Q: Should I pray for specific things? Is that telling God what to do?

Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Yes! You should pray for specific things and good luck with ever trying to tell God what to do! He’s not afraid of your requests. God wants you to bring your petitions to Him. In fact, Paul in the New Testament makes it clear that God is able to do, “…exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” (Ephesians 3:20). When Peter was sinking in the Sea of Galilee, his prayer to God was very specific, “Lord, save me!” The Lord immediately reached forth his hand and pulled Peter to safety. Peter was specific and very much to the point. God wants us to be specific.

A father asked his son what he would like for Christmas. The son replied, “A football!” The next day the son came to his father and said, “No dad, I don’t want a football for Christmas, I want a bicycle.” Yet the very next day the son changed his mind again.

Now what is the father to do? The son doesn’t know what he wants. I believe, like any other father, our heavenly Father wants us to be specific in our requests.

Jesus told his disciples,

Matthew 6:8
when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words

It’s not the number of words we use, but the heart’s condition. I am one of the worst for beating around the bush. I hate to trouble anyone for anything, so when I am going to ask for something in particular, I have a poor tendency to beat around the bush. People don’t have the time to hear my mumbo-jumbo. They want me to be specific — to the point! I believe our heavenly Father is the same way.

Donald Grey Barnhouse once gave reference to Psalm 84:11 as the “barometer” of prayer:

Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Notice what God is saying very clearly here. No good thing will God withhold from the one who is walking uprightly. Let me illustrate by providing an example from Solomon’s life.

Solomon, as he ascended the throne of Israel, was invited by God to ask what He would give him.

1 Kings 3:5-14
5: In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. 6: And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7: And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

Note: Please take careful note of Solomon’s humility. Though he was a grown man, probably in his 40’s, he considered himself but a child when it came to ruling God’s people. He did not hesitate to acknowledge this shortcoming.

James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

Solomon continues…

8: And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9: Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Note: What did God think of Solomon’s prayer? Well let’s listen!

10: And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11: And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 12: Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

Note: In God’s estimation, Solomon was asking for a good thing! And in God’s estimation Solomon was walking uprightly, and so God not only answered Solomon’s prayer, but even went beyond his request.

13: And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. 14: And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

Note: God’s answer to Solomon’s prayer only confirms Paul’s writing to the church at Ephesus.

Ephesians 3:20-21
20: Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 21: Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Solomon asked for a specific thing, it was a good thing, and Solomon was walking uprightly (faithfully), and God answered his prayer.

Now, my friends, if you are walking in some state of willful sin, and you decide that you want to ask God for some good thing, are you walking uprightly? The children of Israel cried out to God for deliverance from the vicious nomads that stormed their land every harvest season and carried off every bushel of wheat or basket of crop they struggled to bring in out of the field. They were so frustrated and demoralized they looked to the Lord for deliverance. It’s a good thing to look to the Lord for deliverance, but the children of Israel were worshiping pagan gods, and God would not answer their prayer until they repented. And when they repented, God faithfully delivered them! Israel was asking for a good thing, but they were not walking uprightly.

Psalm 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Be specific in your prayer. Ask for good things that bring honor and glory to Christ, and then let’s be sure we are walking uprightly (faithfully).

Here are a few examples of specific prayer:

These are examples of specific prayers and prayers that would easily fall in line with God’s will! The more specific we are in our requests, the more alert we will be to answers when they come.

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