We have received your request!
The Bible has a lot to say about requests we make to God and to others. Here is an overview of some of the key points the Bible makes about requests:
Prayer is making requests to God. A major theme throughout the Bible is that we can bring our requests to God through prayer. Jesus told us to “ask and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7). Philippians 4:6 says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We are instructed to pray about everything and to bring all of our requests to God.
God invites us to make requests of Him. Hebrews 4:16 tells us to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” God wants us to come to Him with our needs and make our requests known. He is not annoyed or bothered by our requests. As a loving Father, He invites us to make our requests to Him.
Ask according to God’s will. 1 John 5:14 says “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” As we make requests of God, we need to remember to ask according to His will and not our own selfish desires. When our requests align with God’s will, we can have confidence He will hear and answer.
Make requests with right motives. James 4:3 warns that “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” As we make requests of God and others, we need to examine our motives. God cares about why we are asking and the attitude of our hearts. We should make requests with humility, faith and pure motives.
Ask in faith, believing. Hebrews 11:6 reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” When we make requests of God, we need to have faith that He can and will answer according to His perfect will. Jesus said we need faith like a mustard seed when we ask God for something in prayer.
Make your requests known to God through prayer and petition. The Bible instructs us over and over to make our requests known to God. Philippians 4:6-7 sums it up: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Pray persistently. Jesus told a parable about persistence in prayer in Luke 18:1-8. He taught that we should never give up praying earnestly, making our requests known. God may not answer on our timing, but as we persist in prayer with patience and faith, He promises to hear and answer in His perfect timing and according to His will.
Ask others for what you need. While prayer is how we make requests of God, we are also instructed in Scripture to make requests of one another. Philippians 4:19 says “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Sometimes God meets our needs through other people, so we need to humble ourselves and ask others for help when needed.
Make requests with wisdom. James 1:5 instructs, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” We need wisdom to know what requests to make and how to make them well. We should ask God for wisdom in discerning what requests to make and when.
Ask with the right attitude. 1 Peter 5:5 reminds us, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'” We should make requests with humility, never demanding or expecting. A humble heart wins favor with God and others.
Seek God’s kingdom first. Matthew 6:33 tells us to “seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” When making requests, we need to align with God’s kingdom priorities. As we seek His heart first, He will guide us in prayers and requests aligned with His will.
Pray for others. While we spend much time making requests for ourselves, the Bible also instructs us to make requests for others. 1 Timothy 2:1 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.” Praying for others demonstrates unselfish, loving hearts.
Bring Requests with Thanksgiving. Just as prayer should always include thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), our requests should come with hearts of gratitude. As we thank God for how He has already provided, it keeps our requests rooted in trust instead of anxiety or greed.
Wait patiently for God’s timing. Sometimes God does not answer on our preferred timing. But as we wait patiently for God’s perfect timing and trust in His larger plan, He promises to answer in due time. “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him” (Psalm 37:7).
Trust God’s answer is best. God always answers prayer according to His wisdom and for our good, even when it’s hard to understand. “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). We can trust that God’s answers to our requests are always best.
God may answer “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.” We need to trust God when His answer to our request is “No” or “Wait.” He sees the full picture and His plan is always perfect. “We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Make requests based on God’s promises. We can make requests to God with confidence because of the promises in His Word. “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1). When we make requests based on God’s unbreakable promises, our faith is strengthened.
Submit requests humbly to God’s Sovereignty. As we make requests, we need humility to submit to God’s ultimate authority and sovereignty. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:9). Our requests must be held open handed, surrendered to God’s supreme wisdom and authority.
Right motives please God more than requests. We can get caught up in asking for things from God. But the condition of our hearts matters so much more. “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6). God ultimately cares more about why we are asking than what we are asking for. Correct motives are crucial.
Trust God to provide what we need. Jesus taught us not to worry about what we will eat or wear, because God knows what we need and will provide. “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:32-33). We can trust Him to provide.
Bring requests for daily bread. The Lord’s Prayer teaches us to ask God to “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). It pleases God when we look to Him daily for provision and ask in humble dependence upon Him to supply our needs.
Confess sin and seek forgiveness. We should keep short accounts with God and frequently request His forgiveness when we fail. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9). God invites us to come to Him and ask for daily cleansing.
Align requests with Christ-like character. As we grow in godly character, our requests will align more with God’s heart. “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Our focus shifts from self-centered requests to Christ-centered ones.
Trust God’s goodness in granting or withholding requests. Because God is perfectly good and loving, we can trust His heart whether He grants or denies our requests. “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.” (Daniel 2:20-21). God’s goodness remains constant.
God’s plan is better than our requests. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'” We need childlike faith to trust that God’s perfect plan is far better than anything we could request.
Keep requests few and urgent. Ecclesiastes 5:2 advises, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” Wordy, wandering prayers are not as effective as short, heartfelt ones. We should keep requests simple, few and honest.
Ask God to align your heart with His. Psalm 86:11 is a great prayer: “Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” As we grow in spiritual maturity, we learn to make requests according to God’s heart, not just our own desires. This pleases God.
The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. When we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit steps in. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8:26). We can trust the Spirit to communicate our requests perfectly to God.
God will fulfill the righteous desires of our hearts. “Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4). As we find our satisfaction in God and seek to please Him above all else, He grants us righteous desires and fulfills them. Our greatest request is for more of Him.
Trust in God’s promise to hear and answer prayer. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15). We can have complete confidence in God’s promise to hear and answer our prayers.
In summary, the Bible has a tremendous amount to teach us about bringing our requests to God and others with wisdom, faith and humility. As we learn to align our requests with God’s heart and trust His perfect timing and answers, we will experience great peace, contentment and joy. Our kind Father loves to hear His children’s requests and promises to respond for our ultimate good according to His glorious, eternal plan.