Praying According to God's Will

The Confidence of Aligned Prayer

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. — 1 John 5:14-15

This is one of the most encouraging promises in Scripture about prayer. But it contains a condition that raises an honest question: how do we know what God's will is? And does this condition reduce prayer to only asking for things we already know will happen?

God's Will Is Not Entirely Hidden

The first thing to recognise is that much of God's will is clearly revealed in Scripture. We do not need to wonder whether it is God's will to pray for these things:

• The salvation of the lost — "God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4)
• The sanctification of believers — "This is the will of God, your sanctification." (1 Thessalonians 4:3)
• Wisdom for those who ask — "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God... and it will be given him." (James 1:5)
• Protection from evil — Jesus taught us to pray for deliverance from the evil one
• The coming of God's kingdom

These are areas where we can pray with bold confidence, because Scripture tells us they are God's will.

What About Specific, Uncertain Requests?

For requests where God's specific will is not clearly revealed — a job, a healing, a relationship, a decision — the right approach is to pray with honest desire and genuine submission.

Jesus modelled this perfectly in Gethsemane: "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26:39). He brought His honest, anguished desire to the Father — and He submitted it entirely to the Father's wisdom.

This is not a lack of faith. It is the highest form of faith — trusting that the Father's will is better than our own preferences, even when we cannot yet see why.

Praying With Confidence

Praying according to God's will does not mean hedging every prayer with so many qualifications that we ask for nothing in particular. It means:

• Being bold where Scripture is clear
• Being honest about our specific desires
• Holding our specific desires with open hands
• Trusting that a good Father will give what is truly best

The goal of prayer is not to get God to agree with us — it is to align our hearts with His.