In Ridge Kids we have been teaching the kids about prayer. Our approach is simple, we don’t want to teach them the concept of prayer we want to teach them the practical application of “how to pray”. Our last topic covered 1 John 5:14 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.
I John 5:14-15 NKJV
I think this passage of scripture has lead many in the Christian realm to create a model of prayer that lacks any context of faith, action or “confidence”. Confidence is the key word in this passage. I think many in christianity have used this verse to create a model of prayer where we simply say something to the effect of “if it be your will God then please do such and such” and chalk up the results of the prayer to whether or not its Gods will, without ever attempting to know what Gods will really is. Where is our confidence in that.
In ministry one of the most common question I get asked is “how can I know Gods will for my life” followed closely by “can I still be a Christian and do such and such”, that one is a subject for another blog at another time. Henry Blackaby wrote in his book “Experiencing God, knowing and doing the will of God” that if you want to know the will of God find what God is doing and join Him in it. That seems pretty simple right, just find what God is doing and jump right in. But how do we know “what” God is doing?
Does anyone remember back in your elementary school days learning the “3 R’s”? Reading, writing and 
Arithmetic. The foundations of learning. Today I want to share with you the 3 R’s of knowing the will of God. These are the foundation of growth in understanding what is Gods will. Are you ready? Here we go:
1) The first R stand for relationship. The beginnings of understanding the will of God is having a relationship with Him. One must be born again, but that is only the beginning of relationship. If we stop at salvation our relationship is shallow and without depth. I have been married now for 25 years. Every day I learn more about my wife. I learn every day because I communicate with my wife every day. If I had treated my wife on our date like I was satisfied to have gotten a date with her I would have never had her take me as her husband, and if I treated her after our engagement as if I was satisfied with with just the fact that she said yes and never conversed with her we would certainly not be married today. Salvation is the betrothal, the engagement, salvation is not the marriage. Relationship takes work to develop. I believe for many the engagement happened, a yes was said to the gospel. But many have simply stopped there. God’s desire is to develop, over time through prayer and dialogue to make himself known to us. For us to fall in love with him and spend time preparing for the wedding. Preparing for an eternity with the one who betrothed us.
If one was to read the Song of Solomon you would see this beautiful poetic discourse of back and forth development of the love relationship. It is a beautiful picture of the dialogue and conversation that creates a depth of love and devotion. Its about the development of relationship.
2) The second R is for Revelation. Scripture tells us over and over to seek revelation. One of the Apostolic prayers Paul wrote in Ephesians 1 was praying that those in Ephasis would receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. God reveals himself through scripture, God reveals himself through the prophetic word and words of knowledge, God reveals Himself through the preaching of the word. Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us that “The secret things belong to the Lord but that which is revealed is for us and for our children.” God is seeking to reveal Himself and His heart to you. It is for us to seek out revelation (Proverbs 25:2). As God gives us revelation we begin to further know Him. We get revelation of His nature, His character, and His heart.
Revelation and relationship go hand in hand. As we grow in knowing Him, who He is, His nature and character our relationship is strengthened.
3) The third R is for Remembrance. God desires us, in our dialogue with Him to remind Him of the revelation we have of Him and of His will, nature and character. Isaiah 43:26 God says to put Him in remembrance. 
Prayer with Remembrance of these things, God’s nature, character and heart allows us a glimpse into His will.
There are a couple interesting examples of these three R’s in scripture. One is found in Genesis 18. Genesis 19 happens right before the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. God comes to Abraham, in verses 17 through the first part of 19 we find God saying this: “And the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, 18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19 For I have known him”. This shows us a picture of relationship. God and Abraham have an ongoing relationship that is valued by God. Because of relationship God brings revelation. Verse 19 and 20 God reveals to Abraham His plan: “And the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, 21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” Out of relationship God brings revelation and a dialogue ensues between Abraham and God, we today would call this prayer. A conversation. during this conversation with God Abraham applies the third principle here, Remembrance: “Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Abraham through relationship and revelation of who God is, His nature and His character he reminds God and God agrees. You are correct Abraham this is who I am and I will not depart from who I am.
Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
Having a strong relationship with God, with understanding and revelation of who He is, what His nature and character are give us a place to partner our faith with in how we pray. Habakkuk tells us “The just shall live by faith” Paul quotes this in Romans, in Galatians and in Hebrews (if Paul wrote Hebrews, which I believe he did). Our faith is partnered with the 3 R’s to give us the confidence in prayer.
We pray what God says, we pray in accordance with who God is, we pray accordance with God’s nature and character and we add to it our faith in who God is, what he has revealed and this partnership creates a confidence in prayer.
Do these 3 R’s answer questions such as “should I take this job or that one” or “should I go to this school or that one”. Likely no. I think in most cases God is not concerned with which job you take or what school you go to, or questions like these as much as He is concerned with your heart and His kingdom plan for the earth.
Disclaimer: These 3 R’s do not constitute an all encompassing treatise on knowing the will of God, but they will get you a really good start on the journey, and will give you a unique perspective to partner your faith with and pray with confidence.
Let me challenge and encourage you today. Dig into applying these 3 R’s to your life; grow in your relationship with God, Get revelation and remind God what He has said and Who He is. Watch your faith grow as you step into a place of confidence in your prayers.