Friday Night Message: Prayer - Part XIX

Jan. 26, 2024

Good evening brethren,

During the past few months, we have addressed various questions regarding prayer:

WHAT IS PRAYER?

WHO SHOULD PRAY?

WHY SHOULD WE PRAY?

HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?

WHAT SHOULD WE PRAY ABOUT?

Tonight, and next Friday evening, we will consider HOW DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYER? I will begin a discussion of that final question that we will be addressing, and thus finally finish all of the aspects of prayer that we have considered …

DOES GOD ALWAYS ANSWER OUR PRAYERS?

Tonight and next Friday, we will consider the ways that God may answer our prayers. Last week we mentioned some obstacles that may hinder the effectiveness of our prayers…

Obstacles to having prayers answered.

There are a number of things that may “get in the way” of having a more effective and meaningful prayer life, in other words… obstacles to your prayers being answered. Here we review/list four such hinderance’s, and then we will finalize this series on prayer by mentioning how God may answer.

1. Sin

2. Asking for the wrong things

3. Lack of faith

4. Pride

So if we have removed all the barriers, that is if we are not continually or habitually sinning, if we have genuine faith, if we are not asking for the wrong things, if we are humbly approaching God … then, will God not answer all of our prayers?

Quite simply – YES, God always does answer our prayers. However, when many of us hear the question “Does God always answer prayer?”, in our minds we are often really asking a different question altogether – “Does God always answer our prayers with the answer that we want or expect?”

God does answer our prayers, but He doesn’t always respond with a quick and automatic YES to our every petition. He answers us according to His will and what He knows to be best for us in the long run.

How can God answer prayer?

YES

God can and often does answer YES…

Matt. 7:7 – 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…but He can also answer in other ways.

NO

Think about it … if God always said YES (and said it quickly), there would be no need for faith (The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen). If God always said YES, then there would be virtually no trials. We would ask them to be removed right away.

When God says NO to a prayer of ours, it can test our faith and commitment. It is through trials that we grow and learn and come to strengthen our faith and dependence upon God. It is through the trials of others that we can have a shared concern and deepen our love and compassion towards others.

God alone knows when to say YES, and when to say NO. God knows what is best for us, and His focus is upon our ultimate well-being, our final destiny.

Rom. 8:28 – And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

As Christians we are greatly encouraged by these words …All things work together (in the end) for the (ultimate) good of those who love (obey) God. Next week will be the last of this long series of Friday Night Messages, and we will consider a few more ways that God can answer prayer, other than a simple YES or NO.

Have a great Sabbath,

Fred