God answers prayer!
Background
As I was studying the Book of Daniel chapter 2, I was encouraged to see that God answered Daniel’s cry for help. In fact, there are many cases in Scripture where someone called on God for help and He answered them. But, there are other examples in which there was no help, and no answer. God answers prayer, but He doesn’t hear those who ignore Him. This paper will address who God hears and answers.
God’s Request
God issues an invitation for all to come to Him and be reconciled. Unfortunately, some who hear the call do not respond to God. In this section of Proverbs, chapter 1:20-33, wisdom calls out,
“Turn to my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; and you neglected all my counsel and did not want my reproof;
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD. They would not accept my counsel, they spurned all my reproof.”1
If they refuse God’s call, then He will refuse to answer their prayers. But there is one prayer from these folks that God does answer: “Forgive me, for I am a sinner.”2 This prayer is from the one who acknowledges their wrong, agrees with God, and turns to Him for forgiveness.
God’s Promise
For those who are turning from their sin, God promises to always answer. Here are a few of the many verses on this from the Bible:
- Jesus speaking says, “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” (John 6:37)
- Jesus speaking says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” (John 5:24)
- Jesus speaking says, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life; and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)
- “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
- “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10:9, 10)
- “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)
- “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.” (Ephesians 1:13)
- “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thessalonians 5:9)
God’s People
God answers the prayers of His people as long as they do not harbor sin in their lives. If God’s people do not continue to walk with Him, He will not hear their prayer.
If God’s people quit listening…
Here are some Old Testament examples. In the first chapter of Isaiah God chastises His people for not listening and obeying His directives. Even the people of God who revolt against Him will not be heard in their prayers. God says that even the dumb animals know their owners, but that, “Israel does not know, My people do not understand.”3 Because they abandoned the Lord, despised the Holy One of Israel, and have turned away from Him, He says,
“When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.”4
Jeremiah 14:12 (The people have not repented)
“Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
Micah 3:4 (Because they hate good and love evil)
“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.”
Zechariah 7:13 (They refused to pay attention, turned a stubborn shoulder, & stopped listening)
“Therefore just as I had called and they would not listen, so when they called I would not listen, says the LORD of Hosts.”
In the New Testament, James writes about the prayers of believers being hindered. The problem is that they have put friendship with the world above their relationship with God. James 4:3 says,
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
If God’s people keep listening…
God is watching and waiting to strongly support His people who pray. One Bible commentator concludes this: “The Lord is ceaselessly watchful for occasions of helping the faithful.”5
Here are a couple of examples where believers humbled themselves before God and He answered their prayer.
David
This is a passage from Psalm 18. David had already established a relationship with God and knew that he could ask for help. David understood that God would respond because God is “a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” Also, that God supported him, “with strength and makes [his] way blameless.” Therefore David is able to say,
“In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears.”6
Daniel
In Daniel chapter 2, Daniel’s life was on the line when he cried out to God. God answered his prayer, saving his life, and Daniel says,
“To Thee, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for Thou hast given me wisdom and power: even now Thou hast made known to me what we requested of Thee.” (Daniel 2:23)
So, we know that Daniel had faith in God and a humble heart before this event started! Otherwise, God would not have listened to his prayer. (For more on this story, please see my post, Daniel Honors God.)
Promises
“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.” (Matthew 21:22)
“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16)
The Godless
Sadly, there are those who will not turn to God and be reconciled to Him. They have decided that they know better than their Creator, or don’t even believe that He exists.
Then there are others, who falsely believe that they are OK with God or that they have no need of Him. They may pray, but God is not listening to them.
Useless Prayer
One company I worked for always sent around a card when one of our folks had a death in the family or other serious situation. The card would be passed among us, and we would sign the card and offer condolences.
I was always amazed when someone would write something like, “Praying for you.” Some of these folks I knew well enough to know that they did not have a relationship with God. I know that they were being kind by offering comforting words to their co-worker. However, the reality is that if they ignored God, He would not answer their prayer. As is written in Proverbs 15:29:
“The Lord is far from the wicked7, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”
Conclusion
The good news is that we can be reconciled to God and that He will answer our prayers. We can depend on Him because He is dependable. We can trust Him because He is trustworthy. We can seek Him and He will be found. We can call on Him and He promises to answer!
1 Selected verses from Proverbs 1:20-33 for brevity.
2 The words may not be exactly these, but the idea is that the person is admitting that they are wrong and that God is correct. They are turning from their own way and turning to God.
3 Isaiah 1:3
4 Isaiah 1:15
5 Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, commenting on 2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.”
6 The whole of Psalm 18 is excellent, I just quoted verses 6, 30, & 32.
7 The wicked are the people that have rejected God. Since they reject Him, He will not listen to them.