Confident praying.

I wonder how often you "pray"! Many do - but only in an emergency, or when they want something. I recall, when I was in the British Merchant Navy, and it had become known that I was a Christian, one fellow crew-member asking me to pray that such and such a horse would win a particular race, as he had bet a large sum of money on this happening! I may have been still very young in my faith, but even I knew that this was not the purpose of prayer!

John, in his first letter (see my book "Defending the Faith") writes: "And this is the confidence which we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us." (5:14). This is the classic conditional promise. Confidence in prayer is tied directly to the qualifier: "according to His will"!

It is, therefore, important that we "understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17).

Many surveys have verified that most people pray. However, all of those studies note that a good portion of the prayers are directed toward an unknown “higher power.” It may seem obvious, but the first requirement for coming under the will of Almighty God is to “believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus the Christ” (1 John 3:23). Before God will respond positively to our “petitions,” we must be “born anew” (John 3:3).

 

Jesus was once asked what the greatest command was. His response, quoting from Deuteronomy 6, was: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). That internal and invisible love of the heart is expressed by obedience to the commandments that God has given. John records it this way: “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (I John 5:3).

Thus, a simple formula appears. If we obey what God has commanded us (starting with faith in the saving work of Christ), then we are assured that God will hear us when we pray. Once our confidence is secured, we can know that God will respond to what we desired from Him. The psalmist states the formula like this: “Take delight in YHWH, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4). 

A new believer in a fellowship to which I once belonged, came to the meeting, very excited! He had just discovered that very verse. He quickly informed us of the "desires of his heart" for which he had asked. He had to have the clear condition pointed out to him - and also the fact that we need to ask in accordance with His will!

You wish to experience His answers - be they "Yes", "No", or "Wait"? Then delight in Him, and keep His commandments.