How can I be sure I am praying according to the will of God?

Answer

Man’s highest aim should be to bring glory to God. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This includes praying according to His will. First, we must ask for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5). In asking for wisdom, we must also trust that God is gracious and willing to answer our prayers: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt” (James 1:6; see also Mark 11:24). Therefore, praying according to the will of God includes asking for wisdom (to know the will of God) and asking in faith (to trust the will of God).

Here are seven biblical instructions that will guide the believer in praying according to God’s will:

1) Pray for the things for which the Bible commands prayer. We are told to pray for our enemies. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44); for God to send missionaries. “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2); that we do not enter temptation.

tion «Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. », (Matthew 26:41); for ministers of the Word (Colossians 4:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:1); for government authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-3); for relief from affliction «Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. », (James 5:13); and for the healing of fellow believers «Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. », (James 5:16). Where God commands prayer, we can pray with confidence that we are praying according to His will.

2) Follow the example of godly characters in Scripture. Paul prayed for the salvation of Israel «Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. », (Romans 10:1). David prayed for mercy and forgiveness when he sinned (Psalm 51:1-2). The early church prayed for boldness to witness «And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto your servants, that with all boldness they may speak your word. », (Acts 4:29). These prayers were according to the will of God, and similar prayers today can be as well. As with Paul and the early church, we should always be praying for the salvation of others. For ourselves, we should pray as David.1) Pray sincerely, always mindful of our sins, confessing them to God to prevent hindering our relationship with Him and obstructing our prayers.

3) Pray with the right intentions. Selfish desires will not be favored by God. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” «Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. », (James 4:3). We should also pray, not to showcase our eloquence and appear “spiritual” to others, but primarily in private and in secret, so that our heavenly Father will hear us in private and reward us openly (Matthew 6:5-6).

4) Pray with a spirit of forgiveness towards others « And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. », (Mark 11:25). A spirit of bitterness, anger, revenge, or hatred towards others will hinder our hearts from praying in complete submission to God. Just as we are instructed not to offer gifts to God when there is conflict between ourselves and another believer (Matthew 5:23-24), likewise, God does not desire our prayers until we have reconciled with our fellow Christians.

5) Pray with gratitude (Colossians 4:2;Philippians 4:6-7). We can always find something to be thankful for, regardless of how burdened we may feel by our desires or needs. The greatest sufferer living in this world of redeeming love, with the promise of heaven before them, has cause to thank God.

6) Pray with perseverance <(Luke 18:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should persevere in prayer and not give up or be discouraged because we have not received an immediate answer. Part of praying in God’s will is believing that, whether His answer is “yes,” “no,” or “wait,” we accept His judgment, submit to His will, and continue to pray.

7) Rely on the Spirit of God in prayer. This is a wonderful truth: “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will” (Romans 8:26-27). We have the Spirit’s help in praying. In our deepest moments of depression or sorrow, when we feel that we “just cannot pray,” we can find comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit is actually praying for us! What an amazing God we have!

What assurance we have when we seek to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh! Then we can have confidence that the Holy Spirit will accomplish His work in presenting our prayers to the Father according to His perfect will and timing, and we can rest in the knowledge that He is working all things together for our good «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. », (Romans 8:28).