And whatever we ask, we receive of him: “Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” – 1 John 3:21, 22.
Many persons, being told that God answers prayer for Christ’s sake, overlook the condition of obedience. They have such a loose idea of prayer, of our relations to God in it, and of his relations to his moral government and to us, that they think they may be disobedient and yet prevail through Christ.
How little do they understand the whole subject! Surely they must have quite neglected to study their Bible to learn the truth about prayer. They might very easily have found it there declared, “He that turneth away from his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.” “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord.” “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
All this surely teaches us that if there be the least sin in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer. Nothing short of entire obedience, for the time being, is the condition of acceptance with God. There must be a sincere and honest heart; else how can you look up with humble confidence and say My Father; else how can you use the name of Jesus as your prevailing Mediator; and else, how can God smile upon you before all the eyes of angels and of pure saints.