Online Answers (1 John 5:14-15)

ON-LINE ORDERING

Maybe you have had the pleasure of online ordering, where you submit an order for an item, after confirming it is, in fact, what you want, and once the financial transfer takes place, and the confirmation number is given, that the supplier has received your money, you are really excited, and can't wait to physically hold the item. You may even go back online, and search the item out again, amazed at what a good deal you've received, and may even talk to your friends about what you have ordered, and the expected date of arrival of the product, and everyone rejoices with you!

OUR GOOD FRIEND

We may ask our good friend on Monday, for something, and they tell us, with total confidence, "I will have that for you by Friday". We don't even question their word. In fact, depending on what the request was, we may be very elated, even excited over the fact that our friend has already told us, given us his word, that we are going to have, by Friday, what we asked them for, on Monday! We may even tell other friends or family, that we will be receiving our request by this Friday, and they may be happy for us too; and everyone gets excited and talks with exuberance over something that we don't even have in possession yet, but we know our request has been granted by our friend, and we will have, in possession, what we requested from them, by this Friday.

BOLD CONFIDENCE

These are not perfect illustrations, but help to convey a point relative to the scriptures:

1 John 5:14-15 says that this is the bold confidence that we have before our Father, that whatever we ask for ourselves, according to what His word says, that He already wants us to have, (because His word is His will), we are totally confident, that He hears and responds positively to our requests, for ourselves. Since we emphatically know, with settled, complete, and absolute knowledge, that He has heard our request, for ourselves, then we also know with certainty, that He has already granted us, as our present possession, what we have asked Him for, even though we don't physically see it yet.

OFFICIAL REQUEST

In Greek and Roman antiquity an official request to a ruler in authority contained 3 basic elements:

1) a summary of the facts - the reason for the request.

2) the petition - what the request or need was.

3) thanks in advance - the confident evidence, that since the ruler had agreed to hear the request, in essence, they had also agreed to grant the request.

Concerning prayer, Paul the apostle, by the Spirit of God, in 1 TIMOTHY 2:1 says:

"I exhort, therefore, that first of all, supplications; prayers; intercessions; and giving of thanks, be made for all men..." (KJV)

"I urge you, as most important of all, to ask; pray; plead; and give thanks for all people..." (William F. Beck)

"I exhort therefore, first of all, that petitions be made continually for personal needs; prayers; intercessions; giving of thanks, on behalf of all men..." ( Wuest)

ELEMENTS of PRAYER

This verse contains 4 elements of prayer:

1) SUPPLICATIONS - this is the Greek word (deeseis), [Strong's,1162], from the word (dei), "it is needful", meaning, and emphasizing a particular need; deficiency; or insufficiency, and the resulting request to have that need met or supplied.

2) PRAYERS - this is the Greek word (proseuche), [Strong's, 4335], which is the most common word translated as "prayer", in the New Testament. The basic meaning of the verb, is "to make confident statements about oneself, it can also mean to boast; brag; and assert". The imagery of this word carries with it a bold assertion and declaration. There is nothing subtle or passive implied or stated in this meaning.

3) INTERCESSIONS - this is the Greek word (enteuxeis), [Strong's, 1783], which means "to fall in with someone" ; "to draw near so as to converse familiarly". This word refers to a freedom and boldness of access of intimate friends, as well as the childlike confidence of brashly interrupting other conversations or interactions in a room, to blurt out what is desired, like a young child would innocently do, to gain the ear and attention of their loving father; without any regard for adult protocol.

4) GIVING of THANKS- this is the Greek word (eucharistias), [Strong's, 2169], which means to thank someone for a request that has already been granted.

PRAYER

"Prayer" is not a religious exercise, but rather, an intimate conversation of familiarity with our Father, concerning which, we have complete and utter confidence that He will listen to, and grant our requests.

CAR RADIO

The illustration is given of an individual trying to get reception on their car radio, from the local radio station, with no success. It would be foolish for that person to call up the radio station, and tell them, quite pointedly, that they need to get their radio station fixed, because their car radio is not receiving the signal.

RECEIVING

In the illustration, it is quite obvious that the problem is not on the sending end, but on the receiving end, where the signal and reception is lost, since thousands of others are easily receiving the signal the radio station is sending out.

FUTILITY

What if a lot of our "prayer", is not prayer at all, but a simple exercise in futility, because it is not based on the nature and character of God, nor is it founded on His word. He only agrees with His word.

OUR FATHER

Though it is not 100% perfect, we can have confidence in an online purchase, when a commodity of exchange is transacted, giving money for a product, and we can believe the word of a friend, though they too may be subject to fault. Can we believe the word of our Father, when He says that if we ask anything for ourselves, that is in agreement with His word, that we will 100% of the time get what we asked for?

In addition, though it may sound to be in cold contrast to the intimacy of relationship we experience in prayer with our Father, we have a "formula" that lists the basic ingredients of prayer:

FORMULA

PRESENTING A NEED

1) We are presenting a need

BOLD & CONFIDENT CONFESSION

2) We are making bold and confident assertions, of what the scripture says, concerning the need presented (who we are; what we have; what we can do in Christ)

BOLD ACCESS

3) We come with boldness of access, like a small child would brashly run into the throne room of his father the king, dispensing with all formal protocol; jumping into his lap; and unashamedly asking for what he or she wanted, because they are intimately acquainted, as His loving child.

THANK & PRAISE

4) We boldly thank and praise Him, having complete confidence, that since He has heard us, He has also given us His word, that He has granted our request; even though we may not immediately have, what He has granted, in our possession, any more than our online order is immediately manifested, or our friends favor is immediately visible; but we know it has been granted, and that's all we need, to thank Him for the answer already given!

You Are God's Best and God's Best is Yours