September 6
The Confidence
of Your Requests
1 John 5:14-15
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.
Daily Steps
This final verse on the essential practice of prayer (Day 249) provides the new believer with the strongest possible assurance regarding the effectiveness of their requests. It defines the foundation of all true prayer: the confidence we have in approaching God is based on aligning our desires with His.
The peace in this principle is found in conditional certainty:
The Foundation of Confidence: Our boldness in prayer (The Call to Ask, Seek, Knock, Day 247) is rooted in confidence. This confidence is not in our own worthiness, but in the certainty that God wants us to approach Him. The key, however, is the condition: if we ask anything according to His will.
The Guarantee of Hearing: When we pray in alignment with God's will (The Will of God, Day 179), we are guaranteed a hearing: He hears us. This means our prayers are not wasted, but they enter directly into the attention of the Almighty. Praying according to His will is the ultimate expression of reverent awe (The Fear of the Lord, Day 231).
The Certainty of Possession: The result of being heard is astounding: we know that we have what we asked of Him. This statement is given in the present tense, emphasizing the complete assurance (The Unfailing Assurance, Day 222) of faith. When our requests match God's purpose, the answer is already spiritually secured.
Your peace is secured by conditional certainty. Embrace the wisdom of prayer today by aligning your requests with God's perfect will, knowing that He guarantees to hear and grant the requests that are already secured in His purpose.
Reflective Question
Before you pray, how often do you pause to ask, "Is this request according to His will?" What is one current, deeply felt request that you need to surrender to God's purpose and pray with this ultimate sense of confidence today?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the great confidence I have in approaching Your throne. I confess my tendency to ask only for my own will. I pray for the wisdom to align my heart with Yours, so that I may ask anything according to Your will. Secure my peace today in the certainty that You hear me and that Your perfect answer is already secured. Amen.
