Topical Bible: Prayer: God Answers

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Prayer is a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith, serving as a means of communication between believers and God. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that affirm God's responsiveness to prayer, emphasizing His willingness to listen and act according to His divine will.

Biblical Foundations

The Bible consistently portrays God as a responsive and attentive listener to the prayers of His people. In Jeremiah 33:3 , God invites His people to call upon Him, promising, "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know." This verse underscores the assurance that God not only hears but also responds to the prayers of the faithful.

In the New Testament, Jesus Himself teaches about the efficacy of prayer. In Matthew 7:7-8 , He encourages His followers, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." This passage highlights the active role of God in answering the prayers of those who earnestly seek Him.

Conditions for Answered Prayer

While God is willing to answer prayer, the Bible also outlines certain conditions that align with His character and purposes. Faith is a crucial component, as seen in James 1:6-7 , which states, "But let him ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." Faith, therefore, is essential for prayers to be effective.

Moreover, prayers should be aligned with God's will. In 1 John 5:14-15 , it is written, "And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him." This passage emphasizes the importance of seeking God's will in prayer, ensuring that requests are in harmony with His divine plan.

Examples of Answered Prayer

The Bible is replete with examples of God answering prayer. One notable instance is the prayer of Hannah in 1 Samuel 1. Hannah, who was barren, prayed earnestly for a child, and God answered her prayer by granting her a son, Samuel, who would become a significant prophet in Israel.

Another example is found in the account of Elijah on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18. Elijah prayed for God to demonstrate His power to the people of Israel, and God answered by sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, proving His sovereignty over the false god Baal.

God's Timing and Wisdom

While God answers prayer, His responses may not always align with human expectations or timing. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds believers, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." This passage encourages trust in God's wisdom and timing, even when His answers are delayed or different from what was anticipated.

Conclusion

The Bible affirms that God is a responsive and attentive listener to the prayers of His people. Through faith, alignment with His will, and trust in His timing, believers can be assured that God hears and answers their prayers, demonstrating His love and sovereignty in their lives.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 99:6
Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that call on his name; they called on the LORD, and he answered them.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 58:9
Then shall you call, and the LORD shall answer; you shall cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If you take away from the middle of you the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

How I Know God Answers Prayer
How I Know God Answers Prayer. <. How I Know God Answers Prayer
Rosalind Goforth. Produced by Free Elf, Emmy and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/goforth/how i know god answers prayer/

How I Know God Answers Prayer
How I Know God Answers Prayer. <. ... Title Page. How I Know God Answers
Prayer The Personal Testimony of One Life-Time. By ...
//christianbookshelf.org/goforth/how i know god answers prayer/title page.htm

"Getting Things from God"
How I Know God Answers Prayer. <. ... I can testify, with a full and often
wonder-stricken awe, that I believe God answers prayer. ...
/.../goforth/how i know god answers prayer/i getting things from god.htm

How God Answered Donald's Prayer
... Little children not only have a deep faith but a childlike trust in believing
that God answers their prayers. ... God heard my prayer to be saved. ...
/.../how god answered donalds prayer.htm

Further Answers to Prayer
... CHAPTER IV FURTHER ANSWERS TO PRAYER. ... it was none the less necessary to continue
in prayer, asking that ... Meanwhile, I continued pleading with GOD, more and more ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/a retrospect/chapter iv further answers to.htm

Answers to Prayer.
... ANSWERS TO PRAYER. ... "O God!" she prayed, "do send rain or change the wind." After
repeating this prayer several times, she noticed some large drops of ...
/.../byrum/the value of a praying mother/chapter xviii answers to prayer.htm

Touching Incidents and Remarkable Answers to Prayer
... ANNIE AND VANIE'S FIRST REAL PRAYER. GOD HEALS A BLIND GIRL. ... THE YOUNG MARTYR. A
CHILD'S PRAYER ANSWERED. ... Jesus Answers Ruth's Prayer. VERY SICK. ...
/.../shaw/touching incidents and remarkable answers to prayer/

Prayer --Fills Man's Poverty with God's Riches
... We do but follow the plain letter and spirit of the Bible when we affirm that God
answers prayer, and answers by giving us the very things we desire, and that ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/ii prayerfills mans poverty with.htm

Foreword
How I Know God Answers Prayer. <. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/goforth/how i know god answers prayer/foreword.htm

Chapter Iii Precious Answers to Prayer
... CHAPTER III PRECIOUS ANSWERS TO PRAYER. PRECIOUS ANSWERS TO PRAYER. In remarkable
ways God helped Mr. Mueller as "The Narratives" show:". ...
/.../muller/answers to prayer/chapter iii precious answers to.htm