Someone raises an objection: “Ah, you missed that little phrase in 1 John 5:14, ‘according to His will.’ We cannot know God’s will—what God is thinking—so we cannot pray with confidence about the result.”
Though perhaps well motivated, that last sentence robs 1 John 5:13-15 of its meaning. We sometimes treat Scripture that way. We feel so strongly about our point, we miss God’s point. 1 John 5 is not primarily about limiting the power of our prayers. It liberates us to know what we can confidently expect. John is not trying to sow doubt and uncertainty.
Along with “confidence,” John uses the word “know” three times (1 John 5:13,15). As we honor John’s stated purpose of assuring us, we must ask, “How does ‘anything according to God’s will’ fit into the theme of assurance?” “Anything” opens up an entire range of requests about which we enjoy certainty. Why? Because we do know so much of God’s will. During thousands of years of Bible history, God has been revealing His character and His will. God revealed Himself most clearly in His Son who is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature” (Hebrews 1:3 cf. John 1:18). The Spirit has revealed the mind of the Lord (1 Corinthians 2:7-16 cf. John 16:13; Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:5; Colossians 2:2; 2 Timothy 1:10). Peter assures us that God has given us all we need for a godly life (2 Peter 1:3). Whatever God’s word says is God’s will is yours for the asking.
Is it God’s will that you grow in wisdom?
Is it God’s will that we should overcome bad habits?
Is it God’s will that His church should grow?
Does God want more laborers for the harvest fields?
Are there any doubts that these are “according to His will”? Since God has revealed the truth, we really do know much about His character and desires. Think about a young woman considering marriage prospects. Which one would be a better husband, Domingo or Steve? That answer has not been revealed. But God has revealed His will for moral purity, for marriage, and for godly families. Also, God has promised to supply wisdom. So the young woman prays, fully assured about the things revealed, and fully assured that God will lead into the answers as yet unknown. Yes, God’s child who honors Him can expect positive answers to prayer. That is the thrust of John’s message: We are confident! We know!
Look at the example of a child of God about to be interviewed for a much-needed job. He does not have direct insight into God’s will about that specific job itself. But he does know this principle from God:
If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Timothy 5:8).
So the believer prays for the work necessary to support the family, asking with complete confidence about God’s revealed will in the matter. The believer knows that God will give what is asked for… or if this particular job is one of the few exceptions, he knows that God will give something even better for the support of the family. The believer receives either what is asked for or something better! Never is the answer something worse, something bad. To give what is good is part of God’s unchanging nature (James 1:17; Matthew 7:11).