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"Large Asking Never Displeases God." This is a quote that I have printed and hanging on my refrigerator at home. That quote has been there for nearly 5 years, a constant reminder to me to ask largely when I pray.
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Let me share the story behind the quote . . .
5 years ago, my husband and I were just beginning our second pastorate (at that time we lived in Pennsylvania). It was summer and time for our yearly Vacation Bible School. The church had no active children's ministry, and so we really had no children for our VBS! I had read the quote, "Large Asking Never Displeases God," in my devotions sometime earlier, and God had been talking to me about that - how I could be asking for larger things.
He brought that quote back to my mind, and I felt like He wanted me to ask for 10 brand new children in our VBS that evening. Now remember, we had zero! We had just moved into the area, and we didn't even know any children yet! My husband went out knocking on doors, and inviting children to our church, while I stayed at home and prepared and prayed. I felt that asking God for TEN children when we had ZERO was really a stretch of my faith and definitely qualified as large asking.
We were excited to see what would happen that evening, and I was anxiously waiting to see how many children God would send us. How many do you think came? God sent us TWENTY brand new children! Not ten, not zero, but twenty! He sent exactly double what I had asked! I was amazed! Here I thought I was asking largely, but God very gently showed me that I could have asked even bigger!
I have carried that lesson with me from that day to this. I have not always put it into practice - it is so easy to forget! But when something seems impossible, God gently reminds me - ask largely!
This is Scriptural, of course. So many times in Scripture God has told us to ask Him.
- Matthew 21:22 - "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
- 1 John 5:14 - "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:"
- John 14:13 - "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
- Matthew 7:7 - "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"
- John 16:24 - "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full."
However, notice that there are some qualifiers.
- Matthew 21:22 - ". . . ask in prayer, believing."
- 1 John 5:14 - " . . . if we ask anything according to his will."
- John 14:13 - " . . . that the Father may be glorified . . . "
- John 16:24 - " . . . ye asked nothing in my name: . . . "
There is a part we must play as well - we must believe that God wants to do more. We must ask according to His will. Our request must be something that glorifies the Father. And we must ask in the name of Jesus.
I am not promoting a health, wealth, and riches gospel. I do not meant that we pray selfishly and expect God to answer beyond what we have asked. We must ask according to His will . . . for things that will promote His Kingdom, not our own agenda.
Is it too much to ask that God's presence fill our lives so that it spills over to others? Is it too much to ask that new people come to our church every Sunday? Is it too much to ask that God save new people every week in our churches? Is it too much to pray for the fulfillment of the desires God has placed in our hearts? Is it too much to ask for the immediate salvation of our children? Is it too much to ask for immediate deliverance from an addiction?
I do not know what this will mean for you, but I do know that many times we live contentedly so far below what God wants to do for us! We are content with the raindrops when God wants to send us a flood!
I love this Scripture from Ephesians 3:20 -
"Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us," (Amplified Version)
"More than all that we dare ask or think . . . beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams . . . " That sounds like large asking to me! So let us ask God to enlarge and strengthen our faith. Don't be afraid to ask largely! What are you expecting God to do in the lives of your family, your friends, and your co-workers? He wants to do so much -- lets ask Him! Large asking never displeases God!
If you would like to purchase a magnet with the phrase "Large Asking Never Displeases God," visit my store, or click the link above or the photo below.
Crystal
Thank you for sharing this - I needed to read it today.
Sharon
Hey Sarah!
Well written, well spoken, and well with my soul. I love this post not because its low in carbs and sugar free, just kidding, I love it because it reminds me that I forget about praying large. I love your "qualifiers" especially my favorite verse being 1 John 5:14.
I was standing in a long line at Sam's so I started reading on my phone when I came across your blog post. It is just what I needed to hear on a super hot and muggy day in Virginia Beach. I was having a running conversation with myself and the Holy Spirit while shopping at Sam's, trying to decide if it's selfish to pray for a kitchen, nothing fancy or to pretty just a functioning kitchen. I wasn't even going to pray for a dishwasher although I would dearly love to have one.
I lost everything downstairs to Hurricane Matthew. My stove barely works and I have a sink propped up with parts of 2X4's. No kitchen counter to place my mixer and things on! Its been over seven months and my spouse and brother began to put a floor in my den today. The kitchen is hopefully next! The Lord has provided so much in our loss but yesterday and today the word perseverance kept coming to me in my quiet time and thoughts. I have only prayed for our basic needs and I kept thinking am I selfish to want to pray for a beautiful kitchen as well as a functioning one?
Well so much to say but not necessary to say, but I do appreciate your words you posted today and I will print this and add it to my quiet time notes. So many of my favorite scriptures! Hugs!
Sarah Hardy
I am so glad this post resonated with you! Thank you for letting me know! And I pray you get a kitchen very soon! Blessings to you for doing without for so long!
Kimberly O'Kelley
Praying for your kitchen! 🙂
Rachel
I really enjoyed this! 🙂
Kimberly O'Kelley
Thank you for this post! I find no coincidence that I have had...
Ephesians 3:20-21
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all the way ask her think, according to the power that works with us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever. Amen."
Posted around my house the past few weeks. My husband just took on a part time job along with his full time job to work on getting us out of debt. I am praying to Lord works the extra money in a mighty way against our debt. I am a stay at home, homeschooling, thm, mom of four. 🙂
Sarah Hardy
Amen! God is able! Let's keep asking Him!
Judy
This is such a blessiing!!!!! thank you so much for sharing this.
Sarah Hardy
You are welcome!
Suzie
Thank you for posting Sarah! I really needed this today. We recently lost our mother and the mountains of paperwork, red tape, etc was really bogging down my mind. I'm so thankful for the reminder that we have an amazing God who is exceedingly abundantly able to do answer these large prayers. He knows exactly what we need to bring glory to himself. We have many in our family who are not saved. We only want to bring glory to God so that they can see what he can do in their own lives. Blessings to you ❤
Sarah Hardy
I'm so sorry for your loss. Praying God does wondrous things even in a difficult time!
Claire
This was just such a blessing to read! Praise the Lord for those 20 children & the answer to prayer. God has so much for us if we just ask with a tiny bit of faith. He wants to give us the desires if our hearts. AMEN! God is working in our tiny church we started a year ago. Small group of people but those are the ones God wants there. It is a blessing to serve God & hear my husband preach each week!
Sarah Hardy
Blessings to you and your husband as you work for the Lord!
charity
What a wonderful article to read on a beautiful Sunday. It has blessed me, l had to show my husband too to read.
l believe more now that the many things (scholarship, jobs, a buyer to buy our house) we are believing God for he will supply all of them.
Thank you Sarah for the message it was timely.
Angela
Thanks for this reminder. I am a single mom of four working a low paying job trying to make ends meet and put them in a Christian school. I recently had a huge miracle in God working out a vehicle for me but it took all of my emergency fund and I really need to replace that money. I already do three things on the side to make money just to make the ends meet and don't really know where it will come from since those three things are not even doing well right now. I know God is able and I really needed this today.
Sarah Hardy
I pray God will answer your large prayers! He is able and He WANTS to!! 🙂