40 Days of Prayer - Wednesday, May 29 - Devotion 8

Assurance of Answered Prayer

1 John 5:14 (ESV)
¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

This has to be one of the most remarkable verses in the whole Bible for us today.  It speaks of the confidence we have in God answering prayer and our knowing that He heard and granted what we asked of Him.

Read this verse again and let the words sink deep within you. 

1 John 5:14 (ESV)
¹⁴ And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

Consider
How must we pray in order to know that God has heard our prayers and granted the things we asked of Him?  Answer: When we pray according to His will. Another question should begin to rise in our minds. How do I pray according to God's will? Answer: God's word.  If you are just beginning this journey of prayer or have been on this journey for quite some time, there are no better things to pray for than what God's word directs us to pray for. 

Apply
Let me give you a few to begin to incorporate into your prayer time.

1. Pray for God to be glorified in your life. 
1 Corinthians 3: 18 ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

2. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing & give thanks in all circumstances
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit.

3. Pray for wisdom and do not doubt
James 1:5-8 ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

4. Pray to abide in Christ and for His words to abide in you so you bear much fruit
John 15:7-8  ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

5. Pray for your faith
Hebrews 11:6 ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

6. Confess your sins
1 John 1:9-10 ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

7. Ask for the Holy Spirit
Luke 11:13 ¹³ If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

There are many more promises of God that could be listed, but these are just a few to begin with. If you have others that you know are God's will, write them down when you pray and watch God answer. He says we can have confidence in praying according to His will!

In Christ, Bryan