Do you believe God actually answers your prayers? How often? Jesus promised that we can receive answered prayer, but what are the conditions to answered prayer? What prayers does God choose to answer? In this article, we will look at one condition that Jesus put upon receiving answered prayer.
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ask whatever you wish [desire],
and it will be done for you” (Jn 15:7)
We see from this text two conditions and a promise. The two conditions are (1) If we abide in Christ, and (2) If his words abide in us. The promise is that we can ask for whatever we desire in prayer and it will be done for us.
What Does It Mean to Abide?
Abiding = Remaining.
It is a daily personal relationship with Jesus. It is being discipled by Jesus. It is friendship with Jesus. Abiding is evident by growing in faith, in obedience, in love and joy.
5 Reasons Abiding in Christ is the Condition to the Promise of Answered Prayer
1. Abiding In Christ Trains Us to Pray According to God's Will!
When we abide, we look to Jesus to learn how to keep the Father's commands and love. Jesus lived to please the Father.
"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love (John 15:10).
We look to Jesus' teaching to direct our walk with the Father.
“Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2Jo 1:8-9).
When we are looking to Jesus- we begin to drift away from the Fathers commands and love.
2. Abiding In Christ Trains Us to Pray for God's Glory--Not Ours!
Jesus' modeled a pursuit to glorify the Father! Even on the night that he was betrayed his prayers were pursuing the glory of the Father.
“Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him” (Jn 17:1-2).
Jesus attributed our prayers as a primary means for us to glorify the Father in his name.
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (Jn 14:13).
The Father is glorified when we bear fruit in prayer!
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples” (Jn 15:8).
How much fruit are we to bear in our lives? Much fruit! The word in Greek actually means, "Great in magnituded"!
3. Abiding In Christ Enables Us to Boldly Pray in Jesus' Name.
To pray in Jesus' name is pray in his royal authority and righteous nature. "Whatever you ask" then cannot be separate our obedience in word and deed. Paul explains,
“…Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3:17)
Abiding in Christ forms our minds and hearts so that will and can pray in Jesus' name. This doesn't mean that we must be perfect, but that we are growing towards godliness. Andrew Murray explains,
“If the name of Christ is to be at my disposal, so that I may have the full command of it for all I desire, it is because I first put myself at His disposal, so that He has free and full command of me”.
Are you exercising the full command of Jesus' name in prayer? Does Jesus have full command of your words and deeds?
4. Abiding In Christ Enables Us to Pray With the Faith That Obtains Answers.
The only thing that pleases God is our faith--He is always developing our faith. When we remain in Christ, our faith is continually being nourished by Christ the vine.
But what does faith have to do with it? Those who are strong in faith and prayer will see more answered prayer!
- Jesus healed according to peoples faith (Matthew 9:27-29).
- Jesus said that we should believe what we are praying for & we will receive it (Mark 11: 20-25).
- Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Hebrew 13:8).
5. Abiding In Christ Keeps Us in the Place Where Answers are Given!
We are in an "on the go" and "multitasking' culture--We pray and run! Remaining continually in Christ keeps us attentive to the Father's answers to our asking!
What About You?
As we can see, abiding is Jesus' condition to answered prayer. What is your rhythm for abiding in Christ? How do you plan to abide in his words? In his presence? In asking prayer? And, In his love (Word and deed)?
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