James 4:3 “You ask, and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.”
Motives matter in prayer. Why do you want God to do what you want Him to do? We will look at the case study of Elijah the prophet.
1 Kings 18:37-39 “Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again.” Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!”
Elijah prayed with a motive that people should know that the Lord is the true God. God answered by fire. The people that watched this happening confessed that indeed The Lord is God. So Elijah had a right motive and he got right results.
Within short time Elijah found himself running away from Jezebel and he went into the wilderness and prayed another prayer without right motive and he didn’t get any response.
1 Kings 19:4 “and ran for a day’s journey deep into the wilderness. He found a juniper tree, sat down under it, and prayed that he could die. He asked God, “Enough! LORD! Take my life, because I’m not better than my ancestors!”
He prayed for his death in order to vanish away from Jezebel. That wouldn’t honor God nor serve any good purpose in the Kingdom of God. So heaven didn’t grant the request.
God searches the heart to see your real motive.
Jeremiah 17:10 “I am the LORD who searches the heart, who tests the inner depths to give to each person according to what he deserves, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
If your motive is wrong then remember James 4:3 “You ask, and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.”
Confession
My motive for prayer is good. It is aligned to the Kingdom. I am getting right results because God is my focus. In Jesus Name. Amen
