TO THE BIBLE: 1 John 5:14-15
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
LET’S TALK
In a Bible Study class, the teacher asked Fred, “Do you always receive answers when you pray?” Fred answered, “Well, I do sometimes and other times I don’t because I assume that either I didn’t pray according to God’s will or He didn’t want me to have what I asked for.”
Just like Fred, some Christians have such wrong assumptions about God which comes from an incorrect interpretation of God’s Word in the context of prayer. When God tells us to “ask according to His will” (1 John 5:14), He isn’t talking about “WHAT” we ask for, but “HOW” we ask for it. He’s referring to the way and manner you present your petitions. So what is God’s specified pattern for asking according to His will? John 16:23 gives us a clear idea: “…Whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”
Jesus himself introduced the new and acceptable way of asking from God; the Father’s will for asking is that you ask in the Name of Jesus. When you make requests to the Father in Jesus’ Name, you’re actually functioning in Jesus’ stead. It’s as though Jesus were the one making that request. The Father loves you unconditionally; all He wants is for you to ask according to His will—in the Name of Jesus—and receive answers.
Go Deeper
Pray
Dear Father, I rejoice at the awesome privilege and blessing of praying in the Name of Jesus. Thank you for ordaining me to receive answers to my prayers, and teaching me the acceptable way of asking in accordance to your will! I’m thus confident of answers to my petitions as I offer them in the Name of Jesus today. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
ONE YEAR
Colossians 1:24-2:1-5, Isaiah 27-28
TWO YEAR
John 4:30-42, 1 Kings 14
Act
What do you desire? You can ask right away, in the Name of Jesus, and receive answers to your prayers.