Praying with Confidence:

How to Pray Effectually

Text: 1 John 5:14–17

Introduction: There are many reasons we go to God in prayer. However, how can we be sure that God is hearing our prayers? Can we really have confidence in our prayers? What does God want our prayers to look like?

Many years ago when I was just a young boy, I knew that God answers prayer. I knew that Jesus said that if we even had the tiniest amount of faith we could literally command mountains to be removed and cast into the sea. However, when I prayed for the ability to fly and super strength God did not give me those powers. Why didn’t God hear my prayer? Did I just not have enough faith? On a more serious note, what about when we are going through hard things such as extreme illnesses or the rapid decline in the health of a loved one? Can we be confident that God will hear us when we pray in those circumstances?

What is prayer?

Prayer is often defined as having a conversation with God. Christian prayer, however, is more than merely talking with God. Early English Christians defined prayer as “an offering up of our desires unto God, for things agreeable to is will, in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and a thankful acknowledgement of His mercies” (Westminster Catechism 1647).

John 14:12–14 KJV 1900

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

First off, the Holy Spirit tells us in John 14:12-14 to pray in the name of Jesus Christ. The best way I can think to explain praying in the name of Jesus is with an illustration. Imagine that you are a noble in the court of a prestigious king. One day, the king asks you to go and represent him at a counsel. Anything you say or do at this meeting will be taken as if the king were saying that exact thing. The king is asking you to go in his name. Therefore, you must be careful to know how your king would react to each situation. If you say things that the king would not have in that situation you are taking his name in vain. Likewise, we are the representatives of Christ. Praying in the name of Christ is not simply saying “in Jesus Name” at the end of our prayers. Although saying “in Jesus name” is not wrong, praying in the name of Jesus is praying as Jesus would if He were the one praying in that particular situation. Also, to truly pray in the name of Christ you must think His thoughts after Him. We can only do that by reading God’s Word and allowing it to reshape the way that we think by applying it to our lives. By God’s grace, that is what I aspire to encourage you all to do by taking you through some select passages from the Bible to see a small part of what God has written for us about prayer.

Transition:

What does God teach us about the conditions for effective prayer in 1 John 5?

1. Make petitions in accordance with God’s will.

1 John 5:14 KJV 1900

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

Here God tells us that if we ask anything that is in the will of God he will hear us.

What does it mean to pray in accordance with God's will, and how can we discern His will in our prayers?

God knew we would ask this question and wrote down several examples for us in His Word. I will focus in on one major one for the sake of time. Turn over to James 5:16-18

James 5:16–18 KJV 1900

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

As a quick side note, God tells us to confess our faults to one another. We are not told to share our faults and struggles with just anyone. Instead, share your struggles with righteous men or women who will not use it to spread gossip or seek to destroy you. The Holly Spirit is telling us to share our struggles with righteous individuals, not publicly, so those individuals can encourage us and pray that we will rely on God’s grace to have victory over temptations.

Now, lets look down at verse 14. Elijah struggled with sin and discouragement just like we do. However, he loved God’s Word and allowed it to shape his prayers. Let me give you some quick historical context from 1 Kings 17-18. Elijah stood as a lone voice in the northern Kingdom of Isreal against the worship of false gods. At that time, Isreal was ruled by Ahab and his wife Jezabel who together lead the people of Isreal into idolatry. God used Elijah to show both the Israelites and the surrounding nations that He alone is the Lord and to cause the Israelites to remember their covenant with God. Remembering what the Holy Spirit recorded for us in James, Elijah’s prayer for the miraculous drought and rain, and remembering that God tells us in 1 John that if we ask anything according to His will that He will hear us, we have to wonder how Elijah knew that it was God’s will to cause a drought in the land. Thankfully, we do not have to wonder. Turn with me over to Deuteronomy 11:13-17 .

Deuteronomy 11:13–17 KJV 1900

And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the Lord’s wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you.

Here we see that God promised the people of Israel before they went into the land of Isreal that if they followed His commands and did what was right, they would be blessed. But if they acted wickedly and worshiped idols to false gods, they would be cursed. Specifically, God promised to cause extreme drought if the Israelites fell into idolatry. Elijah knew these promises God made to His people. So, when Elijah prayed that it would not rain because of the idolatry in the land, He was praying for something that was clearly in God’s will.

Just like with Elijah, God will only hear our prayers if they align with His will.

How do we know the will of God?

We know the will of God when we read His Word.

As we read and apply the Word of God to our lives, the Holy Spirit uses His Word to change the way we think from our natural selfish way of thinking to be just like Christ. If you want to pray like Jesus, consider the Lord’s prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” Here, Jesus is answering the disciples when they asked how to pray. Firstly, He told them to pray to God as their Father. If you are a believer then you have been adopted into the family of God. You are now co-heirs of the Kingdom of God with Jesus Christ. However, that does not mean you should be flippant. Instead, we must remember that God is Holy and honor Him in our prayer. Secondly, Jesus said to pray that His kingdom would come and His will be done in all things. Thirdly, Jesus says to pray for daily needs. Interestingly, this is the shortest section in this example prayer. He was not concerned about the next day because He knew God would provide. Next, Jesus tells us to pray for forgiveness just as we have forgiven others. Obviously, God does not want us to hold grudges against those who have offended us. Lastly, Jesus tells his disciples to pray for God’s grace to be kept from temptation to sin and from those who would do evil to us. If we are praying like that, we are praying the way Jesus would, praying in the Name of Christ. He will hear our prayers.

God will hear our prayers when our prayers align with His will. Confidence in prayer stems from understanding that God desire is to hear from us and respond generously. If you want a strong prayer life, I encourage you, deepen your relationship with God by setting aside time to read His Word and for prayer. Seek His will first and foremost. The alignment with God’s purpose that comes from allowing God’s Word to change the way we think transforms prayer into a powerful tool for change in our lives.

Transition:

How can we be sure God is listening?

2. We Have Certainty God is Listening

1 John 5:15 KJV 1900

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Firstly, God tells us in Psalm 66:18 that if we hold onto sin in our hearts, then He will not hear us. Our sins separate us from God. However, because of God’s immense love for mankind, He sent Jesus His only Son to be the perfect sacrifice on the Cross we can be forgiven of our sins if we repent and turn to Him. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If we have repented and wholly turned away from our sin unto God, He will forgive us and will hear our prayers. Another reason we can be confident that God will hear us is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.

Hebrews 4:14–16 KJV 1900

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Right now, Jesus is sitting on the right hand of God the Father, interceding for us. There is absolutely no need for any other mediators. Jesus knows exactly how our struggles are and he will take care of you. Even when we are despondent and we cannot even think of how to pray, The Holy Spirit intercedes for us.

Romans 8:26–39 KJV 1900

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Those of us who have placed our faith in Jesus’ finished work on the cross know that God will hear our prayers and take care of us. There is nothing we should fear because we know that God loves and cares for us.

Transition:

How should the fact that God hears the prayers of believers effect us as a Church?

3. There is Community in Intercession

1 John 5:16–17 KJV 1900

If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

As believers, we are called to pray for the restoration of other believers who have fallen into sin. We aught to be interceding on their behalf asking for God to give them the grace to repent. He will give it, and if they do repent God will forgive them and restore them into fellowship with Himself. However, intercessory prayer need not be limited to sin. We should also be praying for unbelievers to see their need for salvation. God has made it clear that He cares for every aspect of our lives. Philippians 4:19 “My God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Therefore, we should be taking all of our concerns and needs to Him and He will take care of us. We need not worry about anything in this life. We are called to be a community that lifts one another up in prayer, and encourages one another to trust God in every part of our lives. The Holy Spirit calls us to intercede for others, especially those faltering in sin. Believers must not be isolated but are to lift each other up in prayer. We know that it is God’s desire that all men would repent of their sin and turn to Him and here God tells us that we must pray for believers who are stumbling. God will give grace to any who repent and turn to Him.

Conclusion: We can pray with confidence when we align our requests with God's will. Only then can we experience the transformative power of effectual prayer in our lives. In this passage, John reassures believers that they can have confidence in their prayers. He emphasizes the importance of aligning our requests with God's will and the assurance we have when we approach Him both as individuals and as a congregation. This reminds us Christians that we have direct access to God through prayer. It encourages us to engage in prayer that seeks God's will, helping us to navigate life's challenges with faith and confidence. This passage points to Christ is the mediator of our prayers. Through His sacrifice, we have the privilege of approaching the throne of grace with confidence, knowing He intercedes for us.