Prayer # 4

Praying according to the will of God

We are taught in the Bible to “ask according to the will of God” when we pray. This is not a restriction but rather a help in prayer. And, as I have said before, prayer is a good way to find the will of God. However, there is no substitute for learning the word of God. Get the promises of God in your heart and mind from the Bible and when you come before God in prayer you will find guidance and be encouraged that you are finding God’s will. By walking in the light we find more light, and by doing what we know is the will of God, we will know more fully His will. And prayer is God’s will for us all.

There are some things that we can ask for and know for sure that we are praying according to the will of God. The one that comes to mind first is praying for the lost. Asking God to save someone who does not know Christ is always right. (“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.“ 2 Peter 3:9.) Christ came into the world to save the lost so to ask God to save the lost must be God’s will. We can then pray with confidence asking God to save anyone. We don’t know when God chooses to save, but we know He does want to save sinners, so we should ask. I prayed for several years before my father came to Christ. He was not converted on my time table but on God’s. The wonderful truth is, God heard my prayer and saved my dad.

When we pray for unity in the church we are also asking for exactly what God wants and so we can pray with great assurance. Jesus prayed for the unity of His followers in John 17:11. Paul asked God again for the unity of believers..1 Corinthians 1:10, Colossians 2:2, and others. He said to the believers at Ephesus “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3).

We are praying according to the will of God when we pray for our enemies, Matthew 5:44; when we ask for more workers in God’s kingdom, Matthew 9:38; when we ask for God’s will to be done and that His kingdom will increase, Luke 11:2; when we pray that we not fall into temptation, Luke 22:40; when we pray when we are afflicted, James 5:13; when we pray for one another, James 5:16; and when we see a brother sin, James 5:16. So there is much to pray about! These are but a few of the things clearly given in the Bible that we are to pray about and know for sure that we are praying exactly according to the will of God.

So, just pray!