is not against us enjoying things. But we need to enjoy the things, not be slaves to the things. We need to learn to pray according to the Word. According to His will. To ask for what HE wants to see happen because we believe His Word and trust His judgment. He’s NEVER going to ask for something that is a defeat for us. God only wants good things for us (which is a different thing from a trouble-free life, btw). When we seek His will, there will never be a reason for Him to say no.
Summary
We are not meant to get God on our side. We are meant to align with Him. We are meant to choose Him. We are meant to turn to Him and let Him be in the driver’s seat. We need to do this because it is HIS point of view that’s important. God wants us to overcome and have victory and abundant life and prosperity. But ALL of that from HIS point of view. It MUST be from HIS point of view. Jesus overcame His entire life and was never, ever defeated. Yet He was despised, persecuted, and had to endure hardship at times. From God’s point of view, nothing but good times. Everything came up Jesus every time. From the world’s point of view, not so much. When we align with God and start to seek what He wants, that’s when the door opens. That’s when the yesses pour down one after the other. That’s when we can have confidence that our prayers are heard, answered, and fulfilled. Pray according to what God wants, and you’ll always have what you ask for (1 John 5:14–15).
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