PRAYING GOD’S WILL
James 5:16-17
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Earnestly;
1 serious and intense; not joking or playful; zealous and sincere
2 not petty or trivial; important
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
All praying is good, but I think that in praying for the things that we think are important, we miss the things that are most important.
Yes, we need to pray for our family members, sickness, our finances, our church, each other, and so on, and these things are very important, but God is more concerned about you and your spiritual condition than any of the things we think are important.
Heb 4:15
Yes, He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
Eph 3:20
(And He) is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,
If we were to list all our needs, He would begin with your spiritual needs first.
He is more interested in forming Christ in you than anything else.
Eph 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
Gal 4:19
19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,
Rom 8:29
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,
From the beginning, it was God’s will to be like Him.
Eph 4:23-24
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Phil 1:6
he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
If you sincerely want to be holy, righteous, and pure in every area of your life, fasten you seatbelt, for that is the perfect will of God.
He is more concerned about your Christ-likeness than He is about your health, relationships, job, or anything that you my think that you can’t live without.
Matt 6:33
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Heb 12:14
14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
NIV
So how do we pray?
1 John 5:14-15
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
