God Answers Prayers
One of the benefits of coming to God is that you can’t come to God and go back empty handed. When we come to God, we receive answers to our prayers. Psalm 65:2 says, “O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come.” Some other versions say “You who answer, to You all people will come.” God listens to our prayers, God answers our prayers.
God has an avalanche; so many different kinds of answers to prayers in His hand. Even though there are uncountable number of people knocking at His door for answers, God never runs out of answers or gets tired of giving answers. So you don’t have to worry that is it ever going to be my turn to get an answer or would there be anything good left when it gets to my turn. God has more than enough timely, good, useful, worth-waiting-for answers for everyone who calls sincerely on Him. He has assorted types of answers that He releases as we pray.
What are some of the answers God gives as we call on Him, as we pray to Him?
An Answer that can bring you out of a horrible pit.
In Psalm 40: 1-2, David said “I waited patiently for the Lord, and He inclined to me, and heard my cry, He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock.” Are you in a horrible; a very bad, messy and embarrassing situation? Are you in a horrible pit of ill health, debt, lack, financial insufficiency? Are you in a horrible financial mess, are you involved in a scandal or a situation that can ruin your business, marriage and family? The God that hears when we call will give you an answer to your prayers that will bring you out of every horrible pit you have fallen into.
An Answer that puts an end to insults, mockery, shame and reproach, and puts a smile on your face.
This was the situation Hannah found herself in. She didn’t have a child and Peninnah, her rival, had turned that issue into a punching bag; using it to insult and mock Hannah, and drive Hannah to the point of tears (I Samuel 1:6). If you are in this situation, don’t give up in the place of prayer, don’t get tired and frustrated with praying because you have prayed once, twice or more, and still no answer has come. God is mindful of what you are going through and He will come through for you. He will give you an answer that will silence all your mockers and strip you completely free of every garment of shame and reproach. Like Hannah, your story and song will be “My heart rejoices in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation” (1 Samuel 2:1). The Lord will put a big smile on your face as you earnestly, persistently and consistently call on Him in the place of prayer.
An Answer Forces and Powers Of Darkness Can’t Keep Away From You.
There are some answers God releases and forces and powers of darkness try everything possible to keep the answer from getting to us. Daniel prayed to God, God heard him, and sent Daniel an answer the very day Daniel called on God. But for twenty-one days, the prince of Persia withstood and detained the angel that was bringing the answer to Daniel’s prayer. God had to send a stronger angel, Michael, an archangel to intervene and release the answer to Daniel’s prayer (Daniel 10:12-13). I pray that as you pray to God, no devil, demon, force or power of darkness will prevail against your prayers. In the name of Jesus, your story will not be one of lamentations about how forces of darkness are delaying and detaining the answers to your prayers. No matter how many foes rise up against the answers to your prayers, no matter how strong those who are resisting the answer to your prayers are, God will ensure that your answer gets to you without any more delay.
An Unbelievable Answer to Prayers
Who would have thought that a hundred year old man whose body was as good as dead, could father a son or a ninety year old woman whose body was equally dead by human and medical standards could still get pregnant? (Romans 4:18-19). God does unbelievable things as we pray. Never believe any situation is beyond God. When God wants to give answers to prayers, He isn’t bound, limited or controlled by age, medical reports, scientific theories, or by things people are used to seeing and hearing. God does the unbelievable as we call on Him; He gives answers that can blow your mind. May you receive such an answer as you devote yourself to prayer.
An Answer That Ends Problems, Issues And Challenges That Have Dragged On For So Long
The woman with the issue of blood had a health challenge that had dragged on for 18 years. But when she came to Jesus and touched the helm of His garment, that long-standing health problem was terminated by the power of God (Luke 8:43-48). Although Jesus has ascended to heaven, Jesus is not out of reach. We can still touch the helm of Jesus’ garment today by reaching out to Him in prayer, by holding on to God in the place of prayer to bring an end to every long-standing problem in our lives. No matter how long that problem has been in your life and family, God has the power to bring it to an end.
An Answer Only God Can Give
Have you sought help from different people and places, yet nothing has changed about your situation? There are some answers only God can give. Specialists and experts in a particular field can’t give you the answer, rich and influential people can’t give you the answer, even those that genuinely love you and care about your situation, can’t give you the answer. The only person that has the capacity and capability to give you that answer is God. The woman with the issue of blood had gone to different doctors seeking a solution to her problem, an answer to the questions troubling her mind. But they couldn’t help her, they couldn’t solve her problem, they couldn’t give her the answer she needed (Mark 5:25-30). It wasn’t until she came to Jesus that she got the answer no doctor could give her. It’s good to discuss problems with people, it’s good to seek the best or professional help, but the truth of the matter is that there are some answers only God can give.
An Answer You Don’t Deserve or Aren’t Qualified to Receive.
After the Prodigal son had arrogantly demanded his inheritance from his father, squandered it on wild living, and was so broke that he couldn’t even afford a decent meal, he decided that the only reasonable option he had was to go back to his father. He said he would tell his father these words “Father, I have sinned against heaven and earth and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:18-19). The son had treated his father badly and so felt he was most undeserving of his father’s love and acceptance. But when he went back to his father, his father didn’t throw him out or punish him. Instead, his father welcomed him back home with a party. This parable is symbolic of how God lavishes His love on the undeserving and qualified. When we pray to God, one of the amazing things that happens is that God’s grace, love and mercy qualifies us for blessings we aren’t qualified to receive, blessings we don’t deserve.
An Answer That Comes With Fire
There is a fire that goes out from God as we pray. When Elijah and the prophets of Baal gathered at Mount Carmel, the prophets of Baal called on their god, but there was no response whatsoever. Elijah had told them that the God who answers by fire, He is God. Indeed when Elijah called on the Living God, God answered him with a fire that consumed the sacrifice, as well as the wood, stones, dust and water (1 Kings 18:20-40). God still answers by a consuming fire that can consume every evil altar speaking against our lives or every charm that has been placed in our homes or offices to destroy us. Every plant our Heavenly Father has not planted in our lives, families, church and nation is uprooted and destroyed as we pray (Matthew 15:13). In the name of Jesus, every tumor, cancerous growth, mental disability, mild or minor sickness, God has not planted in your life and family shall be burnt to ashes by God’s consuming fire as you pray.
God answering us by fire also has to do with God releasing speedy answers to our prayers. Isaiah 65:24 talks about God moving fast as we pray; that while we are praying, before we have even finished saying the prayer point or making the request, God sends the answer.
The prophet of Baal called on their God from morning till evening, but there was no answer. But as soon as Elijah called on the Living God who is never too busy to answer or too far away to get to us on time, there was an immediate response.
There are some prayers that we can afford to wait until tomorrow, next week, next month or next year for the answer. But there are some situations that if God doesn’t answer us now, something disastrous would happen. Imagine what would have happened to Elijah if when he challenged the prophets of Baal, God didn’t answer him? It would have ended Elijah’s life and ministry. If you are in a tight corner, in a fix, in a desperate situation that if God doesn’t answer you now, something terrible can happen to you, your family, church or nation, then go to God like David did and tell Him, “Answer me speedily, O Lord; My spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit” (Psalm 143:7). The Lord will not turn away from you or ignore you, He will hear you in Jesus name and give you an immediate response as you pray so something tragic and devastating doesn’t happen to you.
An Answer You Don’t Want To Hear, But Is The Best Answer For You
Three times Paul prayed to God to remove the thorn in his flesh, but God didn’t remove it. Instead, God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:3-9). The thorn in his flesh wasn’t a pleasant thing in Paul’s life, but it was serving a useful purpose; to keep Paul from getting proud as a result of the great revelations God had given him. The thorn wasn’t an easy and convenient thing for Paul to have in his life, but it taught Paul true dependence on God’s grace.
While in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed for God to take way the cup of crucifixion from Him. God didn’t do that, what God did was to strengthen Jesus to go through the crucifixion. Imagine the billions of people that would end up heading to hell and destruction, if Jesus didn’t die on the cross for our salvation and redemption.
God will answer us when we pray, but the answer may not always be what we want. Every answer God gives us is what is best for us.
An Answer That Brings Forgiveness of Sins
One of the wonderful benefits that comes from going to God in prayer is that we receive the forgiveness of our sins and are cleansed from all forms of unrighteousness. God’s throne of grace is covered, surrounded and enveloped in mercy. Hebrews 4:16 says “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In times of falling and faltering, in times of being an easy prey for the devils temptations, in times of doing unthinkable things, committing abominable sins, and doing things you are ashamed of, there is mercy at God’s throne of grace for everyone who genuinely goes to God in repentance. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). How gracious and merciful God is. He can forgive things no one can forgive, He can forgive the heartless, ruthless or barbaric, He can forgive the over religious who is in desperate need of God’s mercy, but his self-righteous heart keeps him from seeing his sins.
David committed a grievous sin; adultery and murder, but when he cried out to God in prayer, “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions”, (Psalm 51:1) God heard him and answered him. His sins were forgiveness and he wasn’t cut off from God’s love, presence and blessings.
I pray that every time you call on God, mercy will answer over your life, mercy will flow from God’s throne of grace to you, and you shall receive the answer of forgiveness of sins and be set free from the destructive yoke of sin.
God has answers to give when we pray; answers that show His unparalleled and unequalled love for us. So, don’t be tired of coming to God. Even if you have come so many times but haven’t gotten the answer you want, don’t get frustrated and give up, don’t delay coming to God, don’t procrastinate about coming to God, and don’t allow anyone distract you from coming to God. Come to God now, come to God daily, come to God to receive the answer that has your name on it; the answer God has specially prepared and packaged for you.
PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay
