Not long ago, my wife and I met a lady (neighbor to some church friends). She wore a 'GAP shirt' with small print that read, "God Answers Prayer". I was amazed by the way she used the shirt as a conversation-starter, in order to witness for Christ! I wishI had that shirt right now, because I want to shout from the rooftops that my God answers prayer!
God has been teaching me to go to Him in prayer confidently (Heb 4:16) and expectantly. I see this both in His Word and in experience.
I have seen this in the Gospel of John, especially in Jesus words in chapters 14-16.
- Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13)
- If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. (John 15:7)
- You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16)
- In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24)
- In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf (John 16:26) (bold mine)
Then in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus makes Himself perfectly clear:
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:7-11)
We should go to God in prayer persistently, like the persistent widow in Luke 18.
God answers prayer! I also have seen this in my life on many occasions.
Not much time to write despite the day off, but let me just share that I am finding this to be true in my own life recently. Just today I am seeing specific prayers answered! I must confess the sin of prayerlessness; far too often I have prefered a book on prayer to prayer with the Living God! But, He is gracious and His Holy Spirit faithful to convict me on this. It is amazing that when we are humbled and corrected, we can be brought back into fellowship with the God of the Universe, then He gives us the desires of our heart (Psalm 37:4)!
God answers prayer!
Of course, I am not implying that God is a cosmic genie at our beckon call, or that if your prayers are not answered we are somehow lacking in faith. But we should ask ourselves like Francis Chan asks in
this message, 'Do you know God? Are you known by Him? Does He answer your prayers?'
We also need to make sure our prayers are directed to the One True God, the One revealed in the Scripture. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). The One True God is not the Mormon god, or the god of Mohammed, or any other false god. He is the One who reveals Himself through Scripture. He is the One that answers my prayers! Wow, what a thought! A brother just shared this quote.
"The Alpha and Omega knows who you are and what you care about. That’s as famous as you’re ever going to be." -Jon Acuff
Finally, consider your motives. Are you praying selfishly? (James 4:1-8) Jesus says that we are to pray for the Father's name to be 'hallowed'(Matthew 6:9-15). That is, we are to pray for His name to be revered and lifted up as it is, three times holy! Are we praying for His will or are we just praying that we will find the nearest parking spot?
So start with God. Meditate on His majesty and holiness and Sovereignty. Then in humility ask for His will to be done in any given situation, and for Him to get glory for His Name! This morning I was brought low before the Triune God of the Scriptures. Within hours He powerfully answered my prayer! Will write more on the specifics of that request later, but just wanted to encourage the brethren to always go to Him and ask Him for your every need and for the needs of others, but mostly for His name to be exalted (Psalm 67)! It is inconsistent at best (blasphemous at worst) to claim the name of Christ, the one who created and sustains the Universe, and yet to disbelieve He will answer our prayers!
God Answers Prayer!
