03/10
Perfect Will
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”
John 5:14-15
John 5:14-15
God hears you. Always remember that. He is not deaf. He is not ignoring you. God hears you and He loves you. But to fully understand what this often quoted verse means, we need to look a bit deeper at a few ideas that are often overlooked.
The faith of mature believers is always rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit, and a willingness to submit our will to God’s. Sometimes, a person may lay on hands and pray for someone who asks for healing, but in the back of their mind, they doubt that healing will come. Not only that, but there was no Holy Spirit leading or power involved in their prayers. The prayer was a totally natural act under the disguise of being a supernatural act, and most likely, what was prayed for wasn’t even in line with what God desired. There is a better way to pray for healing! We should begin by first learning and then aligning ourselves with the Word of God and to understand His perfect will…then pray that perfect will.
As created beings, it is true that we should always be prepared to do everything we can to care for ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally; but this is not where our hope and confidence should be found. Our confidence should come when we approach God in prayer knowing and being confident that our hearts, minds and words are in perfect alignment with His. Whatever we ask or pray should be according to His will. This alignment not only produces confidence and assurance, it also helps us to grow in our faith and maturity as believers. This is what we should seek and pray for above all else. That no matter what, despite everything we do in the natural world, we put our hope and trust in the only one who is willing and able to do the supernatural. Jesus is not only our Savior and healer, he is also our lord and we submit to him. Remember that healing of any kind is always the result of right alignment with God.
The faith of mature believers is always rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit, and a willingness to submit our will to God’s. Sometimes, a person may lay on hands and pray for someone who asks for healing, but in the back of their mind, they doubt that healing will come. Not only that, but there was no Holy Spirit leading or power involved in their prayers. The prayer was a totally natural act under the disguise of being a supernatural act, and most likely, what was prayed for wasn’t even in line with what God desired. There is a better way to pray for healing! We should begin by first learning and then aligning ourselves with the Word of God and to understand His perfect will…then pray that perfect will.
As created beings, it is true that we should always be prepared to do everything we can to care for ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally; but this is not where our hope and confidence should be found. Our confidence should come when we approach God in prayer knowing and being confident that our hearts, minds and words are in perfect alignment with His. Whatever we ask or pray should be according to His will. This alignment not only produces confidence and assurance, it also helps us to grow in our faith and maturity as believers. This is what we should seek and pray for above all else. That no matter what, despite everything we do in the natural world, we put our hope and trust in the only one who is willing and able to do the supernatural. Jesus is not only our Savior and healer, he is also our lord and we submit to him. Remember that healing of any kind is always the result of right alignment with God.
Reflection Questions
- What are some practical ways to grow your faith and have a better understanding of God’s will for your life?
- What are some areas that you can take responsibility for taking better care of your health, mentally, physically, and emotionally?
Resource
In the video below, Joyce Meyer has a candid conversation talking about multiple seasons of sickness, how she continued to seek Jesus despite physical and mental pain, and how there will be healing in Jesus whether on this side of eternity or in Heaven.