Ask Anything

1 John 5:13–15 | 1 John 1:1–3

1. Read 1 John 5:13–15. 1 John 5:13 closely mirrors John’s words from his Gospel when he says, “... these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). How might strong assurance of eternal life change the way a Christian prays?
2. Our prayer lives can be a great indicator of what we believe about God, ourselves, and the gospel. What does your current prayer life reveal about how you currently view God and yourself?
3. These verses connect confidence in prayer with asking “according to his will.” What do you think it means to pray according to God’s will? How is that different from merely asking for what we want?
4. In light of this passage, what do you think it means if God doesn’t give us the things we ask for?
5. When our lives are shaped by deep, daily abiding in God, our desires begin to align with the very requests He is so pleased to fulfill. Over time, God’s desires shape our desires. And then the things we ask for increasingly reflect the things God greatly desires to give. This is the confidence John is describing: not that prayer bends God to our will, but that abiding bends our wills to His. Can you think of a time when God answered a prayer differently than you asked, but better than you understood at the time? What did that teach you?
6. Spend a few moments going around and encouraging each person in your group Spend some time together in prayer to your heavenly Father. If you are able, try praying on your knees. Like Mary of Bethany sitting at the feet of Jesus, praying on your knees is simply a sign of submission and adoration, where your mind, body, and spirit are focused on your Lord. What is on your heart today? Join the psalmist in pouring out your heart to God in prayer! Ask anything, trusting that your Heavenly Father hears you when you pray. And He loves to hear His children pray.