We all have moments when we think God does not hear our prayers and we need to go to His Word. In our moments of distress it is even harder to get away from our feelings. Let’s go to the beginning and find out if God hears our prayers.
Does God Promise to Hear Our Prayers?
God is faithful in His promises. What does scripture say about the promise of God hearing our prayers?
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:13-15 NIV
God’s Promise to Christians
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 NIV
First thing we see in verse 13 is the address. Who is the writer talking to? Prayer is for those who believe in the Son of God. John is saying God hears the prayers of believers. We need to make sure we are heard by being certain we have trusted Him as our Savior.
Pray According to God’s Will
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14
The answer to our question is found in verse 14. “This is the confidence”. We can know that God hears our prayers. What gives us this confidence? If we ask it according to His will. What is His will? There are the things we know through God’s Word that are not in His will and God is not going to answer those prayers. Decisions in our daily life are not always clear and are harder to discern.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5 NIV
Finding God’s will is a big question sometimes in Christians lives and Proverbs gives a good answer for that. If we are living according to God’s ways and not trying to “fix” it ourselves He will provide that information to us. Maybe it doesn’t appear in the form of an email or text, but the answer will come. God does not always answer when we want it, but when we need it.
We Have Confidence He Hears Our Prayers
“And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” 1 John 5:13-15 NIV
We see here in verse 15, if we are believers and ask according to His will, we know (confidence) that He hears us and gives us what we ask for. Everything? IN HIS WILL. He is going to answer it for our best and it doen’t always mean we’ll like it. We have to trust Him.
Examples That God Hear Our Prayers
Many people in the Bible have express their thoughts in prayer to God. Here are three examples of God hearing our prayers.
Jesus’ Example
“If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7 NIV
Jesus tell us here that He will hear our prayer if we are in fellowship with Him. He wants us to be committed to Him in all areas of our lives. It is only natural for us to know what to pray for when we are living for Him. In those moments that we are not sure, the Holy Spirit is there to help us.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27 NIV
David’s Example
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” Psalm 34:17 NIV
David was accustomed to crying out to God in times of trouble. The occasions of Goliath, King Saul and many others ushered in opportunities for the Lord to show strength in David’s life. He had no problem in knowing God was true to His promise and was there for him, He realized that it did not mean he would not experience distress. https://www.bibleref.com/Psalms/34/Psalm-34-17.html
Isaiah’s Example
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
This verse was orginally written to Israel but the same thought is recorded in the New Testament as well.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 NIV
God promises those that seek Him that they will find Him. What a wonderful thing for Christians to hold on to and cherish. God is waiting lovingly for us to approach Him with our heart.
How to Trust God That He Hears Our Prayers
Knowing what the Bible says about prayer is one thing and putting it into action is another. I’m sure we have all experienced this in our own lives and I know I have. we have a tendency to forget what we know when circumstances become chaotic.
God has many wonderful attributes that will help us in our distress that encourage our trust in Him. Thats why we can trust Him with our prayers. Three of those are His Word is perfect, He is faithful and powerful.
God’s Word is Perfect
If we are going to trust someone, we want them to be the best one to trust. God is perfect and if He wasn’t He would’t be God. Do we know of anyone else who created the earth and has fulfilled everything about Jesus from beginning to end?
“As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord’s Word is flawless: He shields all who take refuge in Him.” Psalm 18:30 NIV
This verse is about the quality of God’s Word. It has no flaws and yet we hesitate to trust. Reading and meditating on His Word will help strengthen our faith.
God is Faithful
Why not trust He’s going to do what He says? We all have trust issues, but those are based on human fraility. We need to take God at His Word that He will do it.
“The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24
Paul went through many trials. even to the point of death yet he clung to the cross of Christ Jesus. Why? Because He knew God is faithful and follows through with His promises.
God is Powerful
“But God made the earth by His power: He founded the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavans by His understanding.” Jeremiah 10:12 NIV
God’s immense power is hard for us to conceive because we are so limited in what we can do. I am sitting here trying to get an idea of what that would be like and I have no clue of the power it would take to just think the creation in place. If He has that kind of power, can’t He solve our little problems?
God Hears Our Prayers
God promises us that He does hear our prayers and follows through if we allow Him to lead. Our confidence is encouraged by examples in the Bible, other Christians and our own answered prayer. Our God is perfect, faithful, powerful and we can trust Him to hear our cries. Come to Him with your prayers and rejoice in that privilege.
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