In the literal sense, a petition is a formal written plea with legal demands. A petitioner writes according to legal guidelines and makes his request in such a way as to convince the one he is presenting his petition to. It is also defined as a solemn entreaty; a supplication or request appealing to an authority, or an earnest or humble appeal for something or to someone.
The prayer of petition does entail much seriousness; it's an earnest request accompanied with a great deal of intensity. However, its effectiveness or efficacy doesn't necessarily have to do with lengthiness. You can make far-reaching impact in your world and turn circumstances around in just a few minutes through the prayer of petition.
"I exhort therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1).
The word 'supplications' here also means petitions' or 'entreaties.' So, put differently,
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Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy to make petitions a priority in his prayers.
Another passage of Scripture that talks about 'petition' is 1 John 5:14—15:
"And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. "
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Since praying according to the will of God is the key ingredient for success in the prayer of petition, it is important for us to understand exactly what it means to "ask according to God's will." Many Christians have assumed, mostly as a result of their misconception of the Scriptures, that the reason they didn't receive answers to
their prayers was because such prayers weren't in line with God's Will for them. They assume God didn't want them to have what they were asking for. But this is an erroneous interpretation of God's Word in the context of prayer. Let's look at the Scripture again:
"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him" (1 John 5:14-15).
Those who hold that mistaken notion that their prayers weren't answered because they didn't pray according to God's will fail to understand that the Holy Spirit's emphasis in this scripture isn't primarily the consistency of their request with God's will, but their exclusive privilege of having a hearing to ask according to God's will
Furthermore, when He tells us to God's will, He isn't talking about what we ask for, but How we ask for it. In other words, the way and manner we present our petitions ought to be consistent with God's stipulated pattern.it's important to know, therefore, how ask the father according to His will for asking
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John 16:23-24,26 KJV
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. [24] Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. [26] At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
Jesus, at this instance, introduced the exclusive deal-the new, acceptable way of asking from God. When you make request to the father in Jesus 'name, you are actually functioning in Jesus stead. It's as though Jesus we're the one making the request
