WHAT IS
PRAYING ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL?
(1 JOHN 5:14-15) "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."
Introduction:
a. Christians expect God to answer
their prayers because we pray according to the will of God.
b. God reminded the Christian why their
prayers do not receive an answer.
(JAMES 4:2-3) "Ye lust, and have not: ye
kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not,
because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye
may consume it upon your lusts."
I. PRAYING BASE ACCORDING TO GOD'S PROCEDURE IN HIS WORD
(MATTHEW 6:9-14) "After this manner therefore
pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom
come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our
daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14 For if ye forgive men
their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:"
a. True prayer follows the divine
pattern and priority of honoring God's name, kingdom, and righteousness before
presenting personal requests.
b. Approaching God requires a clean
heart marked by a willingness to forgive others so that our communion with the
Heavenly Father remains unhindered.
II. PRAYING BASE ACCORDING TO GOD'S PLAN TO CHRISTIANS
(COLOSSIANS 1:9-12) "For this cause we also,
since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye
might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual
understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience
and longsuffering with joyfulness; 12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath
made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:"
a. God's plan for the Christian is that
we acquire the wisdom of God. So that we walk before God a pleasing and
glorifying God in our life.
b. God's plan for the Christian is that
you can grow spiritually base on the program of God inside the local church.
(EPHESIANS 4:11-14) "And he gave some, apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of
the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by
the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to
deceive;"
c. Spiritual maturity protects
believers from deception and stabilizes them within sound doctrine through the
structured leadership and edification provided in the local body.
III. PRAYING BASE ACCORDING TO GOD'S PURPOSE TO CHRISTIAN
(2 TIMOTHY 1:9) "Who hath saved us, and
called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world
began,"
a. The great purpose of God to
Christians is to be the light of the world. To reach the lost at any cost.
b. The purpose of God is that the life
of the Christian be a light and a salt to the world.
(MATTHEW 5:13, 16) "Ye are the salt of the
earth: but if the salt have lost his savior, wherewith shall it be salted? it
is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under
foot of men. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
c. Believers fulfill their divine
calling when their daily conduct and active testimony point others to glorify
God.
IV. PRAYING BASE ACCORDING TO GOD'S GREAT PROMISE TO CHRISTIANS
(2 PETER 1:4) "Whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of
the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through
lust."
a. God's precious promises empower believers to overcome worldly
corruption and live out a transformed, holy character.
b. Aligning our prayers with His promises guarantees that we claim
provisions that are already in accordance with His divine nature and will.
V. PRAYING BASE ACCORDING TO GOD'S PROTECTION TO CHRISTIANS
(PSALMS 91:1-6) "He that dwelleth in the
secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I
will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I
trust."
a. God's promise to Christians is His
perfect protection which is always prepared to God's people.
(Psalm 91:3-6) "Surely he shall deliver thee
from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover
thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall
be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night;
nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in
darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday."
b. God's protection against our
spiritual enemy the devil is always in action to help his children.
(PSALMS 121:4-6) "Behold, he that keepeth
Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is
thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the
moon by night."
c. Believers can rest secure knowing that their constant keeper watches
over them continuously against all unseen spiritual dangers.
Conclusion:
a. Praying according to God's will is not about satisfying selfish
desires, but about harmonizing our petitions with His Word, plan, purpose,
promises, and protective care.
b. When a Christian learns to pray in submission to the Holy Spirit and in
alignment with divine truth, confidence abounds, knowing that God hears and
answers according to His perfect wisdom.
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