You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.You lust, and don’t have. You murder and covet, and can’t obtain. You fight and make war. You don’t have, because you don’t ask.Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and covet, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war; ye have not, because ye ask not.
3 sermons cite this verse
… God doesn't answer your prayer because you got lustful motives. This is in the book of James chapter 4 verses 2 through 3. James 4 verses 2 through 3. This is an important thing too. He says, you lust, verse 2, you lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war, yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive because you ask amiss that you may spend it on your pleasures. you ask and do not receive because you ask amiss that word amiss means you're asking for the wrong reasons you're asking for selfish reasons you're asking for personal motives see what God wants us to do is to live our life for his glory to advance his kingdom you want a new car but you ain't driving nobody in the car that you got right now This used to be my go-to section right there. I used to come over here when it was getting weak and low, and people stopped clapping. …
So hopefully that'll make sense to you. we could take verse 2 you lust and do chapter 4 james 4 verse 2 you lust and do not have you murder and covet and cannot contain obtain you fight and war and here it is you do not have because you do not ask say this with me you do not have because you do not ask say it with me now You do not have because you do not ask. Say it again. You do not have because you do not ask. Prayerlessness creates lack. Prayerlessness fuels lack. Prayerlessness is what lack wants to consume. When we face a need and there's prayerlessness, it actually fuels lack instead of causes it to be solved and disappear. You have not because you ask not. So prayerlessness actually sustains need and lack. Many people walk around waiting for God to do something. And what I've been finding out, and I'm a slow, and I do mean slow learner. I've been finding out most of the time he's waiting for me to do something. …
… is you don't ask for it. And in James 4, verse 2, The Bible says you do not have because you do not ask God for it. You just need to understand God's interested in every detail of your life. He has the hairs on your head numbered, and he knows everything about you. He knows your details more than you do. He knows the health problems you've got that you don't even know you've got. God knows them. And one of the best ways to engage your guidance counselor is ask a specific question in prayer. Psalm 27 verse 11 Teach me Lord what you want me to do And lead me down the right path Now how does he do that? How does God lead me down the right path? Well there are a lot of different ways But let me just mention a couple One of them is The primary way the Holy Spirit guides us Is by reminding us What we've read in this book Because you read stuff in here And if you memorize it Then it's stored in the back of your mind And at the right moment when you're in that conflict at work, God can bring that verse to mind. …