I will renew with God my covenant of prayer. Theoretically, I have always be- lieved in prayer. Practically, my life has been strewn with pleas that were never answered. How can I square such failure with the clear teaching of Jesus? “Ask, and it shall be given” (Matthew 7:7); “whatever you ask in My name, that will I do” (John 14:13) Jesus encourages me to ask any- thing, to ask repeatedly and unashamedly, and to keep on asking until the answer comes. But haven’t we been taught to pray “If it be Thy will”? Shouldn’t we defer to God’s sovereign control of things and try to get on the inside track with Him before asking? However, there are conditions to answered prayer. (1) I cannot “regard iniquity in my heart” (Psalm 66:18, KJV), that is, give iniquity place, time, and attention. (2) I cannot “ask amiss,” that is, to further my lustful desires (James 4:3, KJV). (3) I cannot be “wavering” (James 1:6–7, KJV), that is, wanting something so little that it really makes no difference whether I get it or not. (4) I must “abide” in Christ (John 15:7). To abide in Him means to be drawn toward Him as a flower is drawn toward the sun. Now I begin to see what answered prayer really means: a life of total dedi- cation to God, a life lived in Him that is so real that I can discern His de- sires. His mind. His will If I pray from the midst of that intimate relationship, my prayers will never fail. When I reach that point I will never need to ask. “If it be Thy will.” The Christian who keeps asking God for the benefit of His will does not know Him in a deep, abiding way. The Christian who is constantly a delight to God will be one to whom God will reveal His mind.
“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His command- ments and do the things that are pleas- ing in His sight” (1 John 3:22).
Daily with the King 