ASKING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL
by Pastor Richard Tow
December 6, 2015
Text: 1John 5:14-15
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Description: How do we pray with confidence? It doesn’t happen by making believe that we believe. It happens through obedient understanding. First understanding what the Bible tells us about praying with confidence. Then apply those principles to our thoughts and life. In this series, Pastor Richard has identified biblical fundamentals for confident prayer. One of those is praying “according to His will.” When we know that we are praying according to God’s will, then we can pray with confidence that God is hearing and answering the prayer. So how do we know we’re praying “according to His will”? This message proposes four questions for processing that issue concerning our requests. The goal is to advance in our prayer effectiveness.
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OUTLINE
Asking According to His Will (I)
Intro
A. How do we deal with unanswered prayer?
B. Learned from previous studies:
C. Text: 1 John 5:14-15, “Now this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him,[we are sure] that if we ask anything(make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.” Amplified
D. Key: “according to His will.”
Four Questions to help us discern if the prayer is “according to His will.”
I. Is this request clearly the will of God according to Scripture?
A. Bible specifies some things unquestionably the will of God: Examples
—-1 Thess. 4:3 holiness
—-Luke 11:13 Holy Spirit
—-2 Peter 3:9 salvation
B. Bible reveals some as generally the will of God: Examples
—-God is redemptive toward humanity, not destructive
—-Healing is usually the will of God
II. Does the request line up with the priorities God has for my life?
A. The kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33)
B. Conformed to image of His Son
—-Rom. 8:26-29 Three observations
(1) God is working all things together for our good
(2) God’s priority for us is eternal (conformed to the image of His Son)
(3) We do not know how to pray and need Holy Spirit
III. Does this request fit within the plan God has for my life?
A. We do not dictate the plan to God through prayer?
—-Jerm. 10:23 “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself….”
—-Acts 16 “…but the Spirit did not permit….”
B. We are God’s workmanship created for the good works He has planned for us.
—-Eph. 2:10 “…good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
C. The Holy Spirit reveals His plan for us so we can pray “according to His will.”
—-1 Cor. 2:9-12
IV. To be announced!
Conclusion
QUESTIONS
1. What struggles have you had with unanswered prayer? What have you learned?
2. How does knowing that we’re praying “according to His will” strengthen our confidence in prayer?
3. How does knowing the Bible help us pray effectively?
4. Do you think God will sacrifice some of our temporal comfort for our eternal wellbeing? How do His priorities affect the answers to our prayers? What is His main priority for our lives?
5. Pastor has suggested that effective prayer discovers God’s plan for our lives rather than us asking Him to fulfill the plan we have? Do you think God has a plan for your life? Do you think He will tell you what that plan is?
6. According to 1 Cor. 2:10 and Rom. 8:26-27 how do we know the will of God in matters not specifically addressed in the Bible? How does this enable us to pray “according to His will.”
