pawz Posted June 19, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 18 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 257 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 58 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/14/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted June 19, 2014 When a person asks why God has not answered their prayers (and we have all experienced that), the usual Christian response is along the lines of 'God always answers, but sometimes it is a 'no' or 'wait'. As the person has NOT heard from God, which is why the question is being asked, it must be supposed that the ‘no’ or ‘wait’ are evidenced by silence from above and no visible change in the circumstance being prayed about, and the asker is left in a spiritual limbo of uncertainty and doubt, wondering where the breakdown in communication lies. Moreover, it seems it is all to do with God deciding ‘yay, nay or maybe’, not dependent upon the petitioners’ heart attitude. Is this scriptural? I had a look for myself.. Mat 21:21-22 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Mark 11:23-24 ‘For truly I say to you, whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them’. Luke 8:49-50 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master. But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole. Mar 5:33 -36 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague. While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. Luk 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. John 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 1Jn 5:14-15 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. From you - faith and trust are needed. From the Lord God –the prayer needs to be heard (which depends on your standing with Him (ie your faith and trust) and to be in the Fathers will. Result - provided you have faith and trust, whatever you have asked for ( in His will) shall be granted – that is what scripture says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shiloh357 Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Result - provided you have faith and trust, whatever you have asked for ( in His will) shall be granted – that is what scripture says. What about the time that Paul asked for God to remove his thorn in the flesh and the Lord denied his request? God doesn't always grant our requests. Sometimes, what we ask for isn't in His will and sometimes he has something better in store for us than what we asked for. Sometimes, God blesses us not by what He gives us, but by what He doesn't give us. God sees the big picture and He knows what is best. i can look back on my life and if God had granted what I asked for, it would have been a disaster. My limited scope didn't allow me to see what God saw and so my prayers are answered, but not necessarily the way I envisioned them being answered. God, in His mercy, has denied my requests because my requests, which I thought were to my benefit would have hurt me in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pawz Posted June 19, 2014 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 18 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 257 Content Per Day: 0.07 Reputation: 58 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/14/2014 Status: Offline Author Share Posted June 19, 2014 good point - I shall have to factor that in, about Paul I mean - but it is worth noting that the Lord DID answer Paul, even though it was not to meet his request in the way he wanted - he wasn't left wondering in silence. He had the faith and the trust to be answered, but it was not in the Lord's will - so he got answered, but some answers are 'no'. Thank you Shiloh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippie333 Posted June 19, 2014 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 114 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 1,236 Content Per Day: 0.29 Reputation: 673 Days Won: 1 Joined: 10/24/2012 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/18/1970 Share Posted June 19, 2014 We could also use Christ himself in the Garden.....while he was praying... Mat 26:39 And He went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will Yet not as I will, but as You will - notice how he asked for his answer - as God will....not as he/we will. Sometimes I think we sit back and try to wait on a "for sure" sign, that God has answered our prayer with yes, no or wait. I think that it's totally plausible that we overlook the answer because we want the yes so badly, the no or wait....went unnoticed. I think a great thing to do is to keep a prayer journal. Every day write your prayers down, and keep them dated and in order. Then, as the years go by....once in a while open that journal and take a walk with your prayers over the years and see how they were answered. I don't keep one now, as well as I used to.....but when I would go thru my lists....I would see answered prayer, answered prayer, answered prayer......some were still in the "ongoing" category .....some still are to this day. I have some prayers that have been a daily prayer for over 3yrs now......My dad said he prayed that I would be saved, every day for 20+ yrs.....and guess what - ANSWERED ! with an AMEN and a PRAISE THE LORD! - - I think patience is needed, and also acceptance that God's will, is above our wants ....God knows sometimes what we pray for....would hurt us later more than help us now, that being said....it does not and should not change our faith. God increases our faith when we increase our obedience and continual prayer is part of that. God Bless, Hip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigger398 Posted June 19, 2014 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 562 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 2,074 Content Per Day: 0.31 Reputation: 648 Days Won: 2 Joined: 11/01/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/31/1966 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Sometimes God answers my prayer without me being aware of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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