Why Ask?

Updated: December 3, 2025

Christians know how to ask (somewhat) and give, but most don’t seem to know how to receive. Many have given up, and they stopped asking for practical things long ago. This is an awful tragedy, as so much needs to be done!

The Bible says in the book of James that “you don’t have, because you don’t ask.” It also says that the person who doesn’t ask in faith shouldn’t expect to receive anything from the Lord. Clearly faith must be involved in the asking.

Jesus said that “everyone who asks receives….” How does that work? Aren’t a lot of people asking God for things that they never get? Jesus was crystal clear on this point: if you ask God in faith, you will receive. Receive what? The thing you asked for!

Faith is not hoping or wishing that it might happen. If that is where you are, then you are not in faith. Faith is a firm conviction, a confidence, even a boldness that what you asked for is yours the moment you verbalized it. It is not a confidence in yourself, but rather a confidence that God will actually come through and fulfill what He promised about that particular “whatsoever” you prayed for.

So how do you get faith? You get it by hearing the truth of God’s Word, the Bible. You get it by hearing the testimony of others who have applied that truth and have seen results. You allow your own heart to actually believe that truth. Then, when you’re faith is full grown, you act on that truth.

So what do you do if you don’t get what you asked for? Ask the Holy Spirit to tell you why! You can ask for wisdom and expect to receive it. He wants you to receive more than you do because He knows that your testimony will also encourage others to ask boldly and effect His will in the Earth! Study the Bible and find out how to pray like New Testament believers, and get what you want as well as what you need. (See also Why Prayer?)
(Matthew 7:7-12, James 1:5-7, James 4:2-3, Mark 11:22-25 KJV, Matthew 18:19, Romans 10:13-17, Revelation 12:11, Hebrews 11:6)