In his book "Handle With Prayer" Charles Stanley makes the following comment:
I want to approach this very important topic from two vantage points in this post. First I want to look at it theologically to see if it fits what the Scriptures have to say. Second I want to make a personal application/observation.
From a theological point of view most of what Stanley has said is certainly true. For example the Bible is clear:
"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him" -1Jn 5:14-15
The Bible also states:
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" -Jms 1:5
The Bible also states:
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will recieve" -Matt 21:22
I also agree that we do not have to beg God to do what He has promised, in His Word, that He will do. However what I have trouble with theologically is Stanley's assertion that:
"There is no need to keep asking Him to do what we have already asked Him to do once...Any more asking will show a lack of faith"
The reason I have trouble with these statements theologically is what Jesus said in Luke 11:5-13. I am not going to copy the whole section here so you will need to read it in your own Bibles. Jesus is talking about a man who has a visitor he does not have enough food to feed. So this man goes to his friend's house to ask for bread. The friend is first not willing to help but, due to the man's persistence, the friend does help. Jesus sums it up by making the following statement:
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened" (see also Matt 7:7-11)
It is clear from the context, and grammer, that this is not a one time request. The greek could literally be translated to read "keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking". In fact this is the way the New Living Translation translates the text:
"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks" -Lk 11:9-10
Jesus is saying that if you have a request of God you should keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking. Nothing in this text, or in any other text I can think of, would indicate such perseverence in prayer is a lack of faith.
In his wonderful one volume commentary William MacDonald quotes the following saying"
Then McDonald goes on to say that "this is a promise that when we pray, God always gives us what we ask for or He gives us something better. A 'no' answer means that He knows our request would not be the best for us; His denial is then better than our petition" (McDonald, 1412).
So it seems to me that Charles Stanley's advice that we should not "keep asking Him to do what we have already asked Him to do once" is unBiblical. We are to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking until we get an answer. That answer maybe "yes, here you go", that answer maybe "wait", or that answer maybe "no, this is what you really need". Either way God answers prayers and we should continue to ask, seek, and knock. That is the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ on this subject. While I understand Stanley's concern I believe his advice, at this single point, is unBiblical.
When we ask the Lord to grant a request we should have faith that He will do what He said He will do (answer). However there is no reason for us not to continue to ask the request until we have an answer from the Lord.
From a personal standpoint...
In recent weeks I have been dealing with some very pressing personal issue. I have prayed, prayed, and prayed some more. In fact I spent most of Friday and Saturday in a somewhat depressed state because the issue was not getting resolved. I kept on praying however. Last night, this morning, and today I think the answer(s) is starting to come through (at least some understanding). Don't get me wrong. The situation still exists and, to be honest, I don't know when it will be resolved. However I am trusting the Lord with it and, when I feel myself getting down, I have no trouble returning to my Heavenly Father and asking again. Not because I doubt Him, or think He did not hear me the first time, but because in His Word He tells me to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. I believe that my Father in heaven wants me continue to come to Him with this issue. He wants all of His children to do that when they have a need or even a desire. He wants us to look to Him, He wants us to ask Him, and He wants us to trust Him.
God is not rude nor does He fail to understand our various feelings and fears. The Word of God says, "let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may recieve mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).
I am so glad that the God of Scripture is not like a mean school teacher who only wants to be asked a question once.
raying:
"Since God wants us to know His will in our prayers, and since we know that if we are praying according to His will we already have the thing we ask for, the next step is to begin thanking Him. There is no need to keep asking Him to do what we have already asked Him to do once. In the same way, there is no need to beg Him to do what He has already promised to do. Instead, we should thank Him for it. We should thank Him for the wisdom we are going to experience in our prayers. We should thank Him for granting our desires, meeting our needs, and giving us direction. Then we must wait. Any more asking will show a lack of faith." -pg79
I want to approach this very important topic from two vantage points in this post. First I want to look at it theologically to see if it fits what the Scriptures have to say. Second I want to make a personal application/observation.
From a theological point of view most of what Stanley has said is certainly true. For example the Bible is clear:
"This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him" -1Jn 5:14-15
The Bible also states:
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" -Jms 1:5
The Bible also states:
"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will recieve" -Matt 21:22
I also agree that we do not have to beg God to do what He has promised, in His Word, that He will do. However what I have trouble with theologically is Stanley's assertion that:
"There is no need to keep asking Him to do what we have already asked Him to do once...Any more asking will show a lack of faith"
The reason I have trouble with these statements theologically is what Jesus said in Luke 11:5-13. I am not going to copy the whole section here so you will need to read it in your own Bibles. Jesus is talking about a man who has a visitor he does not have enough food to feed. So this man goes to his friend's house to ask for bread. The friend is first not willing to help but, due to the man's persistence, the friend does help. Jesus sums it up by making the following statement:
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened" (see also Matt 7:7-11)
It is clear from the context, and grammer, that this is not a one time request. The greek could literally be translated to read "keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking". In fact this is the way the New Living Translation translates the text:
"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks" -Lk 11:9-10
Jesus is saying that if you have a request of God you should keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking. Nothing in this text, or in any other text I can think of, would indicate such perseverence in prayer is a lack of faith.
In his wonderful one volume commentary William MacDonald quotes the following saying"
"God answers prayers:
Sometimes, when hearts are weak,
He gives the very gifts believers seek;
But often faith must learn a deeper rest,
And trust God's silence when He does not speak;
For He whose name is love will send the best,
Stars may burn out, nor mountain walls endure,
But God is true; His promises are sure.
He is our strength"
Then McDonald goes on to say that "this is a promise that when we pray, God always gives us what we ask for or He gives us something better. A 'no' answer means that He knows our request would not be the best for us; His denial is then better than our petition" (McDonald, 1412).
So it seems to me that Charles Stanley's advice that we should not "keep asking Him to do what we have already asked Him to do once" is unBiblical. We are to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking until we get an answer. That answer maybe "yes, here you go", that answer maybe "wait", or that answer maybe "no, this is what you really need". Either way God answers prayers and we should continue to ask, seek, and knock. That is the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ on this subject. While I understand Stanley's concern I believe his advice, at this single point, is unBiblical.
When we ask the Lord to grant a request we should have faith that He will do what He said He will do (answer). However there is no reason for us not to continue to ask the request until we have an answer from the Lord.
From a personal standpoint...
In recent weeks I have been dealing with some very pressing personal issue. I have prayed, prayed, and prayed some more. In fact I spent most of Friday and Saturday in a somewhat depressed state because the issue was not getting resolved. I kept on praying however. Last night, this morning, and today I think the answer(s) is starting to come through (at least some understanding). Don't get me wrong. The situation still exists and, to be honest, I don't know when it will be resolved. However I am trusting the Lord with it and, when I feel myself getting down, I have no trouble returning to my Heavenly Father and asking again. Not because I doubt Him, or think He did not hear me the first time, but because in His Word He tells me to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. I believe that my Father in heaven wants me continue to come to Him with this issue. He wants all of His children to do that when they have a need or even a desire. He wants us to look to Him, He wants us to ask Him, and He wants us to trust Him.
God is not rude nor does He fail to understand our various feelings and fears. The Word of God says, "let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may recieve mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).
I am so glad that the God of Scripture is not like a mean school teacher who only wants to be asked a question once.
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