1 John 3:21–24 “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
BEFORE ASKING ANYTHING OF GOD IN PRAYER, DEEPLY & AUTHENTICALLY PONDER:
Do I believe in only Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of my sins and as the only way to an eternal relationship with the Father?
Do I love God with my entire essence and strength?
Do I crave pleasing Jesus Christ with my every thought, breath, and heartbeat?
Do I plead for the indwelling Holy Spirit to provide & guide my every thought, word, and action?
Do I love others as much as I love myself?
Supporting scripture:
John 14:6-7
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.’”
Mark 12:29–31
“Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
2 Corinthians 5:9
“Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.”
1 Corinthians 3:16
“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”
Romans 8:6–14
“For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.
If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”
Matthew 10:19–20 (c.f. Luke 12:12, 21:10-24)
“But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”