Children, whether small or adult, will at some point, if not most often, exercise their own will by testing that of their parents. A kid in a candy store wants to fill his bag to the brim with delicious treats, but his “mean” parents tell him, “No, if you eat all that, your stomach will hurt.” The child could throw a tantrum in the middle of the store!
An adult child wants to get in a car with a friend, a brand new driver, for an overnight trip without parental supervision. Their parents make the wise choice to say no for the safety and well-being of their son or daughter. The adolescent may then sulk and treat his parents in silence.
Have you ever thought about the fact that as children of God, we can act like real children in our responses to how God has answered our prayers? Some of us may become angry with God because He is trying to punish or hurt us in some way. Others may decide to shut out God and stop praying or reading the Word, feeling they can no longer trust Him. We have decided that our will in the face of a situation is correct and best for us. Still, maybe the Lord was protecting us… I think we can all admit that we have at one time or another…
But what if it’s less about how God responds and more about how we pray?…
“Then the daughters of Zelophehad, son of Hepher, son of Gilead, son of Makir, son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh son of Joseph, came near; these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They stood before Moses and before Eleazar the priest and before the princes and all the assembly at the door of the tent of meeting. saying: “Our father died in the wilderness, but he was not of the company of those who gathered together against the LORD with Korah; but he died in his own sin, and he had no sons. Why should our father’s name be taken from his family because he had no sons? So Moses brought their case before the Lord. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “The daughters of Zelophad are right in their words. You will certainly give them an hereditary possession among their father’s brothers, and you will transfer to them their father’s inheritance. You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a man dies and has no son, you shall pass on his inheritance to his daughter. Numbers 27:1-8
Did Zelophehad’s daughters change God’s mind?? Is not God Sovereign, knowing all things, and ruling rightly? It appears that God has changed His mind about His original command, BUT He is STILL Sovereign and in control of all things. You see, these girls proposed according to God’s will. They knew his statutes so well that they could defend their father by relying on them. The Lord honored their request because it was NOT outside of His will.
This passage does not show that God missed something when He expounded His command to grant an inheritance; on the contrary, it shows how accessible our great God is. It is then that we know Him so well that we can approach Him with confidence, so much so that our wills align with His and our prayers are answered.
Let’s see how to pray the will of God.
Knowing God so well
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
When we meet a new friend for the first time, it’s exciting to know everything about them. You can sit for hours asking questions and sharing stories, only to realize how much you have in common! It’s a wonderful feeling to have a soul mate.
Our God is everything and much more to us. He is our Father, our brother, our “Husband”, our Friend. In each of these roles, there is so much to learn about Him!
When I first became a believer, I loved God’s Word! I wanted to learn everything I could about my Lord and Savior. I bought a dictionary from Vine and a commentary from Strong. Spending time in the Word was for me like a lawyer going through the process of discovery. I didn’t just want to read the Word, I wanted to understand it fully.
I was also fortunate to have a church that taught God’s Word from a strong biblical perspective. I felt like I had been to the seminar!
During my first Christian walk, there was a show on Christian radio called Bible Answerman, where the host answered Bible questions received over a phone line. I learned so much from this program!
Participating in Bible studies was and still is the key to my growth in the knowledge of the Lord. Also, spend quiet time soaking up the Word and praying.
During those foundational years and to this day, I continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus, not because I am so wonderful, but because strong Christians came alongside me and mentored me, giving me a solid foundation. My hope here is to pass on these same blessings.
Believe me, I’m still learning. It is indeed a journey to know God. You never stop learning because the Bible never stops speaking. He is alive and active.
If you follow these steps and commit to knowing God well, your prayers will reflect beautiful alignment with the will of the Lord and you will see fruit in the answers you receive.
Be still before the Lord
“Stay still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
During a recent snowstorm, my daughter said to me, “Wow, Mom, you come up with the weirdest things to do just to keep yourself busy.” ” lol. She’s not wrong. I can’t “sit still” quietly. The “things” I find to do are more administrative in nature. I don’t want you to think I’m here cleaning out cupboards every free minute. Haha.
What is so difficult for us about being still? The world we live in is changing so quickly and an immense amount of information is coming at us from all angles that it is impossible to stand still.
As believers, we must be overcomers in this world and allow ourselves to be quiet before our Heavenly Father. “After the earthquake there came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a quiet murmuring.” 1 Kings 19:12 Without stillness, we cannot hear God on a deeper level. “And your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 If we get caught up in the noise, we will miss God’s direction, His will. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26 The Holy Spirit literally shows us God’s will!
So how do we practice calmness? We set aside time during our day to be quiet before the Lord, without any distractions. Put away the phone, iPad and laptop. Turn off the television. Ask the Holy Spirit to clear your mind of anything that distracts you. Imagine yourself in the presence of the Lord where all is peaceful… Relax into this scene… wait and listen…
“You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart” Jeremiah 29:13. Getting into the habit of remaining still before the Lord will enable you to understand and pray for God’s will.
Empty self
“If anyone wants to pursue me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23
We are born selfish. Lol. When we observe toddlers playing with other little ones, they are cunning in getting what they want. I’m always amazed by the bait and switch. Lol. I’ll give you that if you give me what I really want.
Unfortunately, we carry our selfishness into our prayers, especially into our deepest desires. It seems like a very harsh word, selfishness, especially when we pray for something we have wanted for a long time, like a husband or a child. Pray for healing for a loved one or pray for freedom from an addiction or struggle. None of these things are inherently bad.
It’s more about emptying ourselves when it comes to praying God’s will, no matter how fundamentally good our prayers may seem.
But how do we do this? Do we not pray for the desires of our heart when the Lord says He will give us the desires of our heart? Of course, you pray these prayers boldly, but when you pray, with this hope, you also accept that it may not be God’s will. Jesus himself modeled this in the garden of Gethsemane. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42. When we pray for our heart’s desire, we must also free ourselves from that prayer.
Deepening our faith even further, having known God so well and being always before Him, we must then empty ourselves, enter our prayer time with a renewed understanding of what God’s desire would be in this situation and pray accordingly.
Dear Lord, help me to know you better, to remain calm before you and to empty myself so that I can pray the will of God without fear.
In what area of prayer do you have the most difficulty when it comes to God’s will? What area can you improve to better understand God’s will?
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