Success in prayer can be measured in many ways. There are the physical measurements, where we observe if we are like Jesus in our practice. He prayed regularly, fervently, consistently, and these are good measures of our prayer life. We can see His success in obtaining answers to prayer. We know from the Bible record that His prayers were always answered and He prayed according to the will of God. So we can measure our success by using Jesus as our standard. How do we match up to Him? Do we pray regularly, fervently, consistently? Is the record of our prayers filled with answers to prayer? Do we pray prayers according to the will of God?

This last point is very important for success of our life of prayer. Praying in the will of God is an important key to success in prayer. Regular, fervent, consistent prayer is important, but even the heathen do this. I can pray wrong every day and my prayers are still wrong. I can pray with world class fervency, but if I pray amiss I will not have success. Just as Jesus did, I must pray the will of God.

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

1 John 5:14-15 (NKJV)

This is an incredibly powerful verse, if we pray according to God’s will, He hears our prayer. If He hears us, we have the answer we ask. Whatever we ask! The phrase often used is carte blanche (a blank document), you have full discretionary powers. The only caveat is that you must ask according to God’s will. This is amazing power in prayer that God has given to His children.

Success in prayer has many components, but chief among these is learning to pray according to God’s will. We can be foolish and pray whatever we want and waste our time or we can redeem our prayer time, making it productive and valuable time. It seems it would be wise to know and understand the will of the Lord.  

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NKJV)

Praying the will of God transforms our prayers in form and substance. It takes us to the throne of grace with boldness and power. We come like Jesus; fully confident of the resulting answers because we know that God hears us, and we have His answers. With this confidence we can pray. With this confidence we can stand in faith, firm until we see the manifestation of God’s answer. Having prayed His will, we can stand; not moved by circumstances or the waves of current thinking. Praying the will of God, we can pray with great assurance and confidently say; I know that God hears me and if He hears, I have His answers to my prayers!