Topical Bible: Wants

Jump to: Concordance • Thesaurus • Greek • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the context of the Bible, "wants" often refers to the needs or desires of individuals, both material and spiritual. The Scriptures address the concept of wants in various ways, emphasizing God's provision, the importance of contentment, and the distinction between needs and desires.

God's Provision

The Bible consistently teaches that God is the ultimate provider of all needs. In Philippians 4:19, the Apostle Paul assures believers, "And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." This verse underscores the belief that God is attentive to the needs of His people and provides for them out of His abundance.

Psalm 23:1 famously declares, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want." This metaphor of God as a shepherd highlights His role in guiding, protecting, and providing for His flock, ensuring that they lack nothing essential.

Contentment

The Scriptures also encourage believers to cultivate contentment, recognizing that true satisfaction comes from God rather than material possessions. In 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Paul writes, "Of course, godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these." This passage emphasizes the virtue of being satisfied with basic necessities and warns against the dangers of excessive desire for wealth.

Hebrews 13:5 further advises, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: 'Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.'" This verse reassures believers of God's constant presence and care, encouraging them to trust in His provision rather than seeking fulfillment in material wealth.

Distinction Between Needs and Desires

The Bible makes a clear distinction between genuine needs and mere desires. While God promises to meet the needs of His people, He does not guarantee the fulfillment of all their desires. James 4:3 warns, "And when you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures." This verse highlights the importance of aligning one's desires with God's will and seeking His kingdom first.

In Matthew 6:31-33, Jesus instructs His followers, "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." Here, Jesus emphasizes prioritizing spiritual pursuits over material concerns, trusting that God will provide for physical needs.

Prayer and Dependence on God

Prayer is a means by which believers express their wants and dependence on God. In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches His disciples to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11), acknowledging God as the source of daily sustenance. This petition reflects a reliance on God for provision and a recognition of His sovereignty over all aspects of life.

The Bible encourages believers to present their requests to God with thanksgiving, as stated in Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." This approach fosters a spirit of gratitude and trust in God's wisdom and timing.

In summary, the biblical perspective on wants encompasses God's faithful provision, the call to contentment, the discernment between needs and desires, and the practice of prayerful dependence on God. Through these teachings, believers are guided to trust in God's sufficiency and to seek His kingdom above all else.

Greek

2309. thelo -- to will, wish
... 1), like (3), maintain (1), mean (1), mean* (2), please (1), purposed (1), refused*
(1), unwilling* (11), want (52), wanted (15), wanting (3), wants (8), will ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2309.htm - 11k

Library

God Wants the Best.
... Gideon's Band: Sifted for Service. (1 Corinthians i:18-31; Judges vi and vii.) God
Wants the Best. ... That of course is not true. God wants the best we have. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on service/god wants the best.htm

Wants and Wishes in Prayer.
... ORIGINAL HYMNS HYMN LXIV. Wants and Wishes in Prayer. 8.6.8.6 James Montgomery.
Wants and Wishes in Prayer. What shall we ask of God in prayer? ...
/.../montgomery/sacred poems and hymns/hymn lxiv wants and wishes.htm

The Daily Wants of the Church Supplied by the Emperor, and an ...
... The ECCLESIASTICAL HistorY of Theodoret. Book I. Chapter X."The daily wants of the
Church supplied by the Emperor, and an account of his other virtues. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter x the daily wants of.htm

Wants are the Bands and Cements Between God and Us
... THE FIRST CENTURY 51 Wants are the bands and cements between God and us.
Wants are the bands and cements between God and us. Had ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/51 wants are the bands.htm

To Thee Our Wants are Known,
... AFTER SERMON. Hymn 103 To thee our wants are known,. John Newton 6,6,6,6,7,7.
To thee our wants are known,. From thee are all our pow'rs; ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 103 to thee our.htm

But I Believe Academicus Wants to Say Something, and Therefore I ...
... [Way-1-72] But I believe Academicus wants to say something, and therefore
I have done.? But I believe Academicus wants to say ...
/.../law/the way to divine knowledge/way-1-72 but i believe academicus.htm

SMC Wesley. Spiritual Wants.
... 225. SMC Wesley. Spiritual Wants. 1 My God, my strength, my hope, On Thee I cast
my care, With humble confidence look up, And know Thou hear'st my prayer. ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/225 s m c wesley.htm

But to Know Whether Christianity Wants, or Admits of War...
... Address 209: But to know whether Christianity wants, or admits of war?
But to know whether Christianity wants, or admits of war ...
/.../address 209 0 0 but to know.htm

Infinite Wants Satisfied Produce Infinite Joys
... THE FIRST CENTURY 43 Infinite Wants satisfied produce infinite Joys. ... I must lead
you out of this, into another World, to learn your wants. ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/43 infinite wants satisfied produce.htm

Jesus "Wants them all to Come. "
... Jesus "Wants them All to Come.". I heard of a Sunday-school concert at which
a little child of eight was going to recite. Her mother ...
/.../moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/jesus wants them all to.htm

Thesaurus

Wants (49 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Wants (49 Occurrences). ... Let God deliver him now, if
he wants him; for he said,'I am the Son of God.'" (WEB NIV). ...
/w/wants.htm - 20k

Wishes (37 Occurrences)
... Mark 8:34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them,
"Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross ...
/w/wishes.htm - 16k

Relieve (14 Occurrences)
... down, or crushes; to render less burdensome or afflicting; to alleviate; to abate;
to mitigate; to lessen; as, to relieve pain; to relieve the wants of the poor ...
/r/relieve.htm - 11k

Pattern (28 Occurrences)
... A man who wants a house calls the builder and says he wants to build so many rooms
of such and such dimensions with, for example, a court 10 drahs (arm's ...
/p/pattern.htm - 19k

Sufficient (28 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Equal to the end proposed; adequate to wants; enough; ample; competent;
as, provision sufficient for the family; an army sufficient to defend the ...
/s/sufficient.htm - 15k

Wantonness (6 Occurrences)

/w/wantonness.htm - 8k

Minister (150 Occurrences)
... Acts 28:10 who also honoured us with many honours, and on our leaving they made
presents to us of what should minister to our wants. (DBY). ...
/m/minister.htm - 40k

Fully (153 Occurrences)
... was with you and my resources failed, there was no one to whom I became a
burden--for the brethren when they came from Macedonia fully supplied my wants-- ...
/f/fully.htm - 36k

Utility (1 Occurrence)
... the utility of medicines. 2. (n.) Adaptation to satisfy the desires or
wants; intrinsic value. See Note Value. 3. (n.) Happiness ...
/u/utility.htm - 7k

Resources

What does God want me to do? | GotQuestions.org

If a person wants to be baptized, but is unable to be immersed into water due to being ill, disabled, elderly...etc. - what should be done? | GotQuestions.org

What does God want from me? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Wants (49 Occurrences)

Matthew 5:40
If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
(See NAS NIV)

Matthew 5:42
Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
(See NAS NIV)

Matthew 20:26
It shall not be so among you, but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
(See NIV)

Matthew 27:43
He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him; for he said,'I am the Son of God.'"
(WEB NIV)

Mark 8:34
He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, "Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(WEB)

Mark 8:35
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.
(WEB NIV)

Mark 9:35
He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, "If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all."
(WEB NAS NIV)

Mark 10:43
But it shall not be so among you, but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant.
(WEB NIV)

Mark 10:44
Whoever of you wants to become first among you, shall be bondservant of all.
(WEB NIV)

Luke 5:39
No man having drunk old wine immediately desires new, for he says,'The old is better.'"
(See NIV)

Luke 11:8
I say to you, Although he will not get up and give them to him because he is his friend, because of his shamelessness, at any rate, he will rise and give him as many as he wants.
(DBY)

Luke 12:47
That servant, who knew his lord's will, and didn't prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes,
(See NIV)

Luke 13:31
On that same day, some Pharisees came, saying to him, "Get out of here, and go away, for Herod wants to kill you."
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Luke 14:28
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, doesn't first sit down and count the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it?
(See NAS NIV)

John 3:8
The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
(WEB)

John 4:35
Do you not say, 'It wants four months yet to the harvest'? But look round, I tell you, and observe these plains-- they are already ripe for the sickle.
(WEY)

John 7:20
"You are possessed by a demon," replied the crowd; "no one wants to kill you."
(WEY)

Acts 4:35
and gave it to the Apostles, and distribution was made to every one according to his wants.
(WEY)

Acts 20:34
Yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my wants, and to those who were with me.
(DBY)

Acts 28:10
who also honoured us with many honours, and on our leaving they made presents to us of what should minister to our wants.
(DBY)

Romans 7:21
I find then the law, that, to me, while I desire to do good, evil is present.
(See NAS)

Romans 9:18
So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.
(See NIV)

1 Corinthians 7:36
But if any man thinks that he is behaving inappropriately toward his virgin, if she is past the flower of her age, and if need so requires, let him do what he desires. He doesn't sin. Let them marry.
(See NIV)

1 Corinthians 11:16
But if any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither do God's assemblies.
(See NIV)

2 Corinthians 11:9
And when I was with you and my resources failed, there was no one to whom I became a burden--for the brethren when they came from Macedonia fully supplied my wants--and I kept myself from being in the least a burden to you, and will do so still.
(WEY)

Philippians 2:25
Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
(KJV WBS)

Philippians 4:18
I have enough of everything--and more than enough. My wants are fully satisfied now that I have received from the hands of Epaphroditus the generous gifts which you sent me--they are a fragrant odor, an acceptable sacrifice, truly pleasing to God.
(WEY)

1 Timothy 5:16
If a believing woman has widows dependent on her, she should relieve their wants, and save the Church from being burdened--so that the Church may relieve the widows who are really in need.
(WEY)

2 Timothy 2:4
No soldier on duty entangles himself in the affairs of life, that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.
(See NIV)

2 Timothy 3:12
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
(See NIV)

Titus 3:14
and let ours also learn to apply themselves to good works for necessary wants, that they may not be unfruitful.
(DBY)

Philemon 1:13
It was my wish to keep him at my side for him to attend to my wants, as your representative, during my imprisonment for the Good News.
(WEY)

James 3:4
Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
(See NIV)

James 4:4
You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
(WEB)

1 Peter 5:2
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;
(See NIV)

Revelation 11:5
If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
(See NAS NIV)

Genesis 19:9
They said, "Stand back!" Then they said, "This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them!" They pressed hard on the man Lot, and drew near to break the door.
(See NIV)

Genesis 43:18
The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph's house; and they said, "Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time, we're brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys."
(See NIV)

Exodus 12:48
When a stranger shall live as a foreigner with you, and will keep the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one who is born in the land: but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
(See NIV)

Numbers 6:2
"Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them:'When either man or woman shall make a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to Yahweh,
(See NIV)

Numbers 9:14
"'If a foreigner lives among you, and desires to keep the Passover to Yahweh; according to the statute of the Passover, and according to its ordinance, so shall he do. You shall have one statute, both for the foreigner, and for him who is born in the land.'"
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 15:8
but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need in that which he wants.
(WEB)

Judges 19:20
The old man said, "Peace be to you; howsoever let all your wants lie on me; only don't lodge in the street."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Ruth 3:13
Stay this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman's part. But if he will not do the part of a kinsman for you, then will I do the part of a kinsman for you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning."
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 18:25
Saul said, "You shall tell David,'The king desires no dowry except one hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies.'" Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
(See NIV)

Psalms 56:1
For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Silent Dove in Distant Lands." A poem by David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
(WEB)

Jeremiah 22:28
Is this man Coniah a despised broken vessel? is he a vessel in which none delights? why are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into the land which they don't know?
(See NIV)

Jeremiah 48:38
On all the housetops of Moab and in its streets there is lamentation every where; for I have broken Moab like a vessel in which none delights, says Yahweh.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 46:7
and he shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for the bull, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Wants

Related Terms

War-carriage (11 Occurrences)

War-dress (6 Occurrences)

War-cry (5 Occurrences)

War-horses (6 Occurrences)

War-horn (3 Occurrences)

War-club (1 Occurrence)

War-cries (1 Occurrence)

War-dresses (1 Occurrence)

War-horse (1 Occurrence)