Our highest purpose is to bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), and this includes praying according to His will. To do this, we must first ask for wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). As we seek wisdom, we must trust in God’s graciousness and believe that He hears and answers our prayers: “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt” (James 1:6; also Mark 11:24). Therefore, praying according to God’s will involves seeking wisdom to discern His will and asking in faith to trust it.
Here are five biblical principles to help believers pray according to God’s will:
1) Pray for what Scripture commands: The Bible provides clear direction for prayer. There are clear things that we are supposed to pray for – like our enemies (Matthew 5), more workers for the harvest and for the healing of others (James 5). When we pray for what God has commanded, we can be assured that we are praying according to His will.
2) Pray with the right motives: Selfish prayers are not honoured by God. “When you ask, you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives” (James 4:3). Our prayers should not be for personal gain or to be seen as spiritual by others, but rather offered humbly and in private, knowing that God sees and rewards what is done in secret (Matthew 6:5-6).
3) Pray with thanksgiving: Gratitude should accompany our prayers (Colossians 4:2; Philippians 4:6-7). No matter how weighed down we feel by life’s challenges, there is always something to be thankful for. Even in the midst of suffering, we have the assurance of God’s redeeming love and the hope of eternity with Him.
4) Pray with persistence: Jesus encouraged persistent prayer (Luke 18:1), and Paul urged believers to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We should not give up when answers don’t come quickly, trusting that God’s timing and will are perfect, whether His answer is “yes,” “no,” or “wait.”
5) Rely on the Holy Spirit in prayer: One of the greatest comforts is knowing that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us when we don’t know what to pray for. “The Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express” (Romans 8:26-27). Even in our weakest moments, when prayer seems impossible, the Spirit prays on our behalf according to God’s will.
When we walk in step with the Spirit, we can trust that He will present our prayers to the Father according to His perfect will. We can rest in the promise that God is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
