“…wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” (2 Thes. 3:10-12 NIV)

Why are wicked people perishing?

According to the above passage, the ones who are perishing are perishing for a number of reasons! First, they are perishing because they are deceived by wickedness! Second, they are perishing because they have “refused to love the truth and so be saved.” It’s a personal decision with negative consequences. Their decisions lead them along a downward spiral until they become so wicked they openly reject truth and delight in wickedness. At this point God sends them “a powerful delusion” so they blindly believe the lies and are condemned. You can see this process happening to many in the entertainment world and the talking heads within the main stream media. When Christians see this open wickedness, they sometimes become discouraged, dismayed and confused. But don’t forget that God knows what’s going on and He has a plan. There’s hope!

Discouragement over wickedness is nothing new! Asaph felt the same way in Psalm 73

“They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” Look at these wicked people—enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.” (Psalm 73:8-14 NLT)

Asaph receives understanding

“Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. (Psalm 73:17-19 NLT)

Asaph is encouraged

“Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” (Psalm 73:23-26 NLT)

God’s people must pray

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14 NKJV)

“To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ (Acts 26:18 ESV)

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Tim. 2:1-4 ESV)

 “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” (Col. 4:2 ESV)

The Bible has a lot to say about why you do or don’t receive what you ask God for when you pray. 

How to NOT get what you ask God for

• You don’t ask

“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” (John 16:24 ESV)

• You don’t ask according to God’s will

“…saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.” (Jesus: Luke 22:42-44

• You ask selfishly

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:13 ESV)

• You don’t ask in faith

“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 is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5-8 ESV)

• You don’t persevere

“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” (Eph. 6:18 ESV)

How to GET what you ask God for

• You ask boldly

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Heb. 4:16 NLT)

• You ask in Jesus’s Name

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14 ESV)

• You ask according to God’s will

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15 NIV)

• You ask to bring glory to God

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 24:13 ESV)

• You ask in faith believing

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV)

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 ESV)

• You abide in Jesus and His Words

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7 ESV)

• You ask in agreement

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” (Matt. 18:19 ESV)

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exo. 14:14 NIV)

Don’t lean on your own understanding!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5 ESV)

Praise God and don’t be afraid!

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalms 56:3-4 ESV)

Trust and say, “You are my God!”

“But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors!” (Psalm 31:14-15 ESV)

Trust and rejoice in His steadfast love for you

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” (Psalm 13:5 ESV)

You will be blessed when you make the Lord your trust!

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!” (Psalm 40:4 ESV)

Because God knows the hopeful future He has planned for you

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 ESV)

“Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.” (Gen. 2:29-30 NIV)

God supplied for every need

The above passage says God gave us every seed-bearing plant on the face of the earth, every fruit tree with seeds, and all animals, including everything that has breath and life in it. All this was there for us to control and take advantage of to meet our needs.

God gave mankind work to do

”The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Gen. 2:15 NIV)

You shall be blessed by the labor of your hands

“You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you.” (Psalm 128:2 ESV)

“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (Psalm 99:17 ESV)

You shall find enjoyment in your work which is from the hand of God

“There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.” (Eccles. 2:24 ESV)

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Gen. 1:28 NIV).

God created mankind, blessed them, and commanded them to do things

• Be fruitful: be productive, constructive, useful, worthwhile, helpful, beneficial, valuable, rewarding, profitable, advantageous, gainful, successful, effective, effectual, well spent.

• Increase in number: grow, enlarge, expand, multiply.
• Fill the earth: occupy the whole of, furnish, brim over.
• Subdue it: conquer, control, master.
• Rule over fish of the sea, birds in the sky, and every living creature that moves on the ground: direct, guide, command, regulate, order, dictate.

Therefore…

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” (Col. 3:23 ESV)

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10 NIV)

 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Gen. 1:27 NIV)

There is a lot said in this passage of Scripture about mankind

• First, God makes mankind in His own image which is the image of God. He did not say this about animals.

• Secondly, mankind means male and female. Today, there are some who say they are “transgender” or “gender neutral” among other gender designations, but God makes it abundantly clear that He only created two genders, male and female.

A man’s helper and companion

God created a woman so that man would have a helper and companion.

“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Gen. 2:18 NIV)

Marriage turns a man and woman into one flesh

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

God has an order for things within a marriage

“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” (1 Cor. 11:3 NIV)

A man must love his wife as Christ loved the church

Men are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Eph. 5:25 NIV)

“However, let each one of you love his wife as himself…” (Eph. 5:33a NIV)

Women are to love, submit to, and respect their husbands

“And so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” (Titus 2:4-5 NIV)

“... let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Eph. 5:33b NIV)

“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” (Col. 3:18 NIV)

Men and women are equal in God’s sight

Because God has an order to things in marriage, people sometimes conclude  that men are more important, or better than, women. Nothing could be further from the truth! Yes, men and women have different rolls within marriage, but one isn’t better than the other.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

 “I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.” (Psalm 3:5 ESV)

Your sleep will be sweet

“If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” (Prov. 3:24 ESV)

He gives to his beloved sleep

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” (Psalm 127:2 ESV)

Sweet is the sleep of a laborer

“Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.” (Eccles. 5:12 ESV)

Come to God for rest

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28-30 ESV)

Do everything by prayer with thanksgiving

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”(Phil. 4:6-7 ESV)

And He will give you rest

“And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exo. 33:14 ESV)

 “Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy…” (Psalm 78:41-42 NKJV)

We do limit God!

It’s hard to believe that we could actually limit God in any way, because He is, well, God! But according to Scripture, we can and do limit Him. How is this so? God has set some self imposed rules (limits) in place that He follows. For instance, He limited himself when He became God in the flesh. Jesus said there were things the Father knew that He didn’t know, such as when He would return some day (Matt. 24:36). And Jesus could do very little in His own home town because He was limited by their lack of faith (Mark 6:5). Yes, we can and do limit God in many ways!

We can limit God because of fear

God wanted the Hebrew children to enter in and live in the promise land. But, they “limited” His blessing for them out of fear of giants that were in that land! Therefore, they died in the wilderness instead of entering in and enjoying the promise land’s abundance!

The Bible says 365 times, “do not fear.” That covers every single day of the year!

Stop limiting God! Trust Him for immeasurable things that He is able to do!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” (Eph. 3:20 NIV)

Jesus said…

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10a ESV)

Ask God to teach you to profit and to lead you the way you should go!

“Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way you should go.” (Isa. 48:17

“And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” (Isa. 58:11 ESV)

“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 24:41-42 ESV)

You don’t hear many sermons about hell these days

There is a move among some prominent religious leaders (not mentioning names here) who say,  “hell is not real and a loving God would never send people to a place like hell.” But, Jesus warned us about hell and spoke about it more than He did about heaven. He warned that hell is a place to be avoided and He died on the cross to prevent people from going there.

Hell is a place of everlasting destruction shut out from the presence of God

“They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (2 Thes. 1:9 NIV)

Hell is a place of punishment and eternal fire  

“In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 1:7 NIV)

Hell is a terrible place with weeping and gnashing of teeth

“They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 13:42 NIV)

Hell is for the wicked and those who have forgotten God

“The wicked go down to the realm of the dead, all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17 NIV)

Hell is for those who are cursed, the devil and his angels

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41 NIV)

“But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8 NIV)

There are two paths, choose life!

“The path of life leads upward for the prudent to keep them from going down to the realm of the dead.” (Prov. 15:24 NIV)

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46 NIV)

Only those whose names are written in the book of life are saved from hell

“And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20:15 ESV)

God sent Jesus as a free gift to keep you from perishing

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23 ESV)

Avoid hell, receive Jesus and believe in His Name

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.”

Confess Him with your mouth

“…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9 NKJV)