I was listening to a sermon by Steve Harvey where he spoke on having the ability to ask God for the things you want, and focusing on the acts of asking, believing and working hard for those things.
By embodying the characteristics of hard work, determination, faith, and prayer, these ultimately lead to the blessings He has for each one of us.
Steve Harvey’s main message was focused on the principle of ‘you have not cause you ask not’, referring to the act of proactively asking God for the things you want.
This message coincides with the verse in Matthew chapter 13 verse 12 that says, “Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
He starts off by illustrating a core memory where he had nothing, and he had to go fishing for food. One day, while he was fishing, a man told him to let the caught fish go and to move on, as he didn’t own the land he fished on.
It was in that moment that he decided to ask for the things he wanted from God, and he declared that one day he would own his own land. Through years of praying, seeking, scouting, and hard work, he ended up owning almost 300 acres of land in Denton County, Texas.
He was bold in his requests, and as such, he was blessed with more than what he originally asked for.
Bold prayers
Steve’s message to all followers of Christ is to be bold in prayer and ask God for what you want. He explains to the viewers that when you ask for it, you have to believe for it. Ask for it. Believe for it. Work for it.
My parents are a perfect example of this message. Through years of financial hardship, raising four hyperactive and creative children, small business development, and accomplishing university degrees, they pushed through all of it faithfully, whilst constantly asking for the blessing and believing that God would help them achieve it.
Two Corinthians chapter five verse seven says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."
Now my parents are successful business owners, have their degrees, have raised four kids who have all gone on to follow in their footsteps, and have not once wavered on their faith.
God honoured my parents hard work over the years, and they received their blessings in abundance.
It is a challenge to work for the things you want, but if you put in the hard yards, God will pull through with the rest.
It’s up to you
Steve Harvey explained it perfectly when he said, “Getting what you want is up to you. How you get it is up to God.”
This is exactly the way we should be looking at asking and receiving the blessings God has for us.
It is up to me on working towards getting what I want, praying, putting in the hard work, and focusing on my goal. But how I get there is entirely up to God.
A loved one of mine has been praying for a new job and a fulltime career for almost a year now. He put in the hard yards, worked where he could while he waited for the opportunity to arise, but he never stopped praying, working hard, and thanking God for the blessing He had up ahead for him.
The journey was a challenge and there were many obstacles that looked more like mountainous hurdles and detours.
Despite the unexpected and often tiresome path that God had led him on, He ultimately took him on a journey of character and resilience building, andthat faith development has made him a stronger and more faith-filled man.
My loved one did receive his blessing and has since started a new job in a new town where God was able to bless him further with a home, and a new car — all of which we thought would not happen in the short amount of time between the opportunity arising and the day he started his new job.
But God is the God of miracles, He is so good and so faithful in honouring our prayers.
Mark chapter 11 verse 24 says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”
Accept the blessing
Now, although asking for, believing, and working hard for the things you want is an important trait for each Christian to embody, there is also the challenge of accepting the blessing.
I know what you may be thinking; “why would accepting a blessing be hard?”. I can tell you now, sometimes when the blessing arrives, it is hard to believe and to accept.
We may feel like we don’t deserve it when it finally comes. But it is important that we learn to accept the blessing as a gift from God, especially after asking for, believing for, and working hard for it all this time.
If God has brought us all this way, and we have upheld our faith, then consider this the blessing to which you have received from God and thank God for honouring your prayers.
He wants to bless us, we only have to ask for it, believe for it, and work for it faithfully.
Proverbs chapter ten verse 22 says, “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.”
1 John chapter five verse 15 says, "And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."
Steve Harvey’s sermon - https://fb.watch/cHFIexxF_h/