“Jesus says anything we ask for in His name we’ll receive if we ask by faith.  Nevertheless, God doesn’t guarantee to give us all we ask and we don’t always know his will. So why does it seem Jesus wants us to believe what we pray for will always come true when it may not?”

 

 

Regarding prayer and faith, our faith is in what God promises, not what we decide God will do simply because it is something we want.

 

Abraham serves as a good example. God promised that He would give Abraham a son even though Abraham’s wife Sarah was beyond the age of being able to bear children (Genesis 18)

 

Abraham was commended for his faith because he trusted God’s promise, but the promise was God’s idea.

 

The way it DID NOT go:

 

Abraham was not sitting under a tree one day saying,

 

“Hmm…Even though Sarah is unable to have kids, I think I’ll just name and claim a son anyway and trust God to give it to me.”

 

Jesus, in making His promise about answered prayer, is assuming we are praying either for things God specifically promised, or desires God Himself laid on our hearts:

 

In John 15:7 we read:

 

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

 

The key to the promise is that we are remaining.  This “remaining” meaning “obedience” is made possible by the Holy Spirit whom Jesus previously promised (in the same discourse) would come upon us to help us abide:

 

John 14:15-17 “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever, the Spirit of truth.”

And so, the Holy Spirit helps us obey God’s commands.

 

In this vein even our very desires are changed.

 

Philippians 2 says, “God is at work in you to work and to will for His good pleasure.”

 

-I.E. God is even changing our will.

 

Summary: Our faith is in what God promises, either through direct communication, or the subtle influence of His Spirit.

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