Biblical Answer

Praying According to God's Will

Praying according to God's will is essential for effective prayer. According to Scripture, we can be confident that God will answer our prayer when we ask him for something that accords with a specific promise or command of Scripture (1 John 5:14-15). In such cases, we know what God's will is because he has told us, and we simply need to submit our wills to God. This means that our prayers will be influenced accordingly, and we will pray as Jesus did, "Not my will, but thine, be done" (Matthew 26:39).

When we're unsure of God's will, we should ask him for deeper understanding and then pray for what seems best to us, giving reasons to the Lord why, in our present circumstances, this seems to be the wisest course. This approach acknowledges that God's will is to be accepted rather than altered by prayer. Jesus' own prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will," illustrates this principle (Matthew 26:39). We must also recognize that God's will may not always be immediately apparent, and we may need to wait on him for guidance.

To pray according to God's will, we need to cultivate a deep understanding of Scripture and its promises. We should also be willing to submit our wills to God and pray as Jesus taught us, "Your will be done" (Matthew 6:10). This involves acknowledging that God has a sovereign purpose in all things and that our prayers should be focused on demonstrating our concern for God's will to be done. By praying in this way, we can be confident that our prayers will be effective and that God will guide us in making wise choices. Ultimately, praying according to God's will requires a deep trust in his sovereignty and a willingness to submit our lives to his guidance. As the Bible says, "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us" (1 John 5:14).