Additional Insights on Getting Answers to Prayer
God in His mercy will answer even our 1 word prayer – HELP! After all – He is faithful!
However, we can increase the effectiveness of our communication with God using the previously posted – “How to Pray” and “Ask the Key to Answered Prayers.” Here are 4 additional topics to elevate you to the next level: 1) We Need to Be Thankful; 2) After Prayer Be Patient; 3) After Prayer, Praise Him; 4) Why Prayers Don’t Get Answered as you ask.
1) In Prayer We Need to Be Thankful
How do you feel when you give a gift, but no one says thanks? How do you think Jesus felt when 9 of 10 men healed of incurable, detestable leprosy never bothered to say thanks? Do you thank God for all the good things in your life or just complain about what you don’t have? It’s a great idea to maintain an attitude of gratitude.
Romans 8:28 says 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. Remember, He doesn’t cause all things, BUT He causes all things to work together for good for a certain people – for those who love God!
2) After Prayer – Be Patient
We live in a NOW generation. We want the answers to our prayers NOW! When we don’t get our answers NOW, we give up and try something else. That’s a big mistake!
There are 3 phases after asking: PROMISE and PERFORMANCE. In between comes our part – PATIENCE! We must be patient after our prayer request. Remember the words; “all in God’s perfect timing.” He does everything for a specific reason to benefit us!
Hebrews 10:23, 35-36 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep His promise. . . Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that He has promised.
3) After Prayer – Praise Him
During our prayers, we spend most of our time asking and Asking and ASKING! Seldom do we take time to tell God how terrific He is. This is called Praise! We need to spend an equal amount of time praising God for His goodness, faithfulness, creations, etc. after we ask Him in prayer!
In the Book Greater Glory by Kenneth E. Hagin, we’re reminded about a famous battle when King Jehoshaphat sent his singers and “praisers” ahead of his troops into battle against 3 armies. The Jews didn’t lose a man, while their enemies destroyed each other!
Another example: Paul and Silas locked in prison with every reason to complain, chose instead to pray, then praise God loudly in song. Suddenly, an earthquake came, loosened their chains and opened all the prison gates! The next morning those who incarcerated them, begged them in fear to leave!
King David was not only King of Israel, but the King of Praising God. I counted the number of times “Praise” was mentioned in Psalms. In one version it was 188 times; in another 209, another 203 and still another 270 times.
Many denominations sing these words: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye Heavenly Hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.” Good advice!
4) Why Prayers Don’t Get Answered – Guidelines
a) You may have asked for something out of the will of God or with the wrong motive. James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
b) James 1:6-7 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double minded man, unstable in all his ways. Someone once said the most important part of a prayer is the 15 minutes (of no doubting) after the prayer! Don’t tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your God is!
c) Don’t pray the same prayer over and over. God’s pretty smart. He heard you the first time. Just thank him and remind him of His promises. Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
d) Note to Husbands: How are you treating your wife? I Peter 3:7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. If you don’t treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard.
e) General Prayers get General Results. Specific Prayers get Specific Results. Which do you want?
f) There are some things God has not chosen to reveal to us. Deuteronomy 29:29 There are secret things that belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and our descendants forever, so that we may obey these words of the law.
Let’s imagine you pray for a specific new job, but you don’t get it. But God (who sees all things and knows the end from the beginning) knows he has a better job for you or wants to help you avoid disaster. Would He be a loving God if He helped you get it? Against His will, you can still get it, but it’s not His Will! You obtained it by your freedom of choice! He even gave you the Holy Spirit to warn you with an uneasy feeling deep inside your heart (your spirit). It’s what some people call a conscience.
Finally, I recommend to pray in Faith with no doubting! (Don’t let your mind take over, but follow your spirit!) Don’t forget to Thank Him in All Things, Be Patient and Praise Him. Don’t ask with the wrong motive; don’t doubt after you pray; husbands, treat your wife with respect; and believe God has your best interests at heart! You may never know why certain things happen, but God does!
Expect Results! When we pray we should expect results. Otherwise, it’s just a waste of time!
May God Bless You as you move closer and closer to Him.
