God Answers Prayer

1 John 5:14-15 says, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

One of the most important things we have as born again Christians is the gift of answered prayer.

God answers prayer; sometimes when hearts are weak,

He gives the very gifts His children seek.

But often faith must learn a deeper rest,

And trust God's silence when He does not speak;

For He whose name is love will send the best.

Stars may burn out, nor mountain walls endure,

But God is true, His promises are sure

To those who seek.

However, there are conditions to prayer. What seems like a blank check ("if we ask any thing") has conditions attached ("according to his will"). Jesus is the greatest example of this kind of prayer. Praying in the garden just before his crucifixion, He prayed, "...Father, not my will, but thine be done." God is infinite is His wisdom. He sees and knows our lives from beginning to end. We only see the moment. He knows what's best for us, overall.

We must also keep in mind, that the Bible teaches that if we have unforgiven sin in our lives, God will not hear our prayers. Psalm 66:18 says, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear." I must come to him with a clean, pure heart. He wants to answer my prayer more than I wanted it answered. He is a loving, kind and gracious heavenly Father, but He is far more interested in my holiness than my happiness.

My problem with prayer is not that God will not or cannot answer, but I simply do not ask. James 4:2 says "You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask." God wants us to "ask!" Matthew 7:7-8 says, "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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Will you join me in "asking!"