And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Hear - `that He heareth us.'
We have the petitions that we desired of him - as present possessions, each thing whatsoever we ask from Him. Not one of our past prayers offered in faith, according to His will, is lost. Like Hannah, we can rejoice over them as granted even beforehand; and recognize the event when it comes to pass, as not from chance, but obtained by past prayers (1 Samuel 1:18; 1 Samuel 1:27). Compare Jehoshaphat's confidence in the issue of his prayers, so much so that he appointed singers to praise the Lord beforehand (2 Chronicles 20:21-22).