ETERNITY

[Ranb2khz]

Receiving Answers to Our Prayers

"I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. Now this is the confidence we have before Him: Whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for." ~ 1 John 5:13-15

In response to our prayers, the Lord uses His power to penetrate closed minds and hard hearts. In that way, He brings people to salvation and transforms unrighteous lives.

We all want our petitions fulfilled, so it is important to understand God’s conditions for answered prayer. Besides having a relationship with Him:

"Jesus replied, “I assure you: Unless someone is born again,[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”" ~ John 3:3

And confessing all known sin, we must have faith that His Word is true and His promises reliable. The Bible, which was divinely written by God through man, is without error. In this amazing book, the Lord reveals His nature — holy, sovereign, and perfect — and presents His plan of salvation:

"If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." ~ Romans 10:9

Because God’s promises are based on His perfect character, we can be certain He will do what He says; otherwise He would not be God. And Jesus’ promises can be trusted because He always spoke the Father’s words:

"For I have not spoken on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a command as to what I should say and what I should speak." ~ John 12:49

Another condition is that we ask according to the Lord’s purposes. We’re to pray for things that are in keeping with His divine plan and character. God wants us to discern His will, to pray for it to be carried out, and to do whatever our part might be in its fulfillment:

"Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, Your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." ~ Matthew 6:9-10

The Holy Spirit will help us know what to pray. And as we consider which petitions to make, we should ask ourselves, Is my request based on God’s Word? How will an answer to this prayer bring me or someone else closer to Him?

It takes an investment of time to meet God’s requirements for prayer. But in response, He will provide answers beyond anything we could ask or think:

"Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us" ~ Ephesians 3:20

https://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions/receiving-answers-to-our-prayers