God Hears Us When We Pray
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error (I John 4:6). And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him (I John 5:14, 15).
I John 4:6 begins with the words – We are of God. In verse 4, the Apostle John speaking to Christians said – Ye are of God. John states that those who know God hear us and those who are not of God do not hear us (“us” being John and the other apostles). Because we are of God, when we hear the Word of God, we will recognize it as such and willingly accept it. To the believers at Thessalonica, Paul said, For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe (I Thessalonians 2:13). In essence – God’s people hear when the Spirit of truth speaks through the Word of God.
That’s like “sic em” to a dog for a preacher preaching or teaching the Word of God to a group of God’s people. There is one problem and that is the fact that there is another spirit in the world – an evil spirit, the spirit of error. Both the Holy Spirit and the evil spirit are speaking and each have a distinct message. Those who are truly born again can tell the difference between the two.
Do you know the difference between the Spirit of God and the spirit of evil, the difference between Heaven and Hell, the difference between being save and being lost?
There is another great truth in I John 5:14, 15. Those that hear the Spirit of God and know the difference between the Spirit of God and the spirit of error have the very special privilege of possessing the confidence that when we pray – GOD HEARS US. This confidence is only for saved people. Unsaved people do pray now and then, mostly when there is some great or critical need. We have political leaders in Washington and movie stars in Hollywood who call for prayer in the midst of tragedies. While they do not know God and definitely have absolutely no relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the only confidence they can possibly have is to hear their own prayers bounce around the walls of the rooms in which they find themselves. God’s Word is so very clear on the matter that He does not hear sinners when they pray (John 9:31; Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2).
Confidence is only for saved people. Do you have the confidence when you pray that God has heard your prayers? Of course, there is one qualifier in our text – If we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. Are you in the Word of God enough to know His revealed will in His Word? Are you close enough to Him personally that you know His will. The confidence we have when we are on His wave length is such an incredible blessing in our lives.
The relationship that the psalmist had with God was intimate to the place where he addressed God, O Thou that hearest prayer (Psalm 65:2). This is why he prayed, My soul, wait thou only upon God; FOR MY EXPECTATION IS FROM HIM (Psalm 62:5).
Two key words that apply only to those who are in Christ relating to prayer: CONFIDENCE and EXPECTATION.
What is your expectation when you pray? How close are you to the Lord? Do you have the confidence that your prayers are heard? Remembering what the psalmist called God (Psalm 65:2 and relating to your relationship with God, what title would you ascribe to Him?
George Stiekes serves as a Lay Pastor at Bethany Bible Church in Hendersonville, NC. See here for a more complete bio of brother Stiekes extensive ministry. We republish his material by permission.