Does God Really Do That?

Below are several verses where Scripture explicitly says that whatever we ask for we will receive. Granted we must ask “abiding in Christ, and asking in His name,” but what do these verses really mean for us? It is very confounding to me on a practical, personal, experiential level.

God, I am asking for wisdom and understanding as to what this means. Please show me how to approach prayer and praying for my needs (and wants) as you want us to do.

Maybe it has something to do with how I asked my dad for running shoes this week, and he bought them for me, and I was so grateful for them even though I asked with the expectation of the outcome. So when I ask God, “give me this day my daily bread” I expect provision, and I am grateful when it comes.

John 15:7

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will

be done for you.

John 14:12-14

…Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in

the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 15:16

…your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

John 16:23-24

Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Matthew 7:7-8

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be

opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and

to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 18:18-20

Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and

whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two

of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my

Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I

among them.

Matthew 21:18-22

…Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, „Be taken up and thrown into the sea,‟ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”