"...yet ye have not, because ye ask not."

I have been seeing this verse quoted a lot lately. I am curious, does the person who is in need have to be the one that asks in order to receive? Or can someone else ask on the behalf of another and that person receives?

I hear too often that a person is lacking in faith and that is why their prayer is not being answered. But what about the person who does have faith, can you pray for those who are as you say "weak" in faith?

"...yet ye have not, because ye ask not."

I have been seeing this verse quoted a lot lately. I am curious, does the person who is in need have to be the one that asks in order to receive? Or can someone else ask on the behalf of another and that person receives?

I hear too often that a person is lacking in faith and that is why their prayer is not being answered. But what about the person who does have faith, can you pray for those who are as you say "weak" in faith?

You sure can...it's called intercessory prayer.

Also, many times the answer doesn't come immediately. Remember the angel dispatched to answer Daniel's prayer? In such cases, the answer is often sent by the Lord and but the prayer or petition is answered after it goes through a process

Thank you.
I've just been noticing this verse used a lot here lately.
God may not answer the believer's prayer for many reasons:
~as you mentioned- the time is not the time
~ there may be need of repentance on the behalf of the person praying
~God sees what we can't see, and knows that it is best that He does not answer according to what we have prayed.
Isaiah 55:8-9-"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

I am thinking that we should be careful to not say it is because someone is lacking faith.

God may or may not answer prayer for many reasons, it is not always because of a lack of faith. Right?
God may not answer a prayer because what we want is not always what's best for us.

You sure can...it's called intercessory prayer.

Also, many times the answer doesn't come immediately. Remember the angel dispatched to answer Daniel's prayer? In such cases, the answer is often sent by the Lord and but the prayer or petition is answered after it goes through a processWhat amazzin said... I was about to bring up intercessory prayer but I see he already did.

Also don't forget Karen... if God does say NO... the prayer IS answered.

Just that many don't hear that NO or don't accept that answer and say God isn't answering. NO is clearly an answer.

Thank you for your responses. What I am asking is why do people use this verse telling others they are lacking in faith.
I guess I get concerned about the whole name it and claim it thing. I think we have to be careful when using a verse like this in telling someone that they have not because they ask not and then to add they do not receive because of a lack of their faith when in reality God says:
James 4:3-"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

Thank you for your responses. What I am asking is why do people use this verse telling others they are lacking in faith.
I guess I get concerned about the whole name it and claim it thing. I think we have to be careful when using a verse like this in telling someone that they have not because they ask not and then to add they do not receive because of a lack of their faith when in reality God says:
James 4:3-"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

One of the key scriptures I have always been led to concerning prayer is from...

1 John 5:14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

When combined with the verse you just posted... many who don't pray according to God's will for them (1 John 5:14) and they don't recieve... well, they need to listen to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead their prayers because then they will be requesting from God what is already in His heart to bless them with.

Many ask God for what's in their heart, not for what is in God's heart "for them"... thus the need to understand this through James 4:3.

Look... here's an opinion of mine about the name it and claim it camp. satan tempted Jesus with giving Him all in the world if He just submit to satan. So as satan worms his way into the Body of Christ through religions and movements within church... ya don't think that those churches who push "name it and claim it" aren't receiving just what they get snared into? They think God is blessing them and answering EACH AND EVERY one of their needs as if God is a genie and all they have to do is ask and so be it... done. satan is the one giving them all they ask for and they are blind to this.

Have you read the entire chapter? You can't jump to one small line in a Bible verse, and get any real meaning out of it. you have to read scripture in light of scripture to understand it's meaning.

James 4:1-6 says, True faith in Christ does not befriend the world. They were lusting for things they did not have and can not obtain. They were asking for personal pleasures. James went old school prophet and told them that they were adulterers, murderers, and enemies of God if they befriended the world.

James 4:7-17 says, True faith in Christ draws us near to God. James said be humble and not proud. James said quit judging your brothers in Christ. James said we should be careful about the plans we make without considering the will of the Lord. Because boasting in one's own arrogance is sin.

James chapter 4 has nothing to do with Christians being able to "get all the stuff we want" from God. Always read scripture in light of scripture. Don't pluck one small verse out of an entire chapter, and then put alternate meanings to it. This is something immature Christians do. And all Christians are called to be mature in the Word of God. Amen.

Jesus said that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we could move a mountain. I don't think it's a matter of how much faith we have, besides God gave us eternal life. In this life on earth we will
Have tribulation.

Jesus said that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we could move a mountain. I don't think it's a matter of how much faith we have, besides God gave us eternal life. In this life on earth we will
Have tribulation.

But why did Jesus tell the disciples this?

The disciples were trying to get Christ to supernaturally increase their faith, so they could do all that he did, taking the easy way out. But Christ would have no part of it. It was up to each one of them to increase their own faith in God, and a mustard seeds amount would do. Jesus didn't need great faith himself, because he "always" believed the Father, no matter what. And by the way, the moving a mountain thing is not literal, it's figurative.

I believe the moving mountain thing is literal. It's not a matter of your amount of faith. It's who that faith is in. If you truly had faith. You would sell everything you own & live from meal to meal trusting that God would provide for you. The apostles lived this way.

I believe the moving mountain thing is literal. It's not a matter of your amount of faith. It's who that faith is in. If you truly had faith. You would sell everything you own & live from meal to meal trusting that God would provide for you. The apostles lived this way.

So then, if the disciples had wanted, they could have "literally" moved a hundreds of trillions of pounds worth of rock out of their way instantly? Given they had faith only the size of a mustard's seed, or even the size of the mountain itself? :hmm:

We are talking about God, he formed the Earth & Universe. Moving a mountain is nothing for him. I realize we are not God but that is what Jesus said we could do if we had enough faith in God. The problem is that, because we are human, we do not truly trust God. Not even the disciples. You (Pillar), in your inability to think you could move a mountain, have shown your lack of faith.
How do you determine when Jesus is speaking literally or figuratively? The Pharisees in Jesus time had the same problem. Jesus spoke & they said he was lying. How are you different than a Pharisees 2000 years ago? When i read the Bible, I assume Jesus is speaking the truth & he has a reason for doing so.

So then, if the disciples had wanted, they could have "literally" moved a hundreds of trillions of pounds worth of rock out of their way instantly? Given they had faith only the size of a mustard's seed, or even the size of the mountain itself? :hmm:

I picture it like this. God comes to you and says, "I'm going to move this mountain into the sea. All you have to do is stand by the sea shore and command the mountain to move." What do we know?

1. It is God's idea.
2. God will do the actual lifting.
3. He has invited you to participate in a small way by simply standing by the shore and saying a few words.

How much faith is involved?

1. God exists.
2. God communicates with you and you recognize his voice.
3. You trust that God is able to do what he says.
4. You are willing to suffer the embarrassment of standing by the shore shouting something preposterous.

Look how much you don't need to know, or how much faith you DON'T need.

Don't need to know anything about Jesus, Moses, salvation, sin, eternal life, or even why God wants to move a mountain in the first place. All you need to know is that God can do it, will do it, and that it is actually God speaking to you. That's it. Your faith doesn't need to be stronger or more informed than that.

And isn't that Jesus' point? If it isn't you, then how much faith does it take?

Have you read the entire chapter? You can't jump to one small line in a Bible verse, and get any real meaning out of it. you have to read scripture in light of scripture to understand it's meaning.

James 4:1-6 says, True faith in Christ does not befriend the world. They were lusting for things they did not have and can not obtain. They were asking for personal pleasures. James went old school prophet and told them that they were adulterers, murderers, and enemies of God if they befriended the world.

James 4:7-17 says, True faith in Christ draws us near to God. James said be humble and not proud. James said quit judging your brothers in Christ. James said we should be careful about the plans we make without considering the will of the Lord. Because boasting in one's own arrogance is sin.

James chapter 4 has nothing to do with Christians being able to "get all the stuff we want" from God. Always read scripture in light of scripture. Don't pluck one small verse out of an entire chapter, and then put alternate meanings to it. This is something immature Christians do. And all Christians are called to be mature in the Word of God. Amen.
I not only have read the entire portion of James, but I have also memorized much of it.
I wasn't asking for me, I was wondering why people tell other people that they do not receive because when they ask, they lack faith.
And to go along with what Slug said, I do believe that someone could move a mountain in faith (In Christ) "if" it were the Lord's will that the mountain be moved.:)

I picture it like this. God comes to you and says, "I'm going to move this mountain into the sea. All you have to do is stand by the sea shore and command the mountain to move." What do we know?

1. It is God's idea.
2. God will do the actual lifting.
3. He has invited you to participate in a small way by simply standing by the shore and saying a few words.

How much faith is involved?

1. God exists.
2. God communicates with you and you recognize his voice.
3. You trust that God is able to do what he says.
4. You are willing to suffer the embarrassment of standing by the shore shouting something preposterous.

Look how much you don't need to know, or how much faith you DON'T need.

Don't need to know anything about Jesus, Moses, salvation, sin, eternal life, or even why God wants to move a mountain in the first place. All you need to know is that God can do it, will do it, and that it is actually God speaking to you. That's it. Your faith doesn't need to be stronger or more informed than that.

And isn't that Jesus' point? If it isn't you, then how much faith does it take?

Exactly. I agree, it's God that would have to do the heavy lifting. Lol, not even Sampson was strong enough to lift a mountain off of the earth.

But Christ does not say that by faith "God" can move any mountain. He is directly addressing the disciples and he says "you" can move mountains, and nothing will be impossible for "you".

So obviously Christ is speaking about spiritual things, not great feats of strength. Christs words have spiritual connotations, not literal feats of great strength where they would move mountains by their faith. They would move men to repentance by their faith. That is what Christ is getting at.

Hope I'm not getting on the train too late with this thread, but I don't interpret James 4:2 as having anything to do with a "lack of faith". It's far more simple than that - if you don't ask God for something (related to His will, that He is predisposed to give you, as James will state a little later), than you won't have it. You actually miss out, or as Paul says in 1 Cor. 1, "come short" related to what one could have received from the Lord.

I don't view "faith" in the manner that some do - if you "believe enough, you'll receive". I see faith as having more to do with confidence in God - His character, nature, and desire to answer prayers that were His idea. When I quoted this scripture in another thread, in was in the context of the above idea - some people do not see kingdom realities in their lives because they have literally never asked God for them. In other words, for some they haven't been healed simply because they literally haven't asked God to heal them from sickeness, etc.

For those who DO ask and don't receive right away, there are a variety of reasons that really have nothing to do with "faith" or "amounts of faith" - again, I find biblical faith to be a very misunderstood aspect of Christian life. Is there real unbelief amongst some that impacts their life in God? Sure - but again, unbelief tends to lead to NOT asking God for things related to His will - not "asking and not getting an answer".

James 4:2 is why we pray Colossians 1:9-11 and Philippians 1:9-11 - that we would be filled with the knowledge of His will (and then ask according to His will, "approving of that which is excellent" ). We pray for wisdom and spiritual understanding, end up asking for things according to His will, and more often than not seeing answers to specific requests in prayer.

I want to add this as well:

In my opinion, faith doesn't "get" us anything or "deny" us anything - is helps us not quit related to the delay in answered prayer, prayed according to His will. "Faith" or confidence in God, in fact, helps us not quit when the answer sometimes waits for us on the other side of the resurrection from the dead (Hebrews 11) :)

So I am NOT a "you need more faith" guy - and don't actually see much connection AT ALL to faith and the power of the Holy Spirit. In fact, I see it the exact OPPOSITE - faith (confidence in God - character and nature) is a RESPONSE to the demonstrated power or word of God, not a catalyst for the power of God to happen. That's sovereign and more connected to hunger for God, or desire for God - not "faith".

In my opinion :)

You aren't too late in answering.. :)
I appreciated your response. I like that you shared by not asking, we miss out. I believe that. The Lord has so much for us and yet if we don't ask.
For the things God doesn't answer, He knows better than we do what we can handle having and still desire Him. Yes! Asking for wisdom and discernment and spiritual understanding I believe are the things that God wants to answer.
I'd love to say more, but I think I would be derailing my own thread and I'd have to report myself!

Jesus also said for us to see ourselves as having what we seek and we will have it.

Sinful Hypocrite welcome to the board!
Do you mean that if you ask for it, anything, you will receive it?
Do you believe it depends on the amount of faith you have and you will receive?
One more thing, :) what verse tells us that Jesus tells us to "see ourselves as having it"?

Dear Karen:
I think a key point, may be knowing how to pray.Usually first is praise to God, then repentance, next is thanks, intercesory, personal, meditation (listen) and close. I may not have the order exactly right, but the first two are key. If you are out of fellowship, by some un-confessed sin, then your prayers get no further than the ceiling. You must pray correctly.
You have to mean it, praying from the heart. The Fervent Prayer avails much, cry out to the Lord.
There are several Prayer blockers, like un-forgiveness, not loving your spouse, un-confessed sin in your life.

It would help if we knew the topic of prayer, like healing, material things, employment etc. For example: healing might work better, by laying on hands of several people. Some like to anoint with oil. Some fast, or pray together to get the spirit moving.

Fourteen times in the new testament Gospels I counted where Jesus said "Your Faith has made you whole, or healed you. This Faith was Faith in Jesus, the Great Physician. How many persons did Jesus heal, who had no clue even who he was? The young dead girl, Lazarus, and others.

We must also remember the healing power of the Blood of Jesus. Yes it cleanses our sins, but it also restores us to the to the fellowship of our Lord, as Children of God, joint heirs with Jesus.

I am the righteousness of God, by Faith in Christ Jesus. I and the Father are one, as He is in me and I in him. All the power of the Father belongs to us, because we are his. There is nothing he can not do. We need to ask bigger greater, just go for it. We are only limited by the limitation of our minds. Mind over matter (or in this case Spirit) don't give into Satins little whispering demons, who call you weak, unfaithful, sinful. Claim the Blood of Jesus over your Life. Rebuke those evil powers of darkness. We are at Spiritual War, put on the full Amour of God (not just the helmet of Salvation). Do you remember how Jesus when he comes back as "LORD OF LORDS, and KING of KINGS.

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The only thing holding back our Blessings is Satin himself, Own it Claim it for yourself. Be the Child of God that you are.

Bless you,
Eliyah

Sinful Hypocrite welcome to the board!
Do you mean that if you ask for it, anything, you will receive it?
Do you believe it depends on the amount of faith you have and you will receive?
One more thing, :) what verse tells us that Jesus tells us to "see ourselves as having it"?

Thank you karenoka27, glad to be here.

It was Mark 11:24
American King James Version
Therefore I say to you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.

Mathew 21:22
American King James Version
And all things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.

It is the act of believing you are blessed or forgiven, if you do not believe you are then your not.
You must believe you are blessed and have all you prayed for .Then you will have them.