Pray With Confidence

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. — 1 John 5:14-15

During World War II, Rees Howells, was acknowledged as the greatest prayer warrior in all of Great Britain and the miracles of his intercession during the war are legendary. One in particular happened in Salerno, Italy when the British army was about to be overrun by the Germans. Their only hope was to establish a beachhead until reinforcements arrived but time was running out. At exactly the same hour, Rees and his students at his Bible College of Wales were suddenly burdened to pray for that Italian city, which had become the pivotal point for the Allied liberation of that country. Rees told his students, “The Lord has burdened me about the invasion of Salerno. I believe our men are in great danger of losing their hold.”

The student body began to pray. Rees Howells relates what happened next, “The Holy Sprit took hold of the meeting and suddenly they all found themselves praising and rejoicing, believing that God had heard and answered. We could not go on praying any longer, so we rose as one . . . the Spirit witnessing in all our hearts that God had wrought some miraculous intervention in Italy. The victory was so outstanding that I looked at the clock as we rose to sing. It was the stroke of 11:00 PM.”

Meanwhile in Salerno, a frontline reporter was with the troops in combat. His report stated rapidly advancing enemy troops and “increasing devastation was evident.” The British troops were weakening. Their only hope was a miracle that would allow them time to establish that beachhead. Then quite unexpectedly, all gunfire stopped. A deathlike stillness descended on the battlefield. “We waited in breathless anticipation,” the reporter continued, “but nothing happened. I looked a my watch—it was eleven o’clock at night. Still we waited, but still nothing happened all night, but those hours made all the difference to the invasion. By morning the beachhead was established” (quoted by Dick Eastman, No Easy Road).

Our faith is challenged by one of the most powerful scriptures above about prayer in the whole bible. It is powerful because it is a promise to every believer in any age and circumstance. It is powerful because it is true for every believer. It is powerful because it tells us how we can pray with boldness and confidence—and with great assurance until God answers—and He will. Maranatha!