Whatever we ask, we receive!

That’s sounds a lot like a genie in a bottle kind of prosperity God—not the Most High Holy of Holies.

So what does John mean when he writes, “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” (1 John 3:22)?

The second part of that verse is key to understanding what John is saying—when we are concerned with keeping God’s commandments and doing the things that are pleasing in His sight, we are asking the right things of God.

But can God still say, “no”?

He can.
Should we even mention this?

As some of you know my story, my first husband became addicted to drugs and took his life. My life fell apart during a time when I had been doing my Bible study, when I had been trying to follow Jesus and be obedient, when I had truly been worshiping God.

And let me tell you, the enemy used this for a long time in my life.
I had thought if I followed God, He would make things go well for me, which I thought meant living a happy life where others don’t cause us pain.

Like many immature churchgoers, without even saying it aloud, I had made a deal of sorts with God, and when my good behavior didn’t lead to my expected results, I found myself mad at God and susceptible to believing Satan’s lies.

Though I had surrendered my life to Christ, I had not surrendered all my expectations.

Friends, we have to take the whole counsel of God’s Word. We can’t only read “whatever you ask you receive” (1 John 3:22) without understanding He is God and we are not—

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD” (Isa.
55:8). He is God, and I am not. You are not

We also have to understand we live in a fallen world among others who God also gave free wills.

Even though I had surrendered my life to Christ, for a long time, I still idolized a life that was stable, predictable, and easy.

To truly walk in peace and all that God has for me, I knew I had a choice to make.

Could I surrender everything—even my expectations for how my life would go? Can you?

I knew I could not simply surrender to God on my terms, but on His, and His terms might include plans for my life that could look far from how I wanted them to look.

After my husband’s suicide, I had to choose to accept this and decide if I would go on with God.

God would not force me to continue to follow Him. I could continue in my hurt, anger and my bitterness, or I could dare to trust His goodness—even though I didn’t understand why He had allowed everything to happen. I could hold on and dare to believe that His plans for me still included hope and a better future.

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:11–13).

All my heart—even the hopes and expectations of my heart

I had a choice: I could believe God and keep praying to Him and seeking Him, or I could give up. The question was, could I follow a God who does things I don’t like and might do more things I don’t like? Could I surrender and trust Him with my heart? Could I trust Him more than I trusted myself?

The answer had to be yes. All other choices would only lead to more misery and pain. As a follower of Christ, I could not be a woman who loves God but loves my own way and my own expectations a bit more. I had to surrender all. Again and again.

All meant all.
It still means all,
all these years later.

But this is also true-God has always been in the business of bringing beauty from ashes (Isa. 61:3). His Word is full of incredibly hopeless people finding real, stand-on, keep-going hope.

His greatest miracles and supernatural peace often come in the most desperate of situations. Oh friend, hold on! This life can be hard things happen we don’t understand, but God, He’s so very good.

read1John

Note – this is a continuation of my study of 1 John.