1 John 5:14–15
Memory Verse
And this is the confidence we have towards Him, that if we ask according to His desirous will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—that which we should ask—we know we have the request which we asked from Him (1 John 5:14–15).
Since we are instructed to ask, why does it seem that our requests go unanswered? James explains that the reason is our motives: we ask in a wrong manner, seeking to fulfill our own pleasures rather than aligning with God’s desirous will (James 4:3).
When we approach God, are we truly making a request, or are we simply expressing a wish that we do not expect to see fulfilled? In our requests, are we submitting requests that aligned with His desirous will, or are we unintentionally issuing commands? These distinctions are important for understanding our posture before God.
Our requests should reflect the humility of a lesser asking a greater, never seeking to command. Yet, modern Christian practice often turns requests into commands, such as “God heal this person” or “God turn our nation to you,” even when they do not expect their request to be fulfilled. Instead of submitting to God’s will, they use prayer to express personal desires without regard for His intentions in the situation. Who are we to instruct God on what He should do or to seek to act as though we are His counselor? (Isaiah 40:13–14).
Asking means to make a request from a lesser to a greater. Asking is not permission to instruct, command, or demand. When Herodias’ daughter asked for the head of John the Baptist, she did not demand that the king hand it to her. He made a promise to her because her dancing pleased him (Mark 6:22). Based upon this promise, she made her request (Mark 6:24). Herod did not give her what she requested based upon her command to him; rather, he honored his oath because of those who sat with him (Mark 6:26).
In the upper room, as Jesus is explaining to the eleven disciples what is about to happen and the end results of His resurrection three days later, He instructs them to ask the Father. Something they had not been permitted to do up to this point (John 16:23–24). In 1 John, the apostle reiterates this command. Since we know that when we ask according to God’s desirous will, we will receive the things we ask for, we should make requests with the expectation of fulfillment.
As priests in the Church, we have the privilege of making direct requests to God the Father. We must examine whether our requests reflect trust in His will, or if we merely desire to use them to instruct Him according to our desires or fulfill a desire we have based upon our own pleasures. The effectiveness of our requests depends on our alignment with God’s desirous will, not our repetition, unwarranted boldness, or demand to have our way. When we learn to ask in a proper manner, we receive the things we ask for, enabling us to the fulfill God’s desirous will in our lives.