Does God answer all prayer? What does your experience tell you? Most of us have had the experience where our prayers “didn’t seem to get past the ceiling.” But what does the Bible tells us? There are times when God does not acknowledge our prayers. Let me first say though that often our prayers aren’t answered because they aren’t offered.
“You do not have because you do not ask God.” - James 4:2 (NIV)
You may ask, “If God knows everything, then He knows my needs. So why does He require me to make requests of Him?” Well, obviously, it is for our benefit. Through prayer, we grow in our dependence on God, our faith in God and our experiential knowledge of God, all of which helps us to mature as a follower of Christ.
More is said about prayer and less done about it than perhaps any other subject in the Bible. That’s why so many Christians are independent, rather than God-dependent, fearful, rather than faithful, empty instead of fulfilled, and immature, rather than mature.
We need to persevere in prayer until we receive God’s answer, which is why we need to know what to do if we haven’t yet received an answer.
1. I need to look to myself.
A. Is my manner of living wrong?
“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” - Psalm 66:18 (NIV)
“Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” - Isaiah 59:1-2 (NIV)
“Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them.
At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.” - Micah 3:4 (NIV)
“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” - 1 Peter 3:7 (NIV)
“Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him.” - 1 John 3:21-22 (NIV)
God doesn’t just hear our words, He reads our hearts. If anything is amiss in our relationship, He will convict us, and when He does, we must confess our sin (1 John 1:9) in order to be heard by Him.
B. Is my motive for asking wrong?
God will not hear selfish prayers - where I have the attitude, “I want what I want, whether God wants it for me our not.”
“[Or] you do ask [God for them] and yet fail to receive, because you ask with wrong purpose and evil, selfish motives. Your intention is [when you get what you desire] to spend it in sensual pleasures.” - James 4:3 (Amplified)
Our proper motive must be that the Father be glorified in the Son.
“And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” - John 14:13 (NIV)
“If we ask and God does not give, then the fault is with us. Every unanswered prayer is a clarion call to search the heart to see what is wrong there.” - The Kneeling Christian, circa 1930
2. I need to look to my prayer.
A. Am I praying according to God’s will?
“And this is the confidence (the assurance, the privilege of boldness) which we have in Him: [we are sure] that if we ask anything (make any request) according to His will (in agreement with His own plan), He listens to and hears us.” - 1 John 5:14 (Amplified)
God’s blessings are found within the sphere of His will. If we won’t yield to His will, then His blessing is withheld. When it comes to receiving answers to prayer, the problem is never God’s unwillingness to answer, but our unreadiness to receive His answer.
B. Am I praying in faith?
“Everything you ask for in prayer will be yours, if you only have faith.” - Mark 11:24 (CEV)
Do I really expect God to answer my prayer? One reason we don’t receive answers to prayer is that we really do not expect God to answer.
C. Am I dictating to God?
We need to offer specific requests in prayer, but we must be willing for God to answer in His way. We can’t tell God how to run His business!
A man began to wonder if God heard his prayers. He looked to heaven and yelled, “Hey God, can you hear me?” No response. He yelled out, “Hey, God, if you can really hear me, tell me what to do with my life.” A voice thundered a reply, “I want you to go overseas to spread the Gospel!” This was more of a challenge than he really wanted, so he said, “Actually, God, I was just checking to see if you were there.” The voice from above replied: “That’s alright; I also was only checking to see if you were there.”
God will check to see if you are where He wants you to be before He gives you His answer to your prayer - committed to His will, expecting to receive His Word, and surrendered to His way.
3. I need to look to my Father.
God may answer differently than we expect. Rather than telling us “yes,” He may tell us “no” or “wait a while.” But whatever His answer, we can trust God to be at work for our ultimate good.
A. Sometimes God answers “no” in order to answer better.
1) The example of Abraham – Genesis 18:20-33
Prayer doesn’t change God, it changes us. Abraham wasn’t changing God’s mind, God was changing Abraham’s perspective. Abraham came to recognize the justice of God. Sometimes God answers “no” because He wants us to understand Him better.
2) The example of Jacob – Genesis 32:24-30
Jacob didn’t want to face his brother, Esau, but God said, “no.” Jacob had to face his brother and they were reconciled. Because he wrestled with God, Jacob walked with a limb, symbolizing the change made in his walk. Sometimes God answers “no” because He wants to change our walk.
3) The example of Paul – 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
Paul wanted God to remove his thorn in the flesh, but God said, “no.” Paul said, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong,” (vs. 9-10). Sometimes God answers “no” because He wants to demonstrate His power through us.
Things Asked For - author unknown
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve; I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked for health, that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity, that I might do better things. I asked for riches, that I might be happy I was given poverty, that I might be wise. I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men; I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God. I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life; I was given life, that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for; but everything I had hoped for. Almost, despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered. I am among all men, most richly blessed.
4) The example of Jesus – Mark 14:32-42
By persevering in prayer, Jesus went from wanting to escape the cross to wanting to embrace the cross. Because He embraced the cross, you and I can be saved. Sometimes God answers “no” because it is the best thing for others.
B. Sometimes God answers “wait a while” to answer better.
Israel in waiting for Moses (Exodus 3:1-10).
Hannah waiting for the birth of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:1-28).
Zechariah & Elizabeth waiting for the birth of John (Luke 1:5-17).
The world in waiting for a Savior - “But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son . . .” - Galatians 4:4 (NIV)
Even when God seems to be running late, He’s always on time!
Conclusion: God wants to answer prayer. But sometimes He is kept from doing so because of things wrong with us or with our praying. What we need to do is persevere in prayer, willing to make whatever adjustments are necessary to get into a position to receive His answer, knowing that whether it is “yes,” “no,” or “wait a while,” it will always be an answer worth receiving!
