8. How to Pray – According to Word of God and His Will

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8. How to Pray – According to Word of God and His Will

When we pray or ask God, we need to stand on the foundation of God’s Word and His Will.

God stands on what He said and Who He is, and these are what all our prayers should be anchored on. Then it will not fall to ground but will be established.

What God said – Word of God

Everything needs bases to stand on. Otherwise it will not be established but bound to fall. Like building a house on sand and not on a rock.

  • Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. 25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell—and its fall was great- Matthew 7:24-27 WEB 

We can believe in what we pray for and have great faith with actions too. However, if our prayer is only based on what we want or need instead of God’s infallible Word, our prayer may fall to the ground. This is one of the reasons why many prayers are not answered.

But if it is what God said we know that it is firm and will come true.

  • Numbers 23:19 KJV

19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

  • Titus 1:2 KJV
    In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.
  • Hebrews 6:18 KJV
    18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us
  • Titus 1:2 KJV, In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (KJV). 
  • Lord Jesus also made a proclamation in Mark 13 verse 31: “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (KJV).

However, does it just apply for all situations and circumstances?

Context

It is not uncommon to see the verses of God’s Word we claim or quote are based on wrong context. Meaning we have understood wrongly. So we basically are misquoting.

This is why it is important to :

  1. Know the Word of God not just on the surface
    1. Sometimes when we read through scriptures we may easily miss out the context of the passage. Although many times it may not harm us much, it may not be right for us to use it to claim as we are petitioning to God.
      1. E.g. Many likes to claim Philippians 4:13 WEB, “ I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me”, and pray that God will give strength so we can achieve whatever that we desire or set our heart on, of which many cases in relation to our success in getting materially blessed and rich.
        However, if we see the verses and chapters before this, we will understand the context of this verse is rather opposite to what many claim for which is to be rich and blessed.
        I believe many who know the context will agree that what Paul means is that no matter how hard, difficult, poverized and lacking situation we are in, God will give us strength to endure, go through and overcome, just like Paul who was writing to believers in prison where he was whipped, and chained.
  2. Know the Word of God by ourselves and not always relying on others
    1. We are all humans and we can make mistakes and may misunderstand. It is the same for spiritual leaders and teachers. As I stated above I can understand now because I myself have experienced so many such cases. I may have grown to know certain things. However, I am sure without any doubt that there are so many more things that I have yet to discover, to be corrected and to grow. 
    2. We cannot stand on what men say, but we need to be very sure what God said directly by ourselves, and this will also help us come to know God and His Word by experience as God reveals Himself through His Word.
      1. The mistake of e.g. stated in first point was claimed by many because they have heard from others and took in, without looking at the Word and/ understanding it by themselves 
  3. Know God’s Word wholly and not just partially.
    1. I personally discover what I used to understand was wrong when I come to know other parts of the Word of God. I think the same e.g. of the first point on Philippians 4:13 applies again that if anyone reads the verses before ad after will easily understand better. 
    2. Sometimes we cannot get the full picture of things we see when we only see from one view. Knowing other parts of scriptures sometimes opens us to discover the portions that were missing. Although this may sound hard, in fact, this is what makes it so interesting to know and study the Word of God.
      1. Isaiah 28:13, ESV
        And the word of the LORD will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, 

and snared, and taken.

Above verse reminds me that many have missed the Savior (Messiah) they were looking for because they missed out many parts of the scriptures where it is clearly stated regarding the Messiah Who was to come will have to suffer and die, take away the sins once and for all, etc.
As we look into the Word of God I believe we will discover that many times truly God states His Word “here a little, there a little”. 


When we know God’s Word well, we can truly stand on what God said and pray.

Terms and Conditions?

There are still terms and conditions that apply, or rather basic principles. Of course there has to be. God is a person. Not an imagination, idea or religion that we made up.

Easiest way to understand God, is to picture a good, or rather the best father in the world who loves his children, and wants the best for them. Not one who gives everything that children ask which will result in spoiling the child. But one who really loves and cares for the children.

Will a good father have terms and conditions to govern? Of course.

Many are familiar with the portions of the scripture and claim on the verses like:

  • Matthew 7:7~
    “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 Therefore, whatever you desire for men to do to you, you shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.
  • Mark 11: (WEB)
    24 Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.

However, will God really answer anything? In these and many verses, we need to consider God’s Word and Who God is in totality, instead of singling out one or two parts and expecting God will answer our prayer.. 

God will not go against Who He is, or His Word. God is Love (1 John 4:8),

Principle of God

God is :   

  • Kind, good, merciful and against evil
    • Will God answer prayer that will harm others?
  • Against sin or doing wrong
    • Will God answer sinful prayer?
  • Against proud
    • God will not answer prayer for self-exalting, or that will cause prideful hurt

There are many such basic principles of Who God is. Although these are common sense to all, what seems to be common sense is becoming more and more uncommon these days. Also often we complicate simple matters in order to reason out to get what we want.

As such it is important for us to search the depth and intent of our heart. We need to pray like David did.

  • Psalm 139:23-24 ESV
    Search me, O God, and know my heart!
    Try me and know my thoughts!
    And see if there be any grievous way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting!

However, it is not as easy as we may think. Everyone is accustomed to defend and justify themselves. What others try to justify we see as an excuse, but when we do it, we claim it is a reason.

Therefore, as we touch earlier, right from the start of our prayer, our focus should be God. The God, Who is our very Father who begotten us, loves, and gave everything to save us should be the center of all.

As we look to God, and are found in God, only in light of God, we can see things we can not see otherwise.

  • Psalms 36:9, WEB ,
    For with you is the spring of life. In your light we will see light.
  • Psalms 119:130, NASB,
    The unfolding (entering) of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple

It is in the presence of God, and through His Word (light) that we can see not just things around or outside but more importantly what is inside us. 

Praying in line with Word of God and God’s principle

If we pray for something which God has already spoken against, will God answer? Of course not.

God answers when we pray according to God’s Word and His Will, although it will also have to be the right time for God to answer.

  • Elijah prayed and there was no rain for 3 years, he prayed and the fire of God came down, and again when he prayed heavy rain poured after 3 years.
    But it was not so much about Elijah’s prayer, but what God said. Elijah just prayed according to what God told him.


1 Kings 18:1~ (NASB) … the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will provide rain on the face of the earth.” ..
V36, …. that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that You, Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back.” 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering..

V42, he bent down to the earth and put his face between his knees. ..v45 and there was a heavy shower. 

  • God answered Nehemiah’s prayer that God will prosper him because it was according to God’s word, not out of selfish ambition, but for God’s people.

    Nehemiah 1:8~11
    Please remember what you spoke in commanding your servant Moses. You said, ‘If you rebel, I will scatter you among the nations[g] 9 but if you return to me, keeping my commands and doing them, even if your exiled people are in the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I have chosen to establish my Name.’ 11 “And now, Lord, I ask you to listen to the prayer of your servant—and to the prayers of your servants who delight in revering your Name. I ask you, please prosper your servant today by granting him to receive favor from this man
  • Daniel too prayed knew God’s word and prayed accordingly
    • Daniel 9:2, ESV,
      .. in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God
  • 1 John 5:14,
    Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

When we know God and His Word, we will  know what and how we should pray according to God’s Will and desire, and we will be confident (1 John 5:14) that God will hear our prayer and answer us for the best of us and His kingdom. Even if it seems the answer is taking time or even if God does not answer according to our prayer, we will still be confident that God will give us the best at the best timing because God is Who He is… Our Father in Heaven Who loves us and gave His Only Son, Lord Jesus, so that we may have eternal life.