If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7

There is much preaching about getting something from God. God is good. God owns everything and God wants to bless us, so of course we want to receive from God’s good hand. Jesus Christ gives us a formula (Jn. 15:7) for receiving from God. In fact, he gives us a blank check upon which we may write our desires and he assures us of God’s positive answer.
Perhaps a key word in this formula is the word “if”. The result depends upon the process. Living life in close connection to Jesus Christ and building his word into our lives will have a profound effect. We will begin to think like Christ and that in turn will affect all of our actions, decisions, goals and the entire focus of our lives (Prov. 4:23). It stands to reason that, the more we think like Christ, the more in tune our heart’s desires will be with his. When we approach God with our requests, we will be requesting what Christ would request which is compatible with God’s heart and program. God gladly responds to that which will further his purposes on the earth.
Choosing not to abide in Christ or bringing his word into our lives, leaves us focusing upon selfish–what makes me happy–heart desires. Though we may want these “things” and truly believe they will make us happy, God may say no for he understands the end from the beginning (Jas. 4:3). No Christian should desire that which will harm them spiritually. We may prefer slim bodies, but lean souls are not the preference of God (Ps. 106:15).
God will not deny himself (2Tim. 2:13) and the more we are like him, the more certain we are that our prayers are acceptable. Make it your goal to abide in Christ and to keep his word in you.