“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
— 1 John 3:22
Hello, Friends. Here’s a lesson I’ve learned on proper prayer to the Lord that only applies to His children and to those who humble themselves before Him with the right attitude and words of humility, as the publican who beat himself on his chest, and said, “God be merciful to me a sinner” — Luke 18:13
If you do not know the Lord according to the scriptures He will not be obligated to answer your prayer(s), except by His mercy and compassion … but even that will be according to His will. We need to know and understand what the will of the Lord is … and come to Him believing who He is, and know that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Ephesians 5:17; Hebrews 11:6).
Let’s get started!
For those who truly belong to God — baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin (Acts 2:38) … waiting to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost [children to be waiting for the promise of God] (Acts 2:38) … or have received the Spirit of adoption [waiting period ended] (Romans 8:15) … as well as His disciples indeed (John 8:31-32)…. are entitled to pray to Him with confidence because they/we have learned (and are still learning) how to pray to Him according to His will. And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions (requests) that we desired of Him. (1 John 5:15).
We must be in the business of keeping His commandments and doing those things which are pleasing in His sight on a daily basis so that He will answer our prayers … not seasonal or during tragedies as many do in the world, Christendom, and the Church. You know, holidays; special occasions; a loved one turns ill or injured; a loved one dies, or was subjected to an untimely death; and so on—except He extends mercy their prayers will not be answered. We live prayerful lives as Jesus declared, “…men ought always to pray, and not to faint…” — “pray without ceasing” (Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Parents are known to give favors to their obedient children, right? … especially good parents. Think about it — so it is with the Lord — He answers the prayers of those who obey and submit to His will as a matter of lifestyle and not special events. If we are disobedient, that is, doing things which displease the Lord, then we begin to lose hope because He will not hear us until we repent and turn from our wrong, evil, or dysfunctional way (2 Chronicles 7:14).
We must be holy because He is holy; we must be perfect because He is perfect; we must be obedient because Jesus was obedient even unto death.
Consider the answered prayers of the obedient to God:
- (Matthew 7:7-8) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
- (Mark 11:24) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
- (John 15:7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Each of these prayers have qualifiers — the person must abide, i.e., must continue in Jesus and His word; must remain faithful and obedient in Him; must believeth on Him without wavering. True believers of the Lord strive to ask of Him in accordance with His will. If we ask Him anything that is not according to His will, we have learned to surrender and renounce our desire for His will, and He will provide us with what is better than what we desired of Him.
Remember, God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us (Ephesians 3:20). This is in accordance with how much we submit to His power which worketh in us — if we submit little, we will receive little … if we submit much, we will receive much (Mark 6:5; 11:23).
Let us consider the prayers of those who keep God’s commandments:
- (Psalm 34:15) The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
- (Psalm 145:18) The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
- (Psalm 145:19) He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
We the righteous call on the Lord in truth, fear Him, live by His commandments, and He will save us (i.e., He will save, deliver, help, preserve, avenge, defend, and rescue us) so that we may live victorious lives in Him.
We are true believers in Christ, and all our works of faith are the fruit of His Spirit in us — we live to be “pleasing in God’s sight” at all times — and we strive for our prayers to be of the same Spirit of God which dwelleth in us, so that they will be answered by Him according to His will.
How much do you treasure pleasing the Lord and living according to His will? It will be seen and duly noted when you pray. Keep God’s commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight so that your prayers may line up with His will …and… you may lead a quiet and peaceable in all godliness and honesty because you are in order when you pray.
In Christ We Do Remain
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