Have you wondered what God’s will is for your life? I would guess we’ve all asked that question at some point. For most of us, the question comes when we are asking God what He wants us to do for Him or choosing a spouse or a job, choosing what school to attend or which house to buy. These are the times we tend to cry out, Lord, SHOW ME YOUR WILL!
I believe the Lord will show us His will when, in prayer, we ask Him, “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As He finished, one of His disciples came to Him and said, “Lord, TEACH US TO PRAY, just as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1) The disciples didn’t ask for instructions on sharing the Gospel. They didn’t request to be taught how to heal. They didn’t ask Jesus to teach them how to study the Scriptures. They asked Him to teach them to pray. They knew it was IMPORTANT. The Scriptures, after all, are full of exhortations to pray.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.” (Phil. 4:6) This advice on prayer was written by Paul to early church to encourage them to pray to God about anything and everything that troubled them. It gives a pattern for a straight forward way of praying where we are encouraged to present our requests to God with thankful hearts.
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, HE HEARS US. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that WE HAVE what we asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15) John, one of the disciples who was closest to Jesus, shares this advice with us. Encouraging us to have confidence when we pray knowing that God hears us. It also reveals to us the importance of being close enough to God to know His will so we will be able to know when we ask for things that they line up with God’s purposes for our lives.
“…I say to you that if TWO OF YOU AGREE on earth concerning anything that they ask, IT WILL BE DONE FOR THEM by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:19-20) Jesus made this statement to emphasize the power of prayer together with a prayer partner or a group. Although Jesus earlier told us in Matthew 6:6-8 to pray in private to God, he goes further to highlight the power of prayer with others as a form of spiritual agreement in prayer.
“In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done In earth as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:9-10)
-Bill Stockham