Assurance in prayer

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. 1 John 5:13-15

Oftentimes, Christians are puzzled when their prayers are not answered. This is why there are those that lose confidence praying because they thought that it does not work. Arriving to such conclusion came from a lack of understanding on what prayer is all about. This is why prayer becomes complex to many. Another reason why many people struggle to understand how prayer works is the view that prayer is a tool to get God does what they want Him to do for their lives. The apostle John in the text is telling believers that prayer is coming to God with certainty. Since there is an assurance of salvation to those that placed their trust in Christ, the natural result of this relationship is the confidence to approach God in prayer. “We can come to God with bold confidence” (1 John 3:21). Prayer works which is why a child of God will not stop coming to God’s throne of grace and that God hears His children. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16). Prayer is aligning our heart’s desires to God’s heart and His perspective in our lives. It means getting our lives aligned in His will. God hears all our prayers but provides answers only to those that are in accordance with His will. “And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him” (1 John 3:22). It is not about mustering enough faith that will bring about an answer to prayer. It is by abiding in His word manifested in our actions that we grow in understanding His will. Remember praying is about His will and His answer will always lead to the glory of God. When we move to a point in our lives that the prayer we offer is no longer self-centered but God-centered we are now growing in seeking His will, no longer our wants but what God wants. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33).

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman

www.my-wbc.com