1 John 5:13-17 (NASB)
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

John presents some interesting thoughts on prayer in the 5th chapter of 1 John. In fact they are amazing promises. Clearly, he is writing to those who are Christians, giving us the confidence that if we as Christians ask according to God’s will, He will hear us.

It is a comfort to know that, but it also requires that we actively seek His will and allow the Holy Spirit to intercede and guide us. The Bible is our primary source of understanding God’s will, which is why it is so important to not only pray, but to study His word. It also implies here and is confirmed in other passages of scripture (John 15:7) that we should not come to Him with unconfessed sin, or our prayers will be hindered. If we come to Him having confessed our sins and praying in His will, not only will he hear us, but we “know” that we will have the requests that we have asked of Him.

Have you ever prayed a request and immediately had a sense that the prayer had been answered? I think that is what John is trying to say in these verses. George Mueller, who fed thousands of orphans with food provided in answer to prayer, said: “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance. It is laying hold of God’s willingness.”

Always praying for the glory of God,