Confession.  I’ve totally jumped on the “Word of the Year” bandwagon, & I love it!

If you’re new to this concept (like me last year), the idea is to choose 1 word at the beginning of each year to focus on for the next 12 months – a new spin on “New Year’s Resolutions”.

Last year, I heard people choose words like Simplify. Breathe. Save. Focus. My word was a little less ‘Zen’ haha.

I decided to ask God what He’d have me focus on in 2012, and what He spoke to my heart became the very best advice I could’ve heard: Hope in God.

All year I kept returning to that phrase when life got out-of-focus & crazy.  I am so glad I had something to help me regain perspective whenever I lost it.  My word centered me all year.

So as I entered 2013, I decided to try this again. And the word I heard was simple.

ASK.

I loved it right from the start (I can’t say the same for 2012!).

As I turned it over in my mind, I realized this is a wholly biblical concept.  Many scriptures tell us that God wants to bless us and give us what we need – if we’ll ask Him!

I believe this is His challenge to me this year.  Instead of spending 2013 in a state of “want”, longing for things I wish I had or staying in perpetual lack of my legitimate needs… why don’t I ask Him for help?

Novel idea.  Divine, actually.

One of the names God gives Himself in the Bible is “Our Provider”.  He has an abundant supply of riches, i.e. everything in the world & beyond what our eyes can see!  And He – unlike anyone else we’ll ever meet – has the power to give us what we need when we need it.

We just need to ask Him.

The key with all this asking business is the word NEED.  We may not get everything we WANT from God, but I absolutely believe He supplies everything we need & that He also gives us the desires of our hearts!

So ask for it.  In faith.  Don’t doubt His ability (or willingness) to give you what you need!  He’s our Dad & wants to give us good gifts, as long as we ask with right motives.  I’ll be doing this with you.

Read these awesome promises from Him, many which Jesus Himself gave us:

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Ps 37)

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Mt 6)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Mt 7)

Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive (Mt 21)

If anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. (Mk 11)

You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it. (Jn 14)

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (Jn 15)

Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (Jn 16)

My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil 4)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts… must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. (Ja 1)

If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us… whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 Jn 5)

Are you sensing a theme here?  Instead of stressing over things or trying to “fix” situations beyond our control, ask for God to do what we cannot.

There’s no better way to test Scripture than to apply it and watch it work!  This isn’t testing God; faith (as one wise man taught me) is simply taking God at His word and expecting Him to keep it.

When we ask for God’s help, we do 4 things:

1. Admit Our Need (Humility) – God’s a big fan of this.  Our humility moves Him to act, not us standing on our own pretending we can do it alone.
2. Seek the Source (Faith) – We give God the opportunity to come through for us.
3. Release Anxieties & Worries (Peace) – God shoulders our burdens.
4. Open Ourselves Up to Miracles & Blessings (Provision) – God then responds!

When we witness God coming through for us, we realize His incredible power & love for us.  Asking is how our faith in Him grows!

Every day, invite Him into your world & ask Him to act on your behalf. Ask for the things you’ve been needing or trying to get on your own.  Ask without doubting.  Faith is what stirs God to move, not unbelief.

Am I gonna trust His promises and believe He’ll give me whatever I ask 1) in Jesus’ name, 2) in full faith, and 3) in accordance with His will?  Or will I spend another year in the land of lack because I refused to believe Him?

I wanna change my world – and one of the best ways to make this happen is by first INVITING GOD INTO IT (into areas I need Him to be!), then doing whatever He asks me to do to help change it.

So what am I waiting for?  And what are you?  Let 2013 be the year we ASK… so that it becomes the year we receive.  Thank You, God, for daring me to believe!  🙂

“God is more eager to answer than we are to ask.” -Smith Wigglesworth