Today's "From Faith To Faith" by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland shows another important factor in answered prayer!
Don't Waste Time Wondering
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17
So many believers wring their hands and worry about whether or not they’re praying according to God’s will. “Oh, dear me,” they say, “I certainly can’t expect God to do something for me that’s outside His will.” And they’re absolutely right. But they don’t need to waste time standing around looking puzzled. They need to grab their Bibles and find out what the will of God is. God has made some very specific promises in His Word and it’s His will to fulfill every one of them in your life. In fact, those promises are divinely guaranteed by a contract that’s been signed in the blood of Jesus.
Think of it this way. Your Bible is the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. It is a record of your inheritance. Everything that belongs to you has been written down in that Book and the smartest thing you can do is to find out what is in it. Don’t leave it lying on the coffee table and hit the floor crying, “Oh, God! Oh, God! I’m searching for the truth.” Pick up your Bible from the coffee table and find out what belongs to you! Find out how you need to change to get in line with God’s will.
Most people don’t do that. They try to change God instead. They’ll go on and on trying to convince God just how badly they hurt or how poor they are. They’ll beg and plead and wheedle, all the while acting as though they had to somehow change God’s mind about the situation. Those folks are in for a long wait. God is never going to change. The Bible says He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. His will is too. So don’t waste your time wondering if your prayers are in line with it. Get the Book and base your prayers on it. Then you can rest assured the answer is on the way!
Once you begin to find out what the Word of God reveals that the will of God is, THEN you can encourage yourself with THIS from John 15:7 & 1 John 5:14-15:7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
14 And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us. 15 And if (since) we [positively] know that He listens to us in whatever we ask, we also know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted us as our present possessions] the requests made of Him.
AMEN! So, we CAN know the will of God IF we choose to! I DO! How about YOU? Here is Hillsong Young and Free with "In Your Eyes":
IN YOUR
EYES
Verse]
Skylines and crowded streets
Calling my attention
The limelight and empty dreams
Grieving my affections
But there is a perfect Voice
Waiting above the noise
Jesus my only choice
When all the lights are screaming
[Chorus]
Then I
I get lost in Your eyes
And find the clarity to life
The world when all the colors rage
But I'm not gonna look away, no
I get lost in Your eyes
[Verse 2]
I've read all the glossy guides
To living in contentment
I've heard all the pretty lies
And all of them are vacant
But You are a love unique
My heart, my identity
Jesus you're all I need
And see the rest is nothing
Shalom in Him!
