1 John 5:14-15

Introduction:

1. The passage above appears to guarantee the fulfillment of any petitions that align with God’s will.

2. When prayers clearly align with His will (e.g. praying for a lost soul’s salvation) but are not fulfilled, it can bring discouragement.

3. How should we understand this seeming tension from the Bible?

Discussion:

I. Qualifiers To Receiving Our Petitions

A. According to His will/authority (John 14:13; 1 John 5:14-15)

B. Without doubt (Matthew 21:22; James 1:5-8)

C. From a righteous person (Ezekiel 14:1-4; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:10-12)

D. With proper motives (James 4:2-4)

E. With persistence (Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17)

II. We Cannot Always Know His Will

A. Often, we cannot be sure if our prayer is His will.

B. This is so because, unlike us, God knows all the corollaries to our requests (1 John 3:20; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Hebrews 5:9; Matthew 26:36-46).

C. Contrary to my prayers, my dad died suddenly; what if God spared him a long, painful battle with some terrible disease?

III. What About Prayers for A Lost Soul?

A. A lost soul’s salvation is always His will (1 Timothy 2:4-5; 2 Peter 3:9).

B. If my prayer meets all the above criteria, then why does my loved one continue living lost in this world?

C. Though God’s will aligns with ours, He will not deny freewill (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Joshua 24:14-15; Jeremiah 6:16-17; Ezekiel 18:30-32).

Conclusion:

1. There is no easy answer to this question, but there is a true one.

2. God has promised to answer prayers that match the criteria above.

3. However, He will not overrule one’s freewill to grant our prayers.