What are the first thoughts/images that come to mind when you hear the word “genie?” If you are like me, Robin Williams’ portrayal of Genie in Disney’s Aladdin immediately comes up. Others may think of the classic tales in Arabian Nights or maybe the tv show I Dream of Jeannie. In original texts, a genie (jinni or djinn) was an evil spirit with magical powers, but we’ll stick with the modern, wish-granting versions for this discussion. You find a magic lamp and meet a genie who says you get 3 wishes. Do you wish for money, power, world peace, happiness, that your favorite sports team would have a winning season for a change?

As Christians, we can boldly come into the presence of the all-powerful creator and sustainer of the universe, which includes you and me, and make requests as His children (Hebrews 4:16, Philippians 4:6). Name it and claim it has gained a lot of popularity in recent years especially in America. This is a belief that if we name what we want and have enough faith, it will come to fruition. Believers in this claim Mark 11 where Jesus says, “ Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” So, if we ask God for something and don’t receive it, then we must not have had enough faith.
However, that’s contrary to other teachings including Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by Grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result from works, so that no one may boast.” Faith is a gift of God, not something that we create or develop, so how can we create more on our own to be able to claim more requests? We can’t. In addition, Paul prayed multiple times for his ‘thorn in the flesh’ to be removed, yet it didn’t happen. Based on Paul’s track record, are we to believe he didn’t have the faith to make it happen? Again, no.
If men were able to name whatever they wanted and get it, it would make God nothing more than a cosmic genie – able to make anything/everything happen at the whims of fallen, finite, flawed people. What if people had conflicting ‘wishes’ or made a wish to keep others from getting their wishes? The world would not exist for more than a few moments. Thankfully, Mark 11 is not a promise that is given to all Christians. It’s something specifically given to the disciples for a period of time. They would be allowed to perform miracles that would seem as amazing as literally moving mountains. God is not controlled by our requests, demand or wishes. In 1 Kings 18, we see the profits of Baal attempting to sway their god through chanting and even blood sacrifice all to no avail while Elijah asked for God’s will based on His promise.
Here’s what we the Bible actually teaches about requesting things from God. Let’s go to Matthew 7:7-11, “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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” God is eager and willing to give us all good things (James 1:17), but will also withhold when necessary. What matters is if we are bringing glory and honor to God or ourselves? What is the motive behind what we are asking for? If we are following where He leads and delighting ourselves in the Lord, we will then get the desires of our heart. God even gave us a helper to know what to pray- “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans‬ ‭8:26-28. Even when we don’t get what we asked for, as positive as the motive might be, God is still good and doing what will bring about His will and glory.

For more info on prayer, see The Lord’s Prayer Revisited.