Prayer Establishes Our Release to God
According to His Will

Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:13-15

Key Verse: 1 John 5:14

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

In our scripture today, the Apostle John helps us pray effectively and in confidence. Effective prayer is wrapped up in this one phrase: “if we ask anything according to His will.” There are several eternal truths embedded in this verse. Let’s uncover them.

First, we should have confidence in approaching God. The God of creation, builder of the Universe, invites you and me into His presence. Picture yourself standing outside the Oval Office, realizing you will be invited to speak to The President of the United States in a few moments. Most of us would walk into that situation with some fear and trembling. We must never take lightly the privilege of approaching God in our prayers!

Secondly, confidence should characterize our prayers. John writes that we should have confidence as we approach God. We are His children, cleansed and made righteous by our faith in the work Jesus did on the cross. We must never allow self-confidence to replace this God-confidence that John is writing about.

Finally, our prayers must be saturated with the attitude that it is God’s will we are seeking. No matter what I ask God, no matter how urgent or desperate I may feel, my only confidence is in trusting that the will of God will be done. We must say it often and mean it sincerely: “God, I want this if it fits within your will and plans for me!”

Father, when I can’t see any other good answer but the one I’m seeing, please override it all and grant me your will. In Jesus’ Name, amen.