Wednesday Service | GETTING DIRECTIONS FROM GOD | PART 1: ASK

1 Kings 3:9 The Message
“Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their own is capable of leading your glorious people?”

[1] If we want to hear God speak… we need to

1 Samuel 3:6-11 New International Version
⁶ Again the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.”
⁷ Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.
⁸ A third time the Lord called, “Samuel!” And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me.”
Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. ⁹ So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
¹⁰ The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
¹¹ And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle.

James 4:2b TLB
And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.

[2] We are allowed to ask

Luke 18:1-8 New International Version
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.² He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.³ And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
⁴ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
⁶ And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. ⁷ 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? ⁸ 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?”

Matthew 7:7-8 Amplified Bible
⁷ “Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened. 

[3] We need to ask for

James 1:5 New Living Translation
 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

Proverbs 16:16 NIRV
It is much better to get wisdom than gold. It is much better to choose understanding than silver.

• Ask for direction

• Ask for insight

• Ask for discernment

• Ask for change

• Ask for deliverance

• Ask for the enemies plan to be exposed and defeated

[4] can make a difference!

[a] Ask with right motives

James 4:2-4 New International Reader’s Version
You don’t have what you want, because you don’t ask God. ³ When you do ask for something, you don’t receive it. That’s because you ask for the wrong reason. You want to spend your money on your sinful pleasures.

[b] Ask

1 Samuel 1:12-18 NIV
¹² As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³ Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk ¹⁴ and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
¹⁵ “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. ¹⁶ Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”
¹⁷ Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
¹⁸ She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast.

[c] Ask with

2 Chronicles 7:14-15 New Living Translation
¹⁴ Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. ¹⁵ My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place.

[d] Ask while be in with others

Matthew 5:23-24 English Standard Version
²³ So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

1 Peter 3:7 New Living Translation
In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

[e] Ask with a

Psalm 51:10 Living Bible
Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires.