The Efficacy of Prayer - Part 5

Confident Praying

1 John 5:14-15. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, 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 the petitions that we have asked of Him.

I. HAVING GODLY CONFIDENCE
    A. It is not self-confidence as of the bold, presumptive arrogance of the natural man. Luke 12:16-21; Matt. 26:33-35
    B. It is the confidence and the boldness that comes from the Spirit of God and only Him.
       1. It is the gift of God, which is NOT based on any works of man.
       2. It is the by-product of faith; it comes from trusting what God has said is true…God’s gift to me.
       3. It comes to those who are the children of God: confidence or boldness. Acts 4:23-31
       4. It is granted to those who walk by faith, who walk in the Spirit, who strive knowingly to not quench the Spirit, and who are filled with the Spirit.
       5. It comes as we cast aside (put off) our old (God-resisting) man way-of-thinking and renew our mind (thought processes) by taking God at His Word (put on the new man). This involves halting the need to satisfy our own “logic”, which has been stained by God-denying, self-centered sin and allowing God’s Word to be the Truth in my life!
    C. It is the confidence of plain, open and transparent speech!

II. CONFIDENT PRAYING
    A. The confidence spoken of here is confidence in Jesus Christ, who ever lives at the right hand of the Father to make intercession for us.
       1. It is confidence that sees Jesus as Truth and Sovereign God.
      2. It is confidence that understands that Jesus is Lord.
      3. It is confidence that Jesus promised to answer.
   B. It is based on knowing that what we ask for is in God’s will, based on His Word.
      1. It is confidence found from abiding in Him.
      2. It is confidence found in His Word abiding in us.
      3. It is the confidence of knowing from God’s Word what He is doing and what He desires.
   C. Such confidence informs us that we are being heard.
      1. It is the confidence that reminds us of our personal relationship with the living Lord Jesus Christ who commanded us to pray always.
      2. It is the confidence that comes from knowing Jesus hears His own.
   D. It further informs us that being heard we will also be answered with a positive answer. This confidence reminds us that Jesus said, “whatever we ask” as we abide in Him and His Word abides in us, would be given to us.