GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US TO BEAR LASTING FRUIT AND TO RECEIVE WHATEVER WE ASK HIM IN HIS NAME
OUTLINE
A.) GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US.
B.) GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US TO BEAR FRUIT THAT WILL LAST
C.) GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US TO RECEIVE WHATEVER WE ASK HIM IN HIS NAME
THE MESSAGE
GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US TO BEAR LASTING FRUIT AND TO RECEIVE WHATEVER WE ASK HIM IN HIS NAME
A.) GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US.
1. We have been called and chosen by God. The Lord has chosen us out of all the people in the world. He could have chosen anybody and yet He has chosen us.
The Lord knows everything about us and yet He has chosen us. We must be grateful to God for choosing us.
JOHN 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the
Father will give you.
MATTHEW 22:14
"For many are invited, but few are chosen."
2. God has chosen us out of the world to live a seperated life and that is why the world hates us.
JOHN 15:19
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the
world hates you.
3. The apostles were chosen by God . They did not become apostles by their selfish ambition.
ACTS 1:1-2
In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.
HEBREWS 5:1-4
Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for
sins.
He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.
This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.
4. We have chosen by God to proclaim His name to the people of this world and to face suffering for His name.
ACTS 9:15-16
But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."
5. We have been chosen by God to know His will and to see Him and to hear His voice and to be a witness to all people of what we have seen and heard.
ACTS 22:14-15
"Then he said: ’The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.
MATTHEW 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
6. We have been chosen by God purely by His grace and not because of our worthiness or qualifications and therefore we must fulfill the purpose for which
God has chosen us so that the grace bestowed on us is not in vain.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:9-10
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that
was with me.
PHILIPPIANS 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is
ahead,
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
7. God has chosen the foolish and the weak and the despised so that so one can boast in His presence. We must boast only in the Lord.
1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of
noble birth.
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are,
so that no one may boast before him.
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord."
JEREMIAH 9:23-24
This is what the Lord says: "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches,
but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and
righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord.
8. God has chosen us before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.
EPHESIANS 1:3-6
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
9. God has chosen us to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
2 THESSALONIANS 2:13
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying
work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
10. God has chosen us to be soldiers in His army and we must be good soldiers and endure hardship and do what pleases the Lord.
2 TIMOTHY 2:4
You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
11. God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith. Our faith is more precious than gold and will be tested by trials.
JAMES 2:5
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he
promised those who love him?
1 PETER 1:6-7
In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may result in praise,
glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
12. God has chosen us as a royal priesthood and a holy nation so that we may declare His praises who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.
1 PETER 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of
darkness into his wonderful light.
13. God has ordained us to be with Him so that He can send us to preach and to bring deliverance to the people.
MARK 3:14-15
He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons.
14. God has ordained us to experience eternal life.
ACTS 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
15. God has ordained us to do good works so that the people of this world may see them and glorify our Father in heaven.
EPHESIANS 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
MATTHEW 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
ACTS 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil,
because God was with him.
B.) GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US TO BEAR FRUIT THAT WILL LAST
1. The first blessing that God pronounced on man was to be fruitful and multiply. Fruitfulness causes growth and multiplication. We must wins souls and make
disciples and reproduce and multiply our lives in others . God wants to bless our family and the work of our hands . The fruit of the womb , the fruit of
our body , the fruit of our ground , the fruit of our livestock , the fruit of our labour will be blessed by God. This blessing will cause us to overcome all
the attacks of the enemy.
JOHN 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the
Father will give you.
GENESIS 1:27-28
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky
and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
ACTS 6:7
So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
ACTS 9:31
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy
Spirit, it increased in numbers.
DEUTERONOMY 28: 4, 11
The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock--the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.
The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity--in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground--in the land he swore to your
ancestors to give you.
PSALM 128:1-4
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him.
You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
GENESIS 49:22-26
"Joseph is a fruitful vine, a fruitful vine near a spring, whose branches climb over a wall.
With bitterness archers attacked him; they shot at him with hostility.
But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,
because of your father’s God, who helps you, because of the Almighty, who blesses you with blessings of the skies above, blessings of the deep springs below,
blessings of the breast and womb.
Your father’s blessings are greater than the blessings of the ancient mountains, than the bounty of the age-old hills.Let all these rest on the head of
Joseph, on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
2. When we love the law of the Lord and follow His commandments and trust in Him, we will be fruitful at all times and propserous in all our endeavours.
PSALM 1:1-3
Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither-- whatever they do prospers.
JEREMIAH 17:7-8
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
3. We must be firmly rooted and planted in the Lord to be fruitful. Without a close and consistent relationship with the Lord and His word , we cannot be
fruitful.
JOHN 15:4-5
Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
JOHN 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
PSALM 92: 12-15
The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, "The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."
4. The Lord is glorified when we bear much fruit. He will prune us and purify us in order to enable us to bear much fruit.
JOHN 15:2
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
JOHN 15:8
This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
COLOSSIANS 1:9-10
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will
through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,
so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
JOHN 12: 24-25
Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
ROMANS 7:4
So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in
order that we might bear fruit for God.
5. The fruit of the Spirit is the godly qualities that we demonstrate in our lives. When the Holy Spirit has wrought a deep work in our hearts , the results
will be seen by the love ,joy , peace , forbearance , kindness, goodness , faithfulness , gentleness and self-control that is evidenced in our lives.
GALATIANS 5:22-26
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
EPHESIANS 5:9-11
(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)
and find out what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
JAMES 3:17-18
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.
2 PETER 1:5-8
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;
and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
6. When are hearts are receptive to receive and obey the word of God , we will bear fruit a hundredfold, sixtyfold and thirtyfold . We will not be mere
hearers of the word of God , but also doers of the word . We will experience the wonderful blessings of the truths of the word of God in our lives.
MATTHEW 13: 3-9 , 18-23
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Whoever has ears, let them hear."
"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the
seed sown along the path.
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making
it unfruitful.
But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or
thirty times what was sown."
JAMES 1:19-25
My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.
Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror
and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it--not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it--they will be
blessed in what they do.
7. The Lord will bless the righteous and caused them to enjoy the rewards and the fruits of righteousness in their lives. Those who sow the seeds of
righteousness will enjoy the fruits of righteousness and be blessed with peace and love and goodness.
ISAIAH 32:17
The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.
HOSEA 10:12
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and
showers his righteousness on you.
ISAIAH 3:10
Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.
PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,
so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.
8. The Lord wants us to be fruitful in our giving. God loves a cheerful giver. When we sow geneourously , we will reap a bountiful harvest. God will supply
all our need. Our giving will be a blessing to those in need and they will offer thanksgiving to God and also uphold us in their prayers.
PHILIPPIANS 4:15-19
Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in
the matter of giving and receiving, except you only;
for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.
Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account.
I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a
fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
2 CORINTHIANS 9: 6-15
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
As it is written: "They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever."
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of
Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
9. We must offer to God the sacrifice of praise which is the fruit of our lips. Our words must be fruitful and blessed. We must always speak words of praise
and thanksgiving to God. Our words must full of faith and confidence in God. We must avoid speaking evil words and idle words and words that cause strife and
division. We must give account to God for every idle word that we speak.
HEBREWS 13:15-16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
PROVERBS 12:13-14
Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk, and so the innocent escape trouble.
From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.
PROVERBS 13:2-3
From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence.
Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.
PROVERBS 18:20-21
From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.
The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
MATTHEW 12: 31-37
And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or
in the age to come.
"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.
You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.
For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
10. The Lord has chosen us to be fruitful . Therefore if we fail to be fruitful , then the Lord will remove us and a dangerous future awaits us. Therefore we
must be totally committed and dedicated to living a fruitful life.
JOHN 15:2
He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.
JOHN 15:6
If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
JUDE 1:12-13
These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm--shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain,
blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted--twice dead.
They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
11. The Lord is patiently waiting for us to bear fruit . He gives us a period of grace for us come out of unfruitfulness into fruitfulness. If we continue to
live a fruitless barren life , the Lord will cut us off.
LUKE 13:6-9
Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any.
So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ’For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it
down! Why should it use up the soil?’
"’Sir,’ the man replied, ’leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.
If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’"
12. The Lord cursed a fig tree which had no fruit. The Lord was hungry and wanted to eat the fruit of the fig tree. When it failed to have any fruit , the
cursed the tree and it withered away. The Lord is longing to see the fruit in our lives. A fruitful life will receive God’s blessings.
MATTHEW 21:18-22
Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry.
Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the
tree withered.
When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked.
Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this
mountain, ’Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."
13. When the Lord entrusts with the responsibility of taking care of His vineyard , He expects to receive the fruit of the vineyard in due season. If we fail
to produce the fruit , He will take away the responsibility from us and give it to those who will produce its fruit.
MATTHEW 21: 33-44
"Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he
rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place.
When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.
"The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.
Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way.
Last of all, he sent his son to them. ’They will respect my son,’ he said.
"But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ’This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’
So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
"Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"
"He will bring those wretches to a wretched end," they replied, "and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at
harvest time."
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "’The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is
marvelous in our eyes’?
"Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.
Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed."
14. The Lord warns to be careful about false prophets who appear as harmless sheep but are in fact ferocious wolves. He wants us to recognize and identify
them by their fruit. We should not be deceived by their gifts and abilities but watch out for the fruit of their life and ministry. A good tree cannot bear
bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
MATTHEW 7: 15-23
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
"Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Many will say to me on that day, ’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
Then I will tell them plainly, ’I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
15. The Lord wants us to produce the fruit in keeping with repentance. Our true repentance must shown in the fruit of our actions. Empty words do not prove
true repentance. If we do not produce fruit in keeping with repentance , we will be cut down.
LUKE 3: 7-9
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ’We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God
can raise up children for Abraham.
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."
MATTHEW 3:8-10
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.
And do not think you can say to yourselves, ’We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
C. GOD HAS CHOSEN US AND ORDAINED US TO RECEIVE WHATEVER WE ASK FROM HIM IN HIS NAME.
1. The Lord has promised to grant us what we ask in His name. When we live in close fellowship with the Lord and His word , we will get answers to our
prayers and the Lord will be glorified in granting our petitions. The Lord will surely grant good gifts to His children. He will do much more than what we
ask or imagine. He who sacrificed His Son for us , will surely grant us everything else that we need.
JOHN 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the
Father will give you.
JOHN 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
JOHN 14:13-14
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
JOHN 16:23-24
In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
MATTHEW 7:7-11
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask
him!
EPHESIANS 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
ROMANS 8:32
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
2. We must ask the Lord with a clean heart , keeping His commandments and doing what is pleasing to Him. We must ask according to His will. We must ask in
unity and agreement , then we will receive answers to our prayers and will be able to bind the work of the enemy and release the blessings of God.
1 JOHN 3: 21-22
Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God
and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
1 JOHN 5:14-15
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.
MATTHEW 18:18-19
"Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
"Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
1 PETER 3:7
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious
gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
3. We must be persistent in asking the Lord until we receive the answer. God will bring about justice for His chosen ones who cry to Him day and night.
LUKE 18:1-8
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.
And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ’Grant me justice against my adversary.’
"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ’Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think,
yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’"
And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says.
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"
LUKE 11: 5-8
Then Jesus said to them, "Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ’Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;
a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’
And suppose the one inside answers, ’Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’
I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and
give you as much as you need.
4. We must ask according to the pattern taught to us by the Lord’s prayer. We must not pray to get man’s recognition. We must pray in secret and the Lord
will reward us openly. We must pray with praise and adoration and ask for God’s kingdom to come and for His will to be done on earth. We must ask for our
daily needs to be met. We must ask for forgiveness of our sins as we forgive others. We must ask for protection from temptation and for deliverance from
evil. We must acknowledge that the Kingdom and the power and the glory belongs to God. When we ask Him , the Lord will give us the living water which will
give us eternal life.
MATTHEW 6:5-15
"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I
tell you, they have received their reward in full.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward
you.
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
"This, then, is how you should pray: "’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
JOHN 4:10-14
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?
Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?"
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
5. We must ask God to give us the Holy Spirit . The Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth and fill us with divine revelation. The Holy Spirit will
empower us to be witnesses for Christ.
LUKE 11: 9-13
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?
Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who
ask him!"
JOHN 16:13-15
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will
tell you what is yet to come.
He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you."
ACTS 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth."
6. We must ask God to grant us the gifts of the Holy Spirit to enable us to be a great blessing to the Kingdom of God.
1 CORINTHIANS 12: 4-11 , 27-31
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still
another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and
of different kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.
7. We must ask for the salvation and the healing of our nation .
2 CHRONICLES 7:14
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and
I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
PSALM 2:7-8
I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, "You are my son; today I have become your father.
Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.
8. We must cry out to God to send forth labourers to gather in a great harvest of souls in these last days
MATTHEW 9:35-38
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
9. We must ask God for supernatural boldness to witness for Him even in the face of fierce opposition
ACTS 4: 23-31
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and
everything in them.
You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "’Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.
Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you
anointed.
They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
ACTS 4:13
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had
been with Jesus.
10. We must ask the Lord to shower His latter rain on us. The Lord will pour out His Holy Spirit on us and fill us with showers of blessing and use us
mightily for His glory.
ZECHARIAH 10:1
Ask the Lord for rain In the time of the latter rain. The Lord will make flashing clouds; He will give them showers of rain, Grass in the field for everyone.
JOEL 2:23-26
Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come
down for you-- The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.
The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army
which I sent among you.
You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to
shame.
ACTS 2:17-18
"’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men
will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
11. We must ask the Lord to grant us divine wisdom . When we ask in faith , the Lord will grant us His wisdom liberally.
JAMES 1:5-8
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.
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
1 KINGS 3: 5-15
At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you."
Solomon answered, "You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You
have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
"Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.
Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number.
So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of
yours?"
The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.
So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for
discernment in administering justice,
I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.
Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both wealth and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings.
And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."
Then Solomon awoke--and he realized it had been a dream.
12. We must ask the Lord to heal us from our sicknesses and diseases and grant us good health and strength.
MARK 10: 46-52
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of
Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging.
When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you."
Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
MATTHEW 8:16-17
When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.
This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases."
13. We must ask the Lord to bless us and prosper us and protect us from harm and danger.
1 CHRONICLES 4:9-10
Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain."
Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will
be free from pain." And God granted his request.
GENESIS 32:24-28
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.
When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.
Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."
The man asked him, "What is your name?" "Jacob," he answered.
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."
14. We must ask the Lord to bless our children and grant them a good heart to obey the commandments of the Lord.
1 CHRONICLES 29: 18-19
Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to
you.
And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which
I have provided."
ISAIAH 54:13
All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.
15. We must ask the Lord for victory in our battles . The Lord will deliver us from our enemies and grant us a long and blessed life.
PSALM 91:15-16
He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."
PSALM 21: 1-9
The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give!
You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.
You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.
He asked you for life, and you gave it to him-- length of days, for ever and ever.
Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty.
Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.
Your hand will lay hold on all your enemies; your right hand will seize your foes.
When you appear for battle, you will burn them up as in a blazing furnace. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and his fire will consume them.
DEUTERONOMY 26:6-9
But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, subjecting us to harsh labor.
Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression.
So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders.
He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey;
