What is praying according to God’s will? (Part One)

From the desk of Dr. Robert L. Taylor, Th.D. We read, “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21). Scripture reveals and teaches that God hears and answers when we make requests according to His will (1 John 5:14-15)! God wants us to know His goals (will) for us, which are described throughout His Word. Today’s passage from Hebrews 13 is one such example. With regard to both character and deeds, God’s purpose for believers can be summed up in these two requests from Hebrews 13:21: His goal is to “equip [us] in every good thing to do His will.” He wants us to depend fully on Him to accomplish the good works He planned beforehand for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). These include righteous living in obedience to His Word as well as fruitful service in His name and to His people. God is “working in us that which is pleasing in His sight.” As the Father shapes us into the image of His Son, He is transforming our character so we’ll have a heart bent toward pleasing Him. Otherwise, all our good works are useless. When you ask God to accomplish these things in your life, you can be sure He will. When we ask God to work in us and accomplish His will, He answers our prayer. The believer’s highest aim should be to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and this includes praying according to His will. First, we must ask for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). In asking for wisdom, we must also trust that God is gracious and willing to answer our prayers: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt” (James 1:6; see also Mark 11:24). So, praying according to the will of God includes asking for wisdom (to know the will of God) and asking in faith (to trust the will of God). Understanding how to pray according to God's will includes: 1) entrusting ourselves to God’s loving authority; and 2) focusing on God's priorities. We must learn humble obedience to listen to His will and present ourselves to Him, eager to live out His purposes. Our prayers should align with what God cares about including developing our character, sharing His love with others, and becoming more attuned to hear Him through His Word. Be encouraged!