PREVAILING IN PRAYER BY THE WORD (5)

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” – John 15:7

OBEDIENCE is critical to PREVAILING IN PRAYER BY the WORD: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (Jh.15:7). Here, Jesus taught that obedience and prayer are related. “Abiding in Christ” is primarily volitional as explained in 1 John 3:24a: “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him…” Therefore, the Apostle wrote: “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 Jh.3:21-22). In essence, we receive because we obey!

Anyone observing a spoiled child understands that a truly loving Father is not likely to encourage disobedience in His children by answering prayer – as if He felt, “My commandments aren’t all that important anyway! Because He knows what is best for them, God may often say, “No,” to the plea of the selfish and rebellious. 1 John 5:14 takes us to the bottom line: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” The passion of Christians who want to be more effective and prevailing in prayer must therefore be learning how to pray according to God’s will – aligning with His Word.

Obedience to Jesus’ commandments facilitates fellowship with the Lord: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev.3:20). In the hearts of obedient believers, Jesus and the Father make their “home” through the Holy Spirit (1Jh.3:24b). In the believer who is not “grieving” Him through disobedience, the Holy Spirit works to reveal Jesus (Jh. 14:26). Our obedience is a concrete expression of love which pleases God and creates in us an environment where the Spirit works to enhance growth in the quality of our fellowship with, and depth of understanding of, the Lord Jesus and our Father.

Obedience is the path to Power in Prayer. Prevailing prayer must be made within the promises of God. Immediately we obey, the Word of God is opened up. The only way to understand the Will of God is to obey from the heart (Rom.12:2). We prevail when our entire lives are aligned to the truths of God’s Word. God blesses as we pray according to His will. We can try in prayer to wrestle God to our way of thinking, but unless our request lines up with His revealed Word, our efforts will be unproductive.

We must let Scripture shape our minds, lives, and prayers. Whoever desires to become powerful and prevailing in prayer, must become committed to reading, memorizing, meditating on, and obeying the Will of God in the Bible. There are no short cuts, seminars, special prayer-power techniques, or any “secrets” which bypass this reality. The path to spiritual maturity – to answered and prevailing prayer – is the way of obedience. Prayer cannot substitute for obedience! God will not do for us, in answer to prayer, what He asks us to do for ourselves. There is a time to pray and there is a time to act. We are unlikely to pray better than our commitment to obey. Those who want to be more effective in prayer must ponder hard about the implications of Luke 6:46: “But why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” 

Beloved, let’s make a commitment to live more like Jesus, and God will teach us to pray more like Jesus. The Master said: “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me…” (Jh.11:41-42a). Jesus had such effectiveness in prayer because in His humanity, He was totally committed to obedience: “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me”, and to finish His work (Jh.4:34).