Does prayer go unanswered? Day 3…

““And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” 1 John 5:14-15

Remember that the Word of God is good for three things, “edification, and exhortation, and comfort.” 1 Corinthians 14:3. 

Another way to say that is that God’s Word is always shows us His “direction, correction, and affection!” NEVER… I repeat, NEVER… rejection.  Because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross we are accepted.

According to His will. 

Sounds almost like an escape clause for God. “Well, that wasn’t according to My will. Sorry.  Your bad.”

Christ does not condemn us.  And He doesn’t leave us without guidance, for the Comforter guides us in all things.

What is the will of God?  We need to know this if we are to ask according to His will.

“And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:40

“not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Do our prayers advance His kingdom?  Do we sometimes ask for things that would just be for us?  Do we truly seek to gain from God that which will draw others to Him?

It is His will.

This is not an escape clause or an excuse… it is meant to direct us.

If we are sure of God’s will for our lives – maybe He has given you a vision of the future, maybe He has impressed it upon what He desires to use you for and do to and through you – then when we ask and receive not we must understand that it wouldn’t bring to pass His will… it isn’t according to His will.

How do we know the will of God… we need to get closer to Him.

If prayer is a dialogue, we need to be listening to what God is saying He is going to do.  If we ask for something contrary to that… how would we ever expect to receive it?

When our prayers… our plans… contradict His plans… His plans win. 

I hope that you still see that we have yet to really see a prayer that goes unanswered… only that the answers are usually different that the ones we want.

But there is a prayer that goes unanswered.  We’ll get to it.

More tomorrow.

SDG