Stop Praying for God to Improve Your Flesh

How many of us pray for God to give us good feelings?

How many of us pray that God will remove painful memories or remove difficult people from our lives?

James responds to the reason why these prayers do not get "answered":

"2Ye 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. 3Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4: 2-3)

If we are praying for God to grant us peace, we are asking for something that He has already given us:

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

Every believer has the Holy Spirit::

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14: 17)

and

"22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts." (Galatians 5: 22-24)

"Crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts," Paul writes, for our flesh, the realm of our fallen body and mind are consumed with ourselves. If we are living a life to improve the sense and sentimentality of our bodies, Paul describes the ensuing bondage which will unfold:

"14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me." (Romans 7: 14-20)

I. . .I. . .I the more that we dwell on ourselves, how we feel, what we want, the more disgruntled we become, in large part because we are neglecting to notice the good things which Christ Jesus has given to us:

" 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1: 3-6)

Stop praying for God to improve your thoughts and feelings. Stop asking God to believe for you:

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6: 29)   and   "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. " (John 14: 1)   Also:   "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. . . Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. (Hebrews 4: 1, 11)

Jesus does not want us to walk by sight, including our feelings, but to walk by faith in the Spirit, for in the realm of our Spirit God lives and moves and has His being.

Paul comforts and counsels all of us:

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Colossians 3: 1-4)

Do not pray for no obstacles, enemies, or gratification for your senses -- that's just not good enough.

Pray these prayers:

"Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you." (Romans 1: 10)

and

"That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints" (Ephesians 1: 17-18)

and

"16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. " (Ephesians 3:16-19)

and even

"6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 7For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother." (Philemon 6)

Pray for God to show you more of Himself, and you will be less bothered about yourself, and He will in turn bless you beyond what you can ask or think.