If
you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will
be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing
yourselves to be my disciples.
— John 15:7-8
I wonder how desperately we seek to know that we are in God’s will
when we pray. Psalm 66:18 makes it clear that, “If we regard iniquity in our
heart He will not hear our prayer.” That means if we are sympathetic toward
the sin in our hearts, God’s not going to listen to our prayers. If I nurse
sin in my heart, if I nurse my bitterness toward others, He’s not going to
listen to me. We must learn to turn from our sin to be qualified to pray.
We also must abide in Christ. John 15 reminds us that we abide in Him so
that we can bear much fruit. The only way I can justify my existence is that I
bear the fruit that God wants me to have, and so when I pray I say, “God give
me the ability to do what you’re calling me to do, that I might bear the fruit
that You want me to bear.”
I find that as I pray I get in line with God’s will, and I begin to
find out what He would have me do. I began to practice those things that He
would have me practice, and I begin to please Him.