This was one of the more difficult pages to create, because like God himself, it is impossible to prove in any type of *scientific way that answered prayer exists. Many non-believers will scoff and tell you that your prayer was not answered, but that it was only coincidence that what you asked for came true or that you yourself "willed" it to happen. Believing that prayer can be and IS answered is a lot like prayer itself...it is a matter of faith. Without faith, you probably wouldn't pray in the first place. With faith and the power that is God's, anything is possible!
With Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have the unique privilege of speaking directly to your heavenly Father through Christ. God wants us to come confidently into His presence through His Son Jesus Christ and to talk to Him about everything. That's right! God wants us to come to Him and pray about everything.
You yourself have probably prayed at least a few times, especially when you're in trouble. But as a believer in Christ you can ask in Jesus' name, because you belong to Him. To ask in His name means to ask in His authority and on His merit. Just as the Father answered Jesus' every prayer, so He will answer you when you ask in Jesus' name.
*Scientific studies have been done on the power of prayer. To learn more, click here.
His will may not be the same as ours.
He may answer in a different way.
He may answer in a different time
frame than what we wanted - which for us humans is usually immediately.
We might be acting in a way that separates us from Him.
Don't give up!
Don't stop praying!
Jesus never promised that a life following Him would be free from problems. Quite the contrary. Sometimes God lets things happen for a reason we cannot understand at the time. We may never understand during this lifetime, but we must have faith that His will is perfect and purposeful.
God operates on a different time scale than we humans do. Since our lives are relatively short, it is natural that we want things to happen as quickly as possible. But, God's time scale is eternal.
Take a look inward. Ask yourself if you are guilty of any of the following:
- Neglecting to pray.
- Unconfessed sin. (Isaiah 59:2)
- Failure to forgive. (Eph 4:32)
- Selfishness/Greed.
- Thoughtlessness/Uncaring Attitude.
For every one of your prayers that is answered, the Almighty, God has altered the course of the universe, just because you asked him to. So, keep on praying, and trusting in the One who made us, who loves us, and who brought us back to himself through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
(1 John 5:14,15)
Jesus taught us how to pray.
He did not leave it for us to guess!
When the disciples asked Jesus how we should pray He recited what we now call The Lord's Prayer:
God promises to hear us...
If we feel that God is not answering,
we need to consider the following:
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
(Philippians 4:6)
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:9-13)
God knows what we need...
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him.
(Matthew 6:8)
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(Matthew 6:14, 15)
- Jesus invites us to call God OUR Father, not just His Father.
- Jesus lets us know that God's kingdom is yet to come.
This earthly life is not all there is!
- Jesus wants us to pray according to GOD'S WILL not our's.
- Jesus wants us to THANK God for what He provides us
each day.
- Jesus lets us know that God provides FORGIVENESS
AND expects us to forgive others.
- Jesus knows, that as humans we need help to avoid
temptation.
- Jesus promises to protect us from the evil one = Satan.
- Jesus instructs us to GIVE GOD THE GLORY.
- Jesus makes it clear that our Heavenly Father's kingdom,
power and glory are ETERNAL and He is to be PRAISEd.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
(Matthew 7:7, 8)
All we need do is ask.
But He still wants us to ask...
In His Son's Name:
Jesus said:
Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
(Mark 11:24)
Have Faith - Don't Give Up - Keep Praying
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
(Mark 11:25)
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:14-16)
Jesus knows what we need, because He lived a human life just like ours.
Jesus intercedes for us and acts as our "high priest". When we pray in Jesus' name, Christ speaks to the Father on our behalf. We don't need anyone else to do this for us. No earthly priest is necessary to speak on our behalf.
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11:1)
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
(James 1:6)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
(Isaiah 55:8)
Pray without ceasing.
(1 Thessalonians 5:17)
...ye have not, because ye ask not.
(James 4:2)
Don't forget to thank Him for His answers!
Forgive Others
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
(James 4:3)
Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.
- Forgive Others