According to His will--but who can know God’s will? Any child of God can, anyone who is living a life abiding in Christ. Sometimes it’s obvious because we can point to a definite Scripture. Other times, we must apply God’s general will to our specific situation, and that’s not so simple, is it?

Logic won’t do it. It’s spiritual discernment we need, and that comes from the Holy Spirit. But let’s not fool ourselves. The Spirit’s discernment is not available to just anyone at just any time.

If we want Him to lead us in prayer, we must not grieve or quench Him through unconfessed sins or disobedience. We must have consistently spent time in prayer and in His Word, allowing Him to teach us His truth and to help us live by it. It’s a life-long process. The closer we are to Him, the deeper the abiding love relationship, the more sensitive we become to understanding God’s will, and the more confident in our prayers.

John’s promise is meant to be positive assurance--that we can know the Father’s will, and when we pray accordingly, He will hear and give us whatever we ask.