And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
If we ask anything in harmony with God's will, He hears us, and knowing that He hears gives certainty that we already have what we asked of Him. Asking according to His will means asking in agreement with His revealed will, with a humble heart united to Him, moved by the Holy Spirit, and yielding to Him where His will is not yet known. This confidence belongs to those who have the Son and have life, who believe on His name and know they have eternal life, who love Christ and keep His commandments, and who abide in Him with His words abiding in them, bringing their petitions to the Father in Jesus' name rather than looking to erring men to direct God's work. The promise gives a sure ground for bold, cheerful, persevering faith that grasps what God has pledged, prays more earnestly without waiting for full proof, and rests in peace even when feeling and outward signs do not yet show the answer. God answers every sincere, earnest prayer, but in the way and at the time that is for our present and eternal good and for His glory, and like a loving father He may withhold the exact thing requested to give what is better and more than expected, so no prayer of faith from an honest heart is lost. This covers deliverance from sin without delay, healing of the sick as His wisdom sees best, and wisdom, strength, and provision for daily trials and service, with prayer as needful to spiritual life as food is to the body.
Terms of the Promise
The promise is that requests made according to God's will are heard by Him, and that knowing He hears gives certainty of having the petitions that were asked. It is the privilege of believers to realize this confidence toward God, that to ask anything according to His will means He hears, and to know He hears means to know they have the petitions they desired of Him. The assurance concerns prayer aligned with God's will and offered in Jesus' name, which God honors, encouraging believers to ask boldly and to expect the riches of grace through Jesus. Asking for deliverance from sin accords with God's will, so He will cleanse, make them His children, and enable them to live a holy life.
Asking according to God's will means asking in harmony with His revealed will, with a humble heart in harmony with Him, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and submitting to His will where it is not known. Genuine prayer is so inspired and so conformed, and therefore humbly offered prayer with the heart in harmony with that will brings the blessing and peace of Jesus. That answer replaces fear and despair with joy, light, and hope, giving hope and joy to the despairing.
The confidence belongs to those who have the Son and have life, who believe on the name of the Son of God and know they have eternal life. It belongs to those who love Christ and keep His commandments, who abide in Him and let His words abide in them, so that the Father is glorified in the Son. In that standing, servants today are to pray for what they need for service, even as Solomon prayed for an understanding heart to judge Israel, and such prayer in Christ's name is as acceptable as Solomon's prayer. Christ's sacrifice makes it possible for each person to have a special work, and wisdom received from God enables a worker to serve as a channel of light and blessing, with heavenly agencies giving His faithful children and ministers grace, strength, counsel, and judgment for their work.
Petitions are to be brought to the Father in Jesus' name, which God honors. They are to be directed to God rather than to erring people or human authorities and minds, and difficulties may be brought to Him with humility and unwavering faith, knowing that He will not mislead. God sees each person's circumstances and understands His work in the human heart, so no person needs to direct the work of His Spirit. Relying chiefly on human help and guidance instead can let unbelief enter and weaken faith. God answers the prayers of the meek through angels who do His will.
Faith and Assurance
The verse lays a sure foundation for faith, for when it is known that God hears requests made according to his will, it is known that the petitions asked of him are already possessed. That certainty encourages bold asking and confident expectation of the riches of grace through Jesus. Genuine prayer of this kind is inspired by the Holy Spirit, conforms to God's revealed will, and where his will is not known submits to it. It carries a cheerful and secure confidence in his promises, with good courage to pray for blessing and strength in the knowledge that God listens and grants what is asked. Even when Satan discourages by pointing to personal sinfulness, his promises can still be claimed with confident expectation that the petitions will be answered.
Prevailing prayer rests on faith that takes hold of God's promises and holds on until the answer comes, because his word is sure. It perseveres until the petitions are answered and does not wait for full evidence that God has heard, but is able to act upon even a slight token of his favor. What is called for is a larger and more persevering faith that the Lord will hear and answer all that is called upon him for. That faith seeks to understand his will and then does it without murmuring or discontent, praying more fervently to understand the great events about to take place.
The promise can be trusted with peace even when the joy or blessing sought is not yet felt, for reliance on Christ's word brings peace because his pledge to hear and answer is certain. The same confidence holds even when attention is pointed to one's own sinfulness, since God hears and answers prayer and his promises may be claimed.
The assurance of being heard and answered is experienced as blessing and peace, bringing light and hope to those in fear and despair. It brings cheerfulness in tribulation and by the quickening power of God lifts the heart above despondency. Such assurance is evidence that religion is real, for abiding in Christ, bearing the fruit of a life sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and having faith in God's word give living witness that one's ways please him.
How God Answers
God answers requests made according to his will in the manner and at the time that is for the asker’s best good and for his name’s glory. Those who trust him can know that he hears them and grants what they ask, and when love rules the life confidence in him and in his dealings is complete, for he gives what is needful for present and eternal good. For spiritual blessings the way to ask is to name the very blessing needed and believe it will be received.
Every sincere, earnest prayer is answered, including prayers offered in loneliness, weariness, and trial, and prayer itself is as necessary to the Christian life and growth in grace as food is to physical life and as asking and receiving the bread of heaven. The answer does not always come in the way or at the time expected or desired, but it comes in the way and at the time that best meets the need and is for the petitioner’s good. Requests for humility, wisdom, courage, and increased faith are examples of what is thus given, and the strength gained prepares for duty and fills the heart with peace.
A prayer offered in faith from an honest heart is heard and answered, and no such prayer is lost. Like a loving parent, God may not give the exact thing requested but gives instead what is good and healthful, and the petitioner receives the needed blessing often when most needed and in a form exceeding expectations. He answers the prayers of the meek through appointed angels and heavenly agencies who do his will. Those agencies give his faithful children grace, strength, and counsel for their work, and guide his ministers with counsel and judgment, while Christ’s sacrifice makes it possible for each person to have a special work and wisdom received enables a worker to serve as a channel of light and blessing.
Petitions laid with faith before the mercy seat will be heard, because the throne is arched by the bow of promise and it is his glory to answer the supplications of his people. With one heart and mind in the firm bonds of Christian fellowship, his people are to lay their petitions before him in simplicity and faith to prepare for the conflict, standing together against the determined effort to divide and scatter them and to divert minds with side issues from the important subjects, as he does a great work in the earth. Heaven is opened before believers, all trials can be taken to Christ, his ear is open to hear, honest petitions will be heard and answered, and grace will come into the heart to bless.
Answers for Life Needs
Asking to be delivered from sin is in full harmony with God's will, so whoever brings a sinful condition to Him and leans earnestly on His strength may know that He hears and answers. He will cleanse from sin, receive the petitioner as His child, and give power to live a holy life. For this cleansing there is no need to expect delay or a different answer.
Elijah's petition for rain was granted as an instance of God granting the petitions of those who pray in faith according to His will. In prayer for the sick the same condition governs, so the request is to ask God to raise the sufferer if it accords with His will, with confidence that He hears the reasons and fervent prayers offered. The outcome is to be left to His wisdom in calm faith and submission, not made a command nor pressed with excited insistence on recovery, because He knows the past and the future and whether recovery would honor Him or lead to backsliding and apostasy.
Prayer for the sick is not turned away but is heard, giving sweet peace and assurance of love while waiting patiently, believing He is working even through rest and sleep until salvation is seen and His name receives all the glory. The sick one must take hold of the promises with unwavering faith and not let go, and those who pray must keep holding fast to God alone and trust no other power or skill, since help comes by no arm but the Lord's and raising up comes by the prayer of faith in Jesus as the great deliverer. Earnest prayer about bodily infirmity as to the great Physician is granted even before feeling improves, so that telling Him all about the sickness and then going straight to work without waiting to feel better brings relief, and that relief proves the prayer was heard, gives hope and courage, strengthens faith, and shows His special working for which He receives all the glory.
The promise also covers what is needed for service, as when Solomon prayed for an understanding heart to judge Israel, and such prayer in Christ's name today is as acceptable as Solomon's prayer. Christ's sacrifice opens a special work for each person, and wisdom received from God enables the worker to serve as a channel of light and blessing, with grace, strength, counsel, and judgment given to faithful children and ministers for their work. Earnest prayers for wisdom, softened hearts, and blessing are heard and answered, as seen at the meeting at Basel.
In strait places over provision, such as building meetinghouses and helping needy workers when money is scarce and personal means are exhausted, necessities are to be presented to Him who has resources for His work and will not deny requests but will answer, by looking back to past advancement from victory to victory, moving onward step by step over obstacles, committing all needs to Him, praying indeed, and waiting and watching and praying for His answer. The same confidence belongs to parents bringing children and family concerns to the Lord, and to earnest prayer for guidance and blessing in establishing the Avondale school, where those praying believed they had received what they asked and faith increased as guidance was seen.
All trials may be taken to Christ, whose ear is open to hear, so that honest petitions are heard and heaven is opened and grace comes into the heart to bless. Every sincere, earnest prayer in loneliness, weariness, trial, and bodily infirmity receives an answer, though not always as desired or at the time expected, but in the way and at the time for best good, giving strength for duty and peace of heart. Requests for humility, wisdom, courage, increased faith, and salvation are examples of what is granted. Prayer is as necessary to Christian life and growth in grace as food is to physical life for receiving the bread of heaven, and much time spent on the knees in earnest prayer with living faith brings a sight of salvation, because God is ready to work for and through those who ask when they come close to Him, are hid with Christ in God, and have emptied the soul-temple of selfishness so self does not take the glory He should have.
If we ask anything in harmony with God's will, He hears us, and knowing that He hears gives certainty that we already have what we asked of Him. Asking according to His will means asking in agreement with His revealed will, with a humble heart united to Him, moved by the Holy Spirit, and yielding to Him where His will is not yet known. This confidence belongs to those who have the Son and have life, who believe on His name and know they have eternal life, who love Christ and keep His commandments, and who abide in Him with His words abiding in them, bringing their petitions to the Father in Jesus' name rather than looking to erring men to direct God's work. The promise gives a sure ground for bold, cheerful, persevering faith that grasps what God has pledged, prays more earnestly without waiting for full proof, and rests in peace even when feeling and outward signs do not yet show the answer. God answers every sincere, earnest prayer, but in the way and at the time that is for our present and eternal good and for His glory, and like a loving father He may withhold the exact thing requested to give what is better and more than expected, so no prayer of faith from an honest heart is lost. This covers deliverance from sin without delay, healing of the sick as His wisdom sees best, and wisdom, strength, and provision for daily trials and service, with prayer as needful to spiritual life as food is to the body.
Terms of the Promise
The promise is that requests made according to God's will are heard by Him, and that knowing He hears gives certainty of having the petitions that were asked. It is the privilege of believers to realize this confidence toward God, that to ask anything according to His will means He hears, and to know He hears means to know they have the petitions they desired of Him. The assurance concerns prayer aligned with God's will and offered in Jesus' name, which God honors, encouraging believers to ask boldly and to expect the riches of grace through Jesus. Asking for deliverance from sin accords with God's will, so He will cleanse, make them His children, and enable them to live a holy life.
Asking according to God's will means asking in harmony with His revealed will, with a humble heart in harmony with Him, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and submitting to His will where it is not known. Genuine prayer is so inspired and so conformed, and therefore humbly offered prayer with the heart in harmony with that will brings the blessing and peace of Jesus. That answer replaces fear and despair with joy, light, and hope, giving hope and joy to the despairing.
The confidence belongs to those who have the Son and have life, who believe on the name of the Son of God and know they have eternal life. It belongs to those who love Christ and keep His commandments, who abide in Him and let His words abide in them, so that the Father is glorified in the Son. In that standing, servants today are to pray for what they need for service, even as Solomon prayed for an understanding heart to judge Israel, and such prayer in Christ's name is as acceptable as Solomon's prayer. Christ's sacrifice makes it possible for each person to have a special work, and wisdom received from God enables a worker to serve as a channel of light and blessing, with heavenly agencies giving His faithful children and ministers grace, strength, counsel, and judgment for their work.
Petitions are to be brought to the Father in Jesus' name, which God honors. They are to be directed to God rather than to erring people or human authorities and minds, and difficulties may be brought to Him with humility and unwavering faith, knowing that He will not mislead. God sees each person's circumstances and understands His work in the human heart, so no person needs to direct the work of His Spirit. Relying chiefly on human help and guidance instead can let unbelief enter and weaken faith. God answers the prayers of the meek through angels who do His will.
Faith and Assurance
The verse lays a sure foundation for faith, for when it is known that God hears requests made according to his will, it is known that the petitions asked of him are already possessed. That certainty encourages bold asking and confident expectation of the riches of grace through Jesus. Genuine prayer of this kind is inspired by the Holy Spirit, conforms to God's revealed will, and where his will is not known submits to it. It carries a cheerful and secure confidence in his promises, with good courage to pray for blessing and strength in the knowledge that God listens and grants what is asked. Even when Satan discourages by pointing to personal sinfulness, his promises can still be claimed with confident expectation that the petitions will be answered.
Prevailing prayer rests on faith that takes hold of God's promises and holds on until the answer comes, because his word is sure. It perseveres until the petitions are answered and does not wait for full evidence that God has heard, but is able to act upon even a slight token of his favor. What is called for is a larger and more persevering faith that the Lord will hear and answer all that is called upon him for. That faith seeks to understand his will and then does it without murmuring or discontent, praying more fervently to understand the great events about to take place.
The promise can be trusted with peace even when the joy or blessing sought is not yet felt, for reliance on Christ's word brings peace because his pledge to hear and answer is certain. The same confidence holds even when attention is pointed to one's own sinfulness, since God hears and answers prayer and his promises may be claimed.
The assurance of being heard and answered is experienced as blessing and peace, bringing light and hope to those in fear and despair. It brings cheerfulness in tribulation and by the quickening power of God lifts the heart above despondency. Such assurance is evidence that religion is real, for abiding in Christ, bearing the fruit of a life sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and having faith in God's word give living witness that one's ways please him.
How God Answers
God answers requests made according to his will in the manner and at the time that is for the asker’s best good and for his name’s glory. Those who trust him can know that he hears them and grants what they ask, and when love rules the life confidence in him and in his dealings is complete, for he gives what is needful for present and eternal good. For spiritual blessings the way to ask is to name the very blessing needed and believe it will be received.
Every sincere, earnest prayer is answered, including prayers offered in loneliness, weariness, and trial, and prayer itself is as necessary to the Christian life and growth in grace as food is to physical life and as asking and receiving the bread of heaven. The answer does not always come in the way or at the time expected or desired, but it comes in the way and at the time that best meets the need and is for the petitioner’s good. Requests for humility, wisdom, courage, and increased faith are examples of what is thus given, and the strength gained prepares for duty and fills the heart with peace.
A prayer offered in faith from an honest heart is heard and answered, and no such prayer is lost. Like a loving parent, God may not give the exact thing requested but gives instead what is good and healthful, and the petitioner receives the needed blessing often when most needed and in a form exceeding expectations. He answers the prayers of the meek through appointed angels and heavenly agencies who do his will. Those agencies give his faithful children grace, strength, and counsel for their work, and guide his ministers with counsel and judgment, while Christ’s sacrifice makes it possible for each person to have a special work and wisdom received enables a worker to serve as a channel of light and blessing.
Petitions laid with faith before the mercy seat will be heard, because the throne is arched by the bow of promise and it is his glory to answer the supplications of his people. With one heart and mind in the firm bonds of Christian fellowship, his people are to lay their petitions before him in simplicity and faith to prepare for the conflict, standing together against the determined effort to divide and scatter them and to divert minds with side issues from the important subjects, as he does a great work in the earth. Heaven is opened before believers, all trials can be taken to Christ, his ear is open to hear, honest petitions will be heard and answered, and grace will come into the heart to bless.
Answers for Life Needs
Asking to be delivered from sin is in full harmony with God's will, so whoever brings a sinful condition to Him and leans earnestly on His strength may know that He hears and answers. He will cleanse from sin, receive the petitioner as His child, and give power to live a holy life. For this cleansing there is no need to expect delay or a different answer.
Elijah's petition for rain was granted as an instance of God granting the petitions of those who pray in faith according to His will. In prayer for the sick the same condition governs, so the request is to ask God to raise the sufferer if it accords with His will, with confidence that He hears the reasons and fervent prayers offered. The outcome is to be left to His wisdom in calm faith and submission, not made a command nor pressed with excited insistence on recovery, because He knows the past and the future and whether recovery would honor Him or lead to backsliding and apostasy.
Prayer for the sick is not turned away but is heard, giving sweet peace and assurance of love while waiting patiently, believing He is working even through rest and sleep until salvation is seen and His name receives all the glory. The sick one must take hold of the promises with unwavering faith and not let go, and those who pray must keep holding fast to God alone and trust no other power or skill, since help comes by no arm but the Lord's and raising up comes by the prayer of faith in Jesus as the great deliverer. Earnest prayer about bodily infirmity as to the great Physician is granted even before feeling improves, so that telling Him all about the sickness and then going straight to work without waiting to feel better brings relief, and that relief proves the prayer was heard, gives hope and courage, strengthens faith, and shows His special working for which He receives all the glory.
The promise also covers what is needed for service, as when Solomon prayed for an understanding heart to judge Israel, and such prayer in Christ's name today is as acceptable as Solomon's prayer. Christ's sacrifice opens a special work for each person, and wisdom received from God enables the worker to serve as a channel of light and blessing, with grace, strength, counsel, and judgment given to faithful children and ministers for their work. Earnest prayers for wisdom, softened hearts, and blessing are heard and answered, as seen at the meeting at Basel.
In strait places over provision, such as building meetinghouses and helping needy workers when money is scarce and personal means are exhausted, necessities are to be presented to Him who has resources for His work and will not deny requests but will answer, by looking back to past advancement from victory to victory, moving onward step by step over obstacles, committing all needs to Him, praying indeed, and waiting and watching and praying for His answer. The same confidence belongs to parents bringing children and family concerns to the Lord, and to earnest prayer for guidance and blessing in establishing the Avondale school, where those praying believed they had received what they asked and faith increased as guidance was seen.
All trials may be taken to Christ, whose ear is open to hear, so that honest petitions are heard and heaven is opened and grace comes into the heart to bless. Every sincere, earnest prayer in loneliness, weariness, trial, and bodily infirmity receives an answer, though not always as desired or at the time expected, but in the way and at the time for best good, giving strength for duty and peace of heart. Requests for humility, wisdom, courage, increased faith, and salvation are examples of what is granted. Prayer is as necessary to Christian life and growth in grace as food is to physical life for receiving the bread of heaven, and much time spent on the knees in earnest prayer with living faith brings a sight of salvation, because God is ready to work for and through those who ask when they come close to Him, are hid with Christ in God, and have emptied the soul-temple of selfishness so self does not take the glory He should have.