1 John 5:15

and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.

The meaning of this is only slightly different from Jesus' words, "All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (Mark 11:24). Perhaps the principal confidence to be derived from this promise is simply that, "We simply know that from all that he has promised that he does not ignore our requests."[18] When it may appear that our prayers have not been answered, we can be positively certain that the reason is harmonious with God's love of his children, and that it is grounded in what God knows is best for them.