Ye ask, and receive not

James 4:3

James states the reason that we receive not, we ask amiss. Millions of people go through life never once praying to God to thank him or ask him for the things that they need. Many Christians pray daily but receive not. The Bible states that we receive nothing of our prayers because we ask amiss. So if the fault in our prayers is ours, how can we improve things? Let us look at some causes to our ineffectual prayers.

We are not earnest in our prayers

How serious is your request? How much value do you place on it?

[Rom.10:1, 9:1-3] Paul’s heart’s desire… and willing to be accursed from Christ!

[Ex.32:30-32] Moses was earnest when he prayed for his people, and willing to be blotted out!

 Never approach God with an attitude of indifference. What right do we have to call his attention to at with which we ourselves are not sincerely concerned? You ask amiss.

We pray with unworthy motives

The last part of our verse says that we ask so that we can consume it upon our own lust

Too often we only apply this to sensual or immoral things. Really, lust  its anything that satisfies your fleshly appetite.

Praying for anything that would allow YOU to get the glory instead of God, you ask amiss

Example of praying for a great day on the ships, so that I will look like a great servant of God

We are unwilling to give up some known sin

[Ps.66:18] God hates sin so much, how can he hear our prayers?

 God will not compromise, but will lead you

[Ps.139:23-24] Just ask, Your sin will cause you to ask amiss.

We are not willing to put footsteps with our prayers

Sometimes praying is all we can do, but God knows, when we can do nothing but pray

We must be willing to do what we can, or we ask amiss

 Pray for missions, and never give or go?

Pray for lost souls, and never witness, invite, visit, or open your mouth?

Pray for God to make you a better Christian, and do nothing to promote a closer life with him?

We pray in an unbelieving spirit

[Matt.9:27-29] Your entire Christian life is by faith

[Eph.2:8-9] You are saved by faith

[2Cor.5:7] you should walk by faith

[Heb.11:6] It’s impossible to please him without it

So it is perfectly understandable that we must believe when we pray, or ask amiss

We don’t pray in Jesus Christ name

[1Tim.2:5]  Only one mediator

[Jn.14:6] Only way to the Father

[Jn.16:23-24] Ask in Jesus name

It means so much more than our repetitive “In Jesus name”

[Rom.8:34] [ Heb.7:25] intercession for us, we are to rely solely on him, or ask amiss