I John 5:14-15 says, This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us-whatever we ask-we know that we have what we asked of him.
What a powerful statement. If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. There are some churches that teach a kind of “name it and claim it,” blab it and grab it, see it and be it.” I believe that God’s will matters more than this type of religion. In fact, in the New Testament the apostle Paul pleaded with God to remove a problem he had. The Greek word for pleaded is as strong as it can be. It’s the same word that Jairus used when his daughter had died and he was pleading for Jesus to heal his sick daughter. Paul did this three times, going before God with everything in him. When God could have, God chose not to and said, I’m going to teach you something a little bit different. I’m going to show you that My grace is enough. It’s sufficient, and I am going to show you that My power is made perfect in your weakness.
His will matters. That’s why, when Jesus was in severe agony, knowing what was to come on the cross, when He would take the sins of this world – your sins and mine, He prayed in Luke 22:42-43, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
I strongly believe that some of the greatest words of faith you could ever say is, “This is what I want, God, and I’m believing You for it and I know You can, but if You don’t, God, I still trust You. I still trust You.” Where are you at in your faith journey? Even when God chooses to say “no”, or “wait,” do you still rejoice in His will? I’m praying for y’all.