SOME CONDITIONS OF PRAYER

SOME CONDITIONS OF PRAYER

Answers to prayer, a loving relationship with God and joy, real joy in our daily lives is what most of us are looking for. So why do we seem to be missing the very thing we say we want most of all. The other day at church Pastor Mike was sharing some thoughts on prayer. The primary idea, if I understood correctly, was the need to be in a right relationship with God in order for God to hear us. One must be saved first of all and then one must be living right. In that message the verses below came to my mind. I began to wonder how many people get frustrated wondering why it seems that God does not answer their prayers.

As Baptists we love the doctrine of grace. We are saved by grace, plus nothing, minus nothing. Works cannot save a person. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross is the only offering God will ever accept for our sin. When we truly believe that Christ died on our behalf, when we believe that he suffered and bled as our sacrifice personally, then we are saved. It is the very moment we fully trust Him and Him alone that the grace of God is extended to us and we are saved. There is nothing else we can do, there are no works God will accept as payment for our sin debt. However, even though salvation is unconditional almost everything else is conditioned upon something. And here we will see there are conditions for answered prayer, for a right relationship with God and for true joy.

One of the primary passages that came to my mind the other night was John chapters 15 and 16.

John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.…(v.10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. (v.11) These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” In the first phrase of John 15:7 we read, “If ye abide in me” as a condition. All too often believers complain of unanswered prayer while they are living in violation of this principle condition. The promise is clear and bold. Look again at that wonderful promise, “ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” if you are living godly. Anything you want, anything is yours when you abide in him, and when you live right. The problem is sin. Our lives are filled with sin. And with sin still in our hearts and on our lips we dare to approach the throne of Almighty God with our petitions. “If ye abide in me” is a clear condition requiring the believer to live in such a manner that he is seen as being ‘in’ Christ. Most of us would fail at being in the same room as God. But if our prayers are to be answered we must live like Him as much as it is possible and guard our character, our thoughts and our actions closely. We must live like Jesus Christ.

The same concept is true of the Word of God. It simply must become a daily part of our lives. Jesus said in the very next phrase concerning the requirements for answered prayer, “…and my word abides in you.” His Word must be our daily portion, our food, it must become what we hunger for every day. Not only reading it but going to the House of God and hearing the Word taught and hearing it preached. These are principles established by God. We must cloak ourselves completely in His Word.

These are the ‘works’ that open the door of answered prayer and provide us with the comfort of knowing the love of God daily. These are the keys to the mystery. Live a godly life every day and saturate you heart with His Holy Word. These will bring you into a loving relationship with Him. Living a godly life and meditating on His Word will surely bring answers to your prayers.

Why did Jesus take the time to explain this simple little concept to us? Because (v.11) He wanted us to feel His love every day and to be completely filled, filled to overflowing, with his joy. Jesus did give us one more condition John 16:24 "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." The final condition for answered prayer? We must ask according to His will. However, if we live godly and dwell daily in His Word then asking according to his will is something that will come almost naturally.