"Let all the earth cry out to God with joy….. Hear now all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me. When I appeal to him in words, praise was on the tip of my tongue." (Psalm 66)
Spiritual Principle: Praise must precede and go with the prayer of petition. The power of praise!
"The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, 'Set out at noon and go along the road that leads from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road." (Acts 8: 26)
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of mission. The Holy Spirit is the main principle behind apostolic productivity and fruitfulness. Docility to the Holy Spirit is the key to empowerment.
"Father, in this holy season we come to know the full depth of your love. You have freed us from the darkness of error and sin. Help us to cling to your truths with fidelity…." (Mass Prayer in the Season of Easter)
How do we come to know the full depth of God's love for us? The Father loves us so much that He gave up His Son Jesus to save us. (John 3:16)
How does the Father free us from the darkness of error and sin? He frees us through His word and through the Sacraments. As we gird our loins in the truth of His word, we are freed from errors. As we come to Jesus in the Eucharist, we are freed from sin.
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"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, 5
or a snake when he asks for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.
(Matthew 7: 7-11)
What promises does Jesus make in the above verses on Prayer?
In one phrase, the promise of the infallibility of Prayer. Awesome! Very few promises in Scripture have been guaranteed as Prayer. Few promises are misunderstood as Prayer. Even good Christians may be tempted to rationalize or dilute the promise on Prayer.
Prayer is a spiritual law like the law of the Beatitudes. If you want the type of happiness promised by Jesus in the Beatitudes, live the Beatitudes. Similarly, if you want the type of answers to prayers promised by Jesus, apply the laws of Prayer.
"Lord, may this celebration of our redemption help us in this life and lead us to eternal happiness……" (Mass Prayer)
Whenever we participate in the Eucharist, we celebrate the primary event of our redemption. The Eucharist renews our mind, our soul and our body. It destroys the hunger and thirst for anything that is not Christ.
"We can approach God with confidence for this: if we make requests which accord with his will he listens to us; and if we know our requests are heard, we know that the things we ask for are ours" (1 John 5:14-15)
This seems utterly reasonable. If somebody asks me something that I have and which agrees with my plan for the person, I give it. So it is important to ensure that our prayers agree with God's will for us. How do we know God's will for us? How do I find out God's will for me in the Enterprise?
The believer who is in fellowship with God will not ask anything that is contrary to God's will. The Holy Spirit will see to it that our desires and prayers accord with God's will for us.
"Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it" (John 14: 13-14; Cf Matthew 7:7, 18:9).
To pray in Jesus' name, to pray as he prayed, is to offer perfect prayer. It is prayer that accords in His will. Such prayer is always answered, though the answer may be delayed and different from our expectations. The assurance that God hears and answers our prayer is for the Christian the final confidence in victory - that he is guarded by God and no power of evil can ultimately triumph over him. (THE INTERPRETERS ONE VOLUME COMMENTARY OF THE BIBLE.)
John sees prayer as having a wider scope for he speaks of asking for anything, but he immediately qualifies this "with accordance to his will." Prayer is not a device for inducing God to change his mind and do whatever we want. It must be offered in accord to God's will if it is to be effective. When it is offered in this way, God hears us. Elsewhere we learn that prayer must be in faith (Mk 11:24), in the name of Jesus (Jn 14:14), offered by those who abide in Christ (Jn 15:7), who have forgiven those who offend them (Mk 11:25); it must be accompanied by obedience (1 Jn 3:22), and it must not be for the gratification of one's passions (James 4:3). All this is involved in praying according to the will of God. From the thought that God hears us, we move to the consequences, namely that he grants our requests. (NEW BIBLE COMMENTARY R220.7N532)
John presents prayer as a privilege belonging to faith in Christ. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances. Through Jesus, our petitions are accepted by God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. We may have confidence that the prayer of faith shall be heard in heaven.
The advantage accruing to us by such privilege, v15. To know that his petitions are heard or accepted is as good as to know that they are answered. (MATTHEW HENRY'S COMMENTARY IN ONE VOLUME - R220.7 H523)
When believers are so responsive to the guidance of the Spirit of truth that their prayers accord with God's will, God hears their prayers and grants their requests. (HARPERS BIBLE COMMENTARY - R220.7H215)
"Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (Jn 14: 13-14)
Whatever: the scope of the prayer. Eg: To do God's will, faith, patience, wisdom, humility and courage.
Ask: The condition of prayer - Ask and keep asking.
In my name: The ground of prayer. This involves at least two things: praying in the authority Christ gives (cf Mt 28:19; Acts 3:6) and praying in union with Him, so that one does not pray outside His will.
That I will do: The certainty of prayer.
That the Father may be glorified in the Son: the purpose of prayer. (WYCLIFFE BIBLE COMMENTARY)