“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
that if we ask anything
“If we ask” presumes expectation. Since the Christian is certain that he possesses eternal life (1 Jn 5:13), he can be confident that God answers prayer.
PRINCIPLE:
We must know God’s will to pray with confidence.
APPLICATION:
Unanswered prayer is an enigma to many today. They experiment around the edges of prayer but never get serious with it. They do not pray with certainty. Sometimes they use prayer as the “last resort.”
Most of the mystery about prayer revolves around its nature. Some try to pray but give up because of their perceptions of what prayer is all about. Then they lose confidence in prayer altogether because God did not answer. They assume that prayer fails to meet their needs.
Some Christians treat prayer like a genie, expecting it to persuade God to do what they want. If they rub the genie the right way, they get what they want. This is a parody of prayer. By this, they make outlandish demands on God that they believe are their right. God promises to meet our needs, not our “greed.” This is praying “according to our lusts.”
Jas 4:3, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
Genuine prayer prays in God’s will and according to God’s nature. Prayer outside God’s will insults His integrity. We can pray in a wide range of ways. We pray for what God requires, not what we desire.
Prayer is simple, but its characteristics are not. We can have confidence in prayer because God delights in Christians taking Him at His word. He loves bold faith and bold prayer (He 4:14-16; 10:19).
Prayer is not an endeavor to move God to see things our way. It is not an attempt to change God’s values or standards. God is not willing to give His child something that is not good for him. God wants to give what is in the best interest of the child of God. God does not pander to self-gratification.
Php. 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Our prayers must align with God’s will and be consistent with His character and plan for the universe. Jesus said, “Not my will, but Yours be done.”
Prayer is more than submitting wishes to God. We can be confident that God will answer our prayers when we ask in His will, in faith. The more we grasp God’s will, the more effective our prayer life will be.
