Answered
1John 5:14-15
7-12-2009
1JN 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him. (NIV)
God is Good! It is such a blessing to be counted among His children. Being His children is comforting to say the least but it is also burdensome. What I mean is this; there are responsibilities that come with the lineage. There are expectations to be met, to be lived up too.
If we mentioned several historically prominent names and invited you to pretend for a moment you were born into that family would you likely think of how you might have to live and act? There are expectations attached to being a member of prominence. So what about when God is your Father and Jesus your eldest brother and me one of your lesser ones? What is expected of you seeing as how you are in the family?
John wrote in the verse just before our reading today that – ( 1JN 5:13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.) all of you who are family members are eternal beings like your Father. This was something he wanted us to know because of its importance. He also wanted us to know that our Father hear us when we ask Him for things. This is good to know but why?
Expectations! Consider all the conversations you have had with people, what happens when they find out you are a Christian? Invariably you get asked to pray for them don’t you? If they know you are a child of God and they have something going on in their life that is hard to deal with, they ask. Why? Expectations! They think that God hears the voices of His Children. (you!)
This you need to take to heart; you are expected to pray by man and by God. It is His will that you pray to Him. Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing.” 1Thes.5:17. Since John tells us that if we pray according to His will we know that he hears, then it is safe for us to be positive that the act of prayer to Him is in His will and He is listening.
What does our Lord Jesus have to say about this? (Mk.11:24) “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” and in Luke - LK 11:9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Jesus also wants us to know that our Father wants us to pray and that He hears us.
Our reality is that we have all prayed for things that we did not get, isn’t that true? John insists though that if we pray according to the Fathers will that we are heard and have received (1Jn.5:14-15) Our Father is a good and a gracious God who has not left us clueless about His general will towards us. We are also told in scripture to find out what His will is. (Eph.5:10) It is good for us each to seek to know our Father and to come to a better understanding of His will.
Does God want you to know His will? Paul told us to find out and since he told us what God wanted us to know we can conclude that it is God’s will to know His will and that means when we asked to know His will He hears us. Since we know He hears our requests we also know that we have received what we asked. Therefore pray and expect.