1 John Chapter 5 Verses 13-15
These verses are a wonderful promise. Verses 13-15 reads,
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
Prayer is powerful. God wants us to ask for anything according to His will and know that He hears us, and that if He hears us, of course He will give it to us. I wonder if I took this promise more seriously how different my life might be. Would I see people healed in every manner right in front of me? Would I see people giving their lives to Christ everywhere? Yes, I believe if I more fully lived the life God has for me and if I were more confident about asking anything according to God’s will, my life would more closely resemble Jesus’.
This is not the only place we see this promise. Jesus told us the same thing repeatedly. One of those times is in John 14:12-14
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
Even when He was teaching us to pray He told us to ask for God’s will to be loosed on earth. Matthew 6:9-10 reads,
“Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.”
What is God’s will? How is it in Heaven? It is God’s will that all people come to a relationship with Him, that everyone receives eternal life. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 says,
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
But there is more to His will than the beginning of the relationship. He wants us to have an abundant life that exemplifies Christ. The relationship with the Father, following Jesus, filled with the Spirit is lovelier and more amazing than people outside that relationship can know.
John 10:9-10 reads,
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Abundant life doesn’t mean Lamborghinis and Caviar. The life we have is the eternal life given to us by Jesus, lived now and always. We have life, while the lost have death. We know the way to life. Jesus is the door. Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. (John 14:6). It is a relationship following Jesus, doing what He did loving people like He loved. And just like He gave us His life, we are to do the same for others. We have life so abundantly it is eternal, never-ending, deep, and awesome.
What is God’s will as it is in Heaven? It begins with that perfect relationship. In Heaven, In God’s house there is a place for you, prepared by Jesus. He is there and He will take us to Himself. God is our home, our sanctuary, our tower, and our place. Jesus made the way and takes us to Himself. Jesus is not only the path, He is the destination. John 14:1-3 says,
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Revelation 21:3-5 describes Heaven this way.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
The perfect relationship, including perfect peace and joy awaits us in Heaven and Jesus said we can have it now, here just for the asking. Heaven is not like earth. Satan is defeated. He has no power at all. Revelation 20:10 reads,
“and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Death and Hades or Sheol, (another word for the grave) are defeated forever. As is unbelief. Revelation 20:14-15 reads,
“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
That is God’s will. God’s will is for all of us to have that deep relationship with Him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but He says they will. He says that anyone who desires eternal life will have it but that the rest will not. Revelation 21:8 reminds us,
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
God doesn’t want that for them, but they chose it for themselves. If we want what He wants then we will ask for anything according to His will and He will hear us and He will grant it. So take the challenge I am taking. Be bold. Be confident. Ask God for miracles. Ask God to reveal Himself in you to the dying masses. Ask God to heal, to feed, and to reveal truth. God will hear you and like any loving Father, He will give you the good things you ask for.
These verses are a wonderful promise. Verses 13-15 reads,
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”
Prayer is powerful. God wants us to ask for anything according to His will and know that He hears us, and that if He hears us, of course He will give it to us. I wonder if I took this promise more seriously how different my life might be. Would I see people healed in every manner right in front of me? Would I see people giving their lives to Christ everywhere? Yes, I believe if I more fully lived the life God has for me and if I were more confident about asking anything according to God’s will, my life would more closely resemble Jesus’.
This is not the only place we see this promise. Jesus told us the same thing repeatedly. One of those times is in John 14:12-14
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”
Even when He was teaching us to pray He told us to ask for God’s will to be loosed on earth. Matthew 6:9-10 reads,
“Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.”
What is God’s will? How is it in Heaven? It is God’s will that all people come to a relationship with Him, that everyone receives eternal life. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 says,
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
But there is more to His will than the beginning of the relationship. He wants us to have an abundant life that exemplifies Christ. The relationship with the Father, following Jesus, filled with the Spirit is lovelier and more amazing than people outside that relationship can know.
John 10:9-10 reads,
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Abundant life doesn’t mean Lamborghinis and Caviar. The life we have is the eternal life given to us by Jesus, lived now and always. We have life, while the lost have death. We know the way to life. Jesus is the door. Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. (John 14:6). It is a relationship following Jesus, doing what He did loving people like He loved. And just like He gave us His life, we are to do the same for others. We have life so abundantly it is eternal, never-ending, deep, and awesome.
What is God’s will as it is in Heaven? It begins with that perfect relationship. In Heaven, In God’s house there is a place for you, prepared by Jesus. He is there and He will take us to Himself. God is our home, our sanctuary, our tower, and our place. Jesus made the way and takes us to Himself. Jesus is not only the path, He is the destination. John 14:1-3 says,
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Revelation 21:3-5 describes Heaven this way.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
The perfect relationship, including perfect peace and joy awaits us in Heaven and Jesus said we can have it now, here just for the asking. Heaven is not like earth. Satan is defeated. He has no power at all. Revelation 20:10 reads,
“and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
Death and Hades or Sheol, (another word for the grave) are defeated forever. As is unbelief. Revelation 20:14-15 reads,
“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
That is God’s will. God’s will is for all of us to have that deep relationship with Him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but He says they will. He says that anyone who desires eternal life will have it but that the rest will not. Revelation 21:8 reminds us,
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
God doesn’t want that for them, but they chose it for themselves. If we want what He wants then we will ask for anything according to His will and He will hear us and He will grant it. So take the challenge I am taking. Be bold. Be confident. Ask God for miracles. Ask God to reveal Himself in you to the dying masses. Ask God to heal, to feed, and to reveal truth. God will hear you and like any loving Father, He will give you the good things you ask for.
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