How to get what you want, and want what you get.
Thats really the full title to this message
At first glance that may sound crazy, of course I’ll want what i get, but if the truth be known every single person who reads or hears this message will be able to identify at least one time and probably many many times that we got what we wanted and wished we hadn’t.
Let me give you a couple illustrations from my own life,
When I was about 18 I had a real nice guitar, for those who know anything about guitars they will appreciate knowing that it was a moserite, it was a classic, it was beautiful.
the color was what they called sunburst.
Well there was an old gentleman in the church who had an old guitar that was not even a tenth of the quality and worth of my moserite, but it caught my attention.
Well I wheeled and dealed until i talked that old man into a trade strait across.
He was probably jumping up and down on the inside, thinking what an idiot, but thank you jesus anyway.
Anyway, I left church that night feeling like I had won the grand prize at the state fair.
Then I went home and plugged it into my amplifier and started playing it.
It was a piece of junk,
That was one of the worst deals I have ever made in my life, I started kicking myself that night, and haven’t stopped to this day.
I got what I wanted, but I didn’t want what I got.
Another Illustration from my own life was this old 65 Cadillac I wanted ( This neighbor of mine wanted to sell it) to me it was beautiful, it was big as a freight train, and as heavy and used more gas than five cars put together,
but it was pretty, and it had everything automatic, and it was only three hundred dollars.
Well I bought it, there was no power steering, so it was like driving a logging truck, I had nothing but trouble with it from the day i bought it.
I had to tear the ignition out just to put a toggle switch in to be able to start it.
I drove it about two weeks and sent it to the junkyard
just to get it out of my dads front yard.
I got what I wanted, but didn’t want what I got.
You have your own story, I’m sure.
Maybe it was that house that you wanted so bad, and you finally got it and it turned out to be a money pit.
Or maybe it was that man, or that woman that you were just sure they were the one, the one and only, the sun rose and set in thier eyes, you chased them and wooed them and finally won the prize.
And then you said to yourself (boy is he a prize, or boy is she the prize).
I don’t know what your story is but suffice it to say, we have all been there.
But wisdom is to learn from your mistakes, and do things differently the next time.
I personally don’t feel like I have enough time to waste on wrong choices, I would rather get it right the first time,
Get what I want and want what I get.
The Bible Says:
Mk 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Mat 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Asking is more than just mere words, it’s an attitude. For asking to qualify you for recieving, it must be in the attitude of faith: God has in essence given us a blank check and said that it is up to us to fill in the blank.
Every single promise of God is just waiting for the claim of faith.
Salvation, healing, deliverance, prosperity, etc.
The design is that we seek first the kingdom and every other natural or earthly need will be added to us.
Some would say, that only those who please God and follow his directions can receive answers to their prayers, or get what they want from God., but that is not entirely true.
A promise is a promise and God has bound himself to his word, and he will be faithful to his word.
“ Be careful what you ask for, you might get it. - You will get it”
Receiving what you asked for doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting what you need
Don’t mistake an answer to prayer for you getting what you need.
*It is very possible for you to ask for the wrong things, and receive them.
1Sa 8:5 The elders of Israel said to Samuel, give us a King to judge us like all the nations.
The Lord said: They have not rejected you, but me. Hearken unto them but protest solemnly.
They got their king, and forsook their God.
In the following verses of Psalms they got what they wanted for their flesh, but lost what they needed for their souls.
Ps 106:14-15 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And (he gave them their request;) but sent leanness into their soul.
It is possible to be asking and receiving and be fat in the things of personal desires of the flesh and yet be starving to death spiritually.
*It is possible to gain the world, and lose your soul.
*It is possible to be so preoccupied with the good things that we can get from God, that we forget all about him.
Jer 2:32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, [or] a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
It is possible to lose the presence and the operation of the Holy spirit in your life, and not even know it. EXAMPLE= Samson
(he ) =The Holy Spirit always announces his arrival, but he never announces his departure).
*It is possible to have more than you’ve ever had, and be less than you’ve ever been.
*It is possible to be living your dream, while Gods dream for you dies.
Don’t make the mistake of exercising the priveledge of prayer outside of the fathers supervision.
(This was the real problem of the prodigal son, he wanted power with no supervision). He wanted what he wanted because he wanted it, how he wanted it when he wanted it, and he wanted to be able to do with it what he wanted to please himself.
Pro 1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
One of the worst things that can happen to you is to think that because you have the right to ask for whatever you want, that it’s right for you.
What do you want from God?
children want what they want because they want it.
But mature adults want what they want because they need it (and because it’s good for them. (Theoritically thats the way it’s supposed to be)
1 Cor 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
What Paul is saying is, a child processes everything through a please and satisfy self mentality .
Paul said When I became a man, I put away childish things.
In other words, he is saying (When I became a man I realized it’s not all about me).
A Spiritual adult or spiritually mature person will Take the blank check that the father has given them and will go to the father and say, Father What do I need?
Thy Kingdom come thy will be done
Not as I will but as thou wilt.
There are some things that we would never think to ask for, that the father has lovingly prepared for us, things that will help to strengthen and mature us to the place that we will be beneficial to others.
spiritual babies are only concerned about themselves.
spiritually mature people want to know how, they can help others.
What do you want from God?
What you want from God, will define whether you are spiritually immature, or whether you have become spiritually mature.
“What do you want from God?
Your number one desire should be for his kingdom to come and his will to be done in your life.
his presence, his anointing, his peace, his joy, his power, his love, his compassion.
It is not wrong to want things, it is not wrong to desire money, it is not wrong to want a nice car and a nice house.
These things are not wrong ( but where are they on your list?)
Where they are on your list determines whether they are wrong for you or not.
Jesus said: Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these other things shall be added unto you.
I have no desire to discourage you from asking, I have only the desire to help you to co-ordinate your asking with Gods desire to give.
There is a scripture that says: God will give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:4
That is a wonderful scripture, and it makes it sound like God is just watching and waiting to fulfill mine and your every hearts desire, whatever it is.
But that is only half of the verse
The first part of the verse which sets the stage for the last half (says)
Delight thyself also in the Lord, ( Then it says, and he will give you the desires of your heart).
So the key to recieving our hearts desire, is to make pleasing God our hearts desire,
When we delight in God, our desires are purged they’re sanctified, and they are qualifed for being met by the God we delight in.
When the King and his kingdom are the number one desire of our lives we have just stepped onto praying ground.
It is from this place that our prayers become powerful.
Lu 12:32 Fear not little flock for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
The quickest way to recieve from God, is to find out what God desires to give and to ask for it.
3Jo 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Thats the key to answered prayer: (Soul prosperity) even as thy soul prospereth.
Or you could say: in the same measure or quality as the prosperity of your innerman.
What do you want?
Jesus told us to ask, seek and knock,
But he also told us what to ask for, seek for and what door to knock on.
Salvation, healing, deliverance, prosperity, houses and lands, they are all kingdom blessings.
But kingdom blessings must never take the place of the presence of the King.
Seek first the Kingdom of God, then ask what you want and you will want what you get.
