ANSWERED PRAYERS: Pray According to His Will
Answered Prayers: Pray According to His Will
Have you ever heard the phrase: “Be careful what you wish for”? Be careful what you ask for. Be careful what you pray for, because you just might get what you want, and when you do, it doesn’t always mean it’s what you need! We know God hears our prayers and petitions as we offer up our requests. We know His desire is to meet our needs, so when offering up prayer requests, pray for His will, His way.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NIV
Praying His Will
God answers prayers according to His will. As we deepen our relationship with God, we recognize the importance of praying in His will. How do we pray in His will?
- Pray God’s Word. As we present our prayer requests to God, we pray through the Scriptures.
- Believe in God’s Word, be certain of God’s promises, and trust in Him.
- Pray with confidence. Pray with complete self-assurance in God’s Word and His promises.
- Ask God to reveal anything that may hinder our prayers.
When we pray according to God’s will, our prayers are heard and answered in His time. I am thankful for the many unanswered prayers. I know the unanswered prayers are God’s protection. I can recall numerous occasions where my unanswered prayers protected my family or me. At the moment, it was somewhat difficult to understand why a prayer was not answered, but in due time, I realized it was not God’s will for me. God loves me too much to answer prayers that are not His will or that would harm me. As I mature in my faith, I pray for His will, knowing He has plans for me—plans to prosper me and not to harm me.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
A Lifetime of Learning
Does this mean I no longer plan? No, it means that as I pursue His will for my life, I spend time in prayer and petition, studying His Word, and seeking His will. Studying God’s Word is an important step for my spiritual growth. I also choose to spend time with women of faith to strengthen my walk with faith and deepen my connection with my church family. Being surrounded by a community of believers allows me to grow in my faith and keeps me accountable. This circle of influence is critical to my growth as a Christian.
I love the translation of Ephesians 4:13 from The Voice:
“These ministries will continue until we are unified in faith and filled with the knowledge of the Son of God, until we stand mature in His teachings and fully formed in the likeness of the Anointed, our Liberating King.”
I am a believer in lifelong learning. “These ministries will continue until we are unified in faith and filled with the knowledge…” speaks to the importance of studying God’s Word and following His teachings.
I view my faith walk as a work in progress, a lifetime of learning and transformation through prayer and worship “until we [I] stand mature in His teachings and fully formed in the likeness of the Anointed…” (emphasis mine).
Answered Prayers
A recent addition to my prayer life has been creating an “answered prayers” chart in my prayer journal. I discovered this chart on Pinterest and quickly added the idea to my journal.
It’s a very simple method to implement. I now write out my prayer requests, and as my prayers are answered, I include the date of the answered prayers. As I journal, I offer thanks and gratitude to God for the answered prayers. The method also allows me to seek God’s will regarding unanswered prayers or to reveal anything in my life that might be hindering my prayer request. The journal I am currently using is a gift from a beautiful young woman whose friendship I am grateful for. I love the Scripture printed throughout the journal pages. Another favorite is Lara Casey’s Cultivate What Matters. Laura has beautifully designed Write the Word journals, and her new spring collection is sold out! I’m hoping to purchase a Cultivate Joy journal in the near future.
Pray and Obey
My “answered prayers” chart reflects 5 prayers God has answered in the past two months. God is awesome – Amen! As my prayers are answered, I pray with a thankful heart, offering up glory and praise to God. It’s awesome to see God at work in my life and the lives of those around me – family, friends, church, and community! I learned a while ago, “if you’re going to pray, you will need to obey.”
What a testimony my answered prayers are to believers and non-believers!
“Our Lord and our God, you are like the sun and also like a shield. You treat us with kindness and with honor, never denying any good thing to those who live right.” Psalm 84:11 CEV
He promises to never deny any good thing to those who live in obedience, whose walk is blameless. So, I ask, how’s your walk going? Is it leading you down the narrow path that leads to life?
