Unpacking
Prayer
Part 16: Does God Answer
Prayer?
Word study in prayer:
1. Prayer – proseuche and euche - General
truths that are crucial to praying
effectively.
2. Requests – deaesis and aitema – How to
make specific requests that are both
personal and of cosmic significance.
3. Intercession – enteuxis – How to get
serious with God about the needs and
circumstances of others.
4. Thanksgiving – eucharistia – How to keep
the proper focus in prayer at all times.
Does God Answer Prayer?
Is God good? (ie. do I want Him to
answer my prayer?)
● God is love – 1 John 4:7-9
1 John 4:7-9
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is
of God; and everyone who loves is born of God
and knows God. He who does not love does not
know God, for God is love. In this the love of God
was manifested toward us, that God has sent His
only begotten Son into the world, that we might
live through Him.
Is God good?
(ie. do I want Him to
answer my prayer?)
● God is love – 1 John 4:7-9
● God cannot lie – Titus 1:1-3
Titus 1:1-3
Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle
of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s
elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which
accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life
which God, who cannot lie, promised before time
began, but has in due time manifested His word
through preaching, which was committed to me
according to the commandment of God our
Savior.
Is God good?
(ie. do I want Him to
answer my prayer?)
● God is love – 1 John 4:7-9
● God cannot lie – Titus 1:1-3
● God never fails to accomplish
what He says – Isa. 55:10-11
Isaiah 55:10-11
“ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”
Is God good?
(ie. do I want Him to
answer my prayer?)
● God is love – 1 John 4:7-9
● God cannot lie – Titus 1:1-3
● God never fails to accomplish
what He says – Isa. 55:10-11
● God does not change –
James 1:16-17
James 1:16-17
Do not be deceived, my beloved
brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift
is from above, and comes down from the Father
of lights, with whom there is no variation or
shadow of turning.
Is God good?
(ie. do I want Him to
answer my prayer?)
● God is love – 1 John 4:7-9
● God cannot lie – Titus 1:1-3
● God never fails to accomplish
what He says – Isa. 55:10-11
● God does not change –
James 1:16-17
But if God is good,
then why is there
suffering in the world?
Doesn’t a good God
want us to be
happy?
"Kindness cares not whether its object
becomes good or bad, provided only
that it escapes suffering", [while Love]
would rather see [the loved ones]
suffer much than be happy in
contemptible and estranging modes".
- C. S. Lewis
Does God Answer Prayer?
YES!
● Does He promise to? – John 14:12-14
John 14:12-14
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who
believes in Me, the works that I do he will do
also; and greater works than these he will do,
because I go to My Father. And whatever you
ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything
in My name, I will do it.”
● Does He promise to? – John 14:12-14
- Like Herod making a rash promise? (Matt. 14:6-8)
- More like a loving Father who sees a much
bigger picture. (Matt. 7:7-11)
● Is His answer always “Yes”, then?
- “yes,” “no,” or “wait” is too simplistic.
- Our prayers should be based on our relationship
with God. (John 15:15-17)
John 15:15-17
No longer do I call you servants, for a
servant does not know what his master is doing;
but I have called you friends, for all things that I
heard from My Father I have made known to you.
You did not choose Me, but I chose you and
appointed you that you should go and bear fruit,
and that your fruit should remain, that whatever
you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
These things I command you, that you love one
another.
● Is His answer always “Yes”, then?
- “yes,” “no,” or “wait” is too simplistic.
- Our prayers should be based on our relationship
with God. (John 15:15-17)
- As our relationship with God grows, so
will our prayer life’s “success.”
● So what happens when I pray for the wrong
things?
- Our Heavenly Father understands our weakness.
(Psalm 103:13-14, James 1:5)
Psalm 103:13-14
As a father pities his children,
So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.
● So what happens when I pray for the wrong
things?
- Our Heavenly Father understands our weakness.
(Psalm 103:13-14, James 1:5)
- Our Saviour’s sacrifice makes us pure in God’s
sight.
- Our Holy Spirit intercedes for us
and prays our prayers the
right way. (Rom. 8:26-28)
Romans 8:26-28
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our
weaknesses. For we do not know what we should
pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself
makes intercession for us with groanings which
cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the
hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is,
because He makes intercession for the saints
according to the will of God. 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.
● So what happens when I pray for the wrong
things?
- Our Heavenly Father understands our weakness.
(Psalm 103:13-14, James 1:5)
- Our Saviour’s sacrifice makes us pure in God’s
sight.
- Our Holy Spirit intercedes for us
and prays our prayers the
right way. (Rom. 8:26-28)
Every prayer you pray
creates a response
from God to do
something!
So get to know God
better and pray
often!