Key to Answered Prayer

We’ve lived in the Philippines, Italy, the East Coast, the West Coast, and the Midwest. Keith was in the Air Force for 22 years, and he transferred to different locations every three or four years. A woman asked my pre-teen daughter where she was from.

“No where.” No place to call home.

Shoulders almost touching my ears, head thrust toward Kristin, I explained that she was born in Oklahoma and her home was the world.

Didn’t make her feel better.

We’ve heard it said that “Home is where the heart is.”

Where’s your heart today?

The disciples had lived with Jesus for three years. They ate with Him, walked all over the Galilee, Samaria, Decapolis, Judea, and Jerusalem with Him, watched Him perform miracles, listened to His teachings, and observed Him praying. Their hearts and minds dwelled with Jesus. They were abiding with Him.

Jesus was now preparing them for what lay ahead, the cross and His resurrection.

He used the grapevine to reveal how they would continue to abide in Jesus.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” (John 15:1)

Jesus is the vine, and His followers are the branches. We must abide in the Vine in order to live. We cannot bear fruit on our own, but we must depend upon the Vine to nurture us and give us what we need.

Abiding, dwelling, waiting, remaining in Jesus and His words prompts us to pray.

“Prayer comes spontaneously from those who abide in Jesus … Prayer is the natural outgushing of a soul in communion with Jesus.” (Spurgeon)

Our prayers focus on Jesus, His character, and His works when we abide in Him and His words.

“Delight yourself in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4

God’s will becomes our desire,
and our requests become reality.

As we abide in Jesus and His words, we produce much fruit, and this glorifies our heavenly Father. Fruit like “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

And as we intertwine our branches with other branches that are connected to the True Vine, together, we bear much fruit and glorify God.

The key to answered prayer?
Abiding in Jesus and His words.

Father, thank You for sending Jesus into the world to show us the Way, the Truth, and the Life. What a privilege to abide in Jesus and His words! We want to bear much fruit for Your kingdom. Lord, transform our desires, so that they reflect Your desires. Give us the faith to pray bold prayers that are aligned with Your will. We want to glorify You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.