God DOES Answer Prayers

August 7, 2024

 Do you ever feel like God is ignoring your prayers? Or, do you wonder why God seems to answer other people’s prayers, but not yours?

Are you missing something? What do other people know that you don’t know when it comes to prayer?

Here are some truths about prayer that might help.

First, if you go to God in prayer, he DOES answer. Spending time with him every day (by praying persistently and reading God’s Word) will help you to hear his voice will help you be able to discern when God answers.

God does answer. But, God may not always answer the way you like. Scripture encourages us to pray persistently, and to have faith that God not only hears our prayers but also will answer them.

Jesus, himself, said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22)

What does that mean?

This doesn’t mean God will give us anything we want, if we just pray hard enough. Prayer isn’t a way to manipulate God into doing YOUR will.

It’s been said that God actually answers our prayers in one of three ways: Either “Yes,” or “No,” or “Wait.”

Because God knows far better than we do what’s best for us, and often what we think will be the best thing for us, really isn’t. In other words, we see only part of the picture, but God sees the WHOLE picture (from the beginning of time to the end of the age), and He knows far better than we do what’s best for us and those we love.

When God appears to be silent, He may ACTUALLY be telling us, “No” or “Wait.”

If you have children, do you give them anything they ask for, if they just keep asking and asking? No, of course not. You are wiser and more experienced than they are, and you know they don’t need everything they want. In fact, you know that some of the things they’re demanding could actually hurt them. You love them—and because you love them, you sometimes have to say “No.”

In a far greater way, God knows what is best for us—and because He loves us, He sometimes tells us “No” or “Wait.”

Habakkuk 2:3 says, “The time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!” (TLB)

A delayed answer to your prayer, or a “wait,” is still an answer. Even though we would rather God move at our timing, we have to trust that He knows best. His timing is best. God doesn’t abide by our schedules.

And, God’s apparent silence doesn’t mean He hasn’t heard our prayers.

The Psalmist declared, “Evening, morning and noon I cry out in my distress, and he hears my voice” (Psalm 55:17).

More than once I’ve asked God to do something that I was convinced must be right, and I was disappointed when it didn’t happen or it didn’t happen in MY timing. But later I realized it hadn’t been God’s will, and I was thankful He had said “No” or “Wait.”

God’s delays, his “no’s” and his “wait’s” are actually a blessing.

Be encouraged… The Bible says, “If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14).

God is not ignoring you. He loves it when you come to him in prayer. Keep seeking him and pray persistently.

By the way, there is one prayer that God always answers with a “Yes”—and that is a prayer that asks Jesus to come into our life. If you have never done so, I encourage you to Christ and commit your life to Him. By His death and resurrection He opened Heaven’s door for us, and “through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence” (Ephesians 3:12).

Because of Jesus we can boldly go to God in prayer. And, God answers prayers.