Praying with Confidence in God's Sovereign Plan

Praying with confidence in God's sovereign plan involves an understanding of God's character and the nature of prayer itself. Prayer is described as converse with God, an intercourse of the soul with God through direct address ^[3]. It is a command given in scripture, with exhortations to pray found in passages like Isaiah 55:6, Matthew 7:7, and Philippians 4:6 ^[1]. This act of communication can be oral or mental, occasional or constant, and ranges from ejaculatory prayers to more formal supplications ^[3].

The Bible indicates that prayer should be offered to God, to Christ, and to the Holy Spirit ^[1]. Access to God in prayer is granted through Christ and by the Holy Spirit, and it is obtained through faith ^[4]. This access allows believers to approach God with confidence ^[4]. For instance, Ephesians 3:12 speaks of having boldness and access with confidence through faith in Christ Jesus ^[4]. Similarly, Hebrews 4:16 encourages believers to "come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" ^[10]. This boldness is rooted in the understanding that Christ serves as a high priest, and believers can approach Him as a priest upon His throne for pardon, cleansing, righteousness, and grace ^[10].

Confidence in prayer is also linked to the work of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Jude encourages believers to build themselves up in their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit ^[6]. This means holding fast to the divine influence received and making supplication under that influence ^[6]. The prayer that is not sent up through the influence of the Holy Spirit is considered unlikely to reach heaven ^[6]. The Holy Spirit is also the source of hope, as Romans 15:13 indicates that hope is the work of the Holy Spirit ^[5].

The concept of God's sovereign plan provides a foundation for this confidence. The psalmist expresses confidence in the Lord’s plans, recognizing them as perfect, and prays for God’s continued involvement, seeing himself as part of God’s designs ^[7]. This trust in God's plan is an exhortation for all believers, who are encouraged to repose their confidence in God rather than allowing it to be shaken by external circumstances ^[8]. God is seen as a help and a shield to those who trust in Him, providing what is good and protecting against evil ^[8].

Believers are encouraged to pray for strength, especially when facing tribulations ^[9]. This strength is granted "according to the riches of his glory" and is imparted "by his Spirit in the inner man" ^[9]. This implies that believers are inherently weak and insufficient to act or endure on their own ^[11]. Therefore, prayer for strength is a recognition of human dependence on God's power.

The hope that underpins confident prayer is rooted in God, in Christ, and in God's promises ^[5]. It is a hope that is described as good, lively, sure, steadfast, gladdening, and blessed ^[5]. This hope is obtained through grace, the word of God, the comfort of the Scriptures, the gospel, and faith ^[5]. Believers are called to prepare their minds for action, be sober-minded, and set their hope fully on the grace to be given at the revelation of Jesus Christ ^[2]. This hope is not a passive expectation but an active, confident anticipation of God's future grace.

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
I Peter “I Peter 1:13 (BSB) — Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Hope — In God -- Ps 39:7; 1Pe 1:21. In Christ -- 1Co 15:19; 1Ti 1:1. In God's promises -- Ac 26:6,7; Tit 1:2. In the mercy of God -- Ps 33:18. Is the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ro 15:13; Ga 5:5. Obtained through Grace. -- 2Th 2:16. The word. -- Ps 119:81. Patience and comfort of the Scriptures. -- Ro 15:4. The gospel. -- Col 1:5,23. Faith. -- Ro 5:1,2; Ga 5:5. The result of experience -- Ro 5:4. A better hope brought in by Christ -- Heb 7:19. Described as Good. -- 2Th 2:16. Lively. -- 1Pe 1:3. Sure and steadfast. -- Heb 6:19. Gladdening. -- Pr 10:28. Blessed. -- Tit ”
Jude (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Jude 1:20: Building up yourselves - Having the most holy faith - the Gospel of our Lord Jesus, and the writings of his apostles, for your foundation; founding all your expectations on these, and seeking from the Christ who is their sum and substance; all the grace and glory ye need. Praying in the Holy Ghost - Holding fast the Divine influence which ye have received, and under that influence making prayer and supplication to God. The prayer that is not sent up through the influence of the Holy Ghost is never likely to reach heaven.”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 138:8: 138:8 The psalmist expresses confidence in the Lord’s plans, which are perfect, and prays for God’s continued involvement. The psalmist sees himself as part of God’s plans (see 9:10; 139:14).”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 115:9: In these verses, I. We are earnestly exhorted, all of us, to repose our confidence in God, and not suffer our confidence in him to be shaken by the heathens' insulting over us upon the account of our present distresses. It is folly to trust in dead images, but it is wisdom to trust in the living God, for he is a help and a shield to those that do trust in them, a help to furnish them with and forward them in that which is good, and a shield to fortify them against and protect them from every thing that is evil. Therefore, 1. Let Israel trust in the Lord; the body”
Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:15: That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory,.... Or according to, and out of that rich, plenteous, and glorious fulness of grace and strength in Christ Jesus. To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; this is the petition which the apostle puts up on his bended knees to the Father of Christ, that he would strengthen these saints, that so they might not faint at the tribulations which either he or they endured. Believers in Christ need fresh supplies of strength to enable them to exercise grace, to perform duties, to resist Sat”
Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 4:15: Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,.... Either to Christ, who is before spoken of as an high priest, and who was typified by the mercy seat, to which there seems to be an allusion; and coming to him as a priest upon his throne is very proper: to him saints come for pardon and cleansing, and for a justifying righteousness, for the acceptance of their persons, and the presentation of their services, and for every supply of grace; and to him they may come "boldly", since he stands in the relations of a Father, husband, and brother, and from him they may”
Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 1:11: Strengthened with all might,.... This is still a continuation of the apostle's prayer for these believers; for having prayed for an increase of spiritual knowledge, and that this might be put into practice, he proceeds to pray for strength for them, that they might be enabled to practise what they had knowledge of; to walk worthily, to please God in all things, to bring forth fruit with patience, to persevere in knowledge, practice, fruitfulness, and in an increase thereof. It implies, that believers are weak in themselves, and insufficient to do or bear anything ”

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