And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. 1 John 5:14-15
This verse too often gets taken out of context, the thought is that I can ask for anything and ill get it, but then get upset when that new car doesn’t arrive, or the money for a new and bigger house, or a promotion at work. C.S. Lewis makes an important observation about the time Jesus’s prayer in the garden of gethsemane surrounding prayer and relating to this verse and that is “not what I want but what God wants, but not my will but yours be done. This shows that authentic prayer is the submission of the person to God.
Prayer is not a battle but a response; its power consists in lifting our will to God, not trying to bring His will down to us.
So, while the New Testament promises regarding prayer and asking for anything and you will receive is true, its all about aligning our will to that of the Fathers and when we can get that right our motives or desires will change as we walk closer with God for it becomes more about Him then us.
Notice how John says when we ask for anything that Pleases God? That’s a key statement in this passage, are you asking God for what pleases you or Him? How do we align our will to His, simple walk closely with Him lean into His word and allow the Spirit to lead you.