How Does God Answer Prayer?

In his well-known song “Unanswered Prayers,” country music artist Garth Brooks claims that “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.” For Garth, God didn’t give him the girl he prayed for in high school, and looking back, he was thankful for that.

I hate to break it to Garth, but his theology isn’t quite on par. It’s not that God didn’t answer His prayer, it’s that His answer was “No.”

Let’s take a second to look at four ways God answers prayer. But first, a few disclaimers:

·      This is not an exhaustive list. We cannot put God in a box and say that He will only act in one of four ways.

·      This list is not my own. I cannot tell you exactly where it came from, but I do not take credit for it.

1. When the request is wrong, God says “No”

As was the case for Garth, sometimes what we want just isn’t in God’s plans for us. But when we don’t get what we pray for, we shouldn’t think that God didn’t hear us or didn’t answer us, for He did. His answer was simply, “No.”

When God answers no, we need to keep in mind what He said in Isaiah 55:9, “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

2. When the timing is wrong, God says “Slow”

Sometimes God plans to grant our request, but not right at that moment. God might have great things in store for us, but we have to be patient and wait expectantly for Him to work.

Isaiah 40:30-31 tells us that, “youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”

3. When we are wrong, God says “Grow”

Of course it is hard to admit, but sometimes we ask God the right things for the wrong reasons. Maybe we want a new job, but only because it pays more money (that we don’t necessarily need). Maybe we want to teach a Sunday school class, but only because it will make us look good. Good intentions don’t always have the right motivation behind them.

When this is the case, God responds by growing us. When we become more like Him and less like our sinful selves, our motivations will be right and we will be ready to serve the Lord however He desires to use us. We will be like Isaiah, who boldly exclaimed to God, “Here I am. Send me” (Isaiah 6:8).

4. When all is right, God says “Go!”

By this point you may be a little discouraged. You might be thinking that you will never get your way with God. But let me share with you some promises from God’s Word:

God said, “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and wondrous things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

Jesus told His disciples, “Therefore, I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for – believe that you have received them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24)

“Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked Him for.” (1 John 5:14-15)

So don’t stop praying because you feel like God isn’t listening. He hears you and He is responding. And however He responds, whether you like it or not, trust that His will is best.

Getting Ahead of God

Tex

As a child, teenager, and even into my twenties, I did not particularly like dogs. I did not like to pet them, and I certainly did not like them to lick me. But when we got married, my wife convinced me that it would be okay for us to get a dog—and an inside dog at that! So we did.

In the spring of 2014 we got Tex, a Shih Tzu and Poodle mix that has extremely curly hair and weighs all of 5.5 pounds.

Though Tex is an inside dog, he loves going outside. Lately we have been taking him on a walk a few times a week, and we have to keep him on a leash or else he will run away. And even when he is on the leash, he still tries to get away. He will pull with all of his might, to the point of choking himself, because he wants to get ahead of us.

As I was observing his behavior and thinking about how silly it was, it occurred to me that as believers we do the same thing when it comes to God.

You see, God is omniscient, meaning He is all knowing. His knowledge is not restricted by the time-space continuum that ours is. He doesn’t have to react to what happens, for He already knew it was going to happen. He already knows what is coming your way next week, next month, and next year. We can’t see around the corner, but He can.

Based on His omniscience, God has a will or a plan for you and I. Romans 12:2 tells us that His will is “good, pleasing, and perfect.” In Matthew 6:10 Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Yet sometimes our wills, wishes, and desires do not match up with God’s. When this happens, we often times act like Tex. We feel like God has a leash on us and we put all our might into trying to get ahead of Him or away from Him.

But understand this: It’s not always the case that what we want is not God’s will, sometimes the timing just isn’t right. It’s not that I don’t want Tex to make it to the next street corner or that I’m trying to keep him from chasing that squirrel, I’m simply protecting him from carelessly running into the street and getting hit by the oncoming vehicle.

Likewise, it’s not always that God is trying to be a Debbie-downer and make life boring; no, He always has our best interest in mind. Remember, He knows what is around the corner and we have no idea.

So instead of trying to make God fit inside of our box and make His will conform to ours, we need to get inside of His box. We need to “be transformed” by the renewing of our minds so that we can discern His will (Romans 12:2). We need to learn how to live as the clay and allow the Lord to be our potter (Isaiah 64:8).

When we can see it this way, then living in accordance with God’s will won’t feel restraining at all, and we will be a lot less likely to run ahead of Him. His word promises us that He will give us the desires of our heart, but only when we take delight in Him (Psalm 37:4).

Not of this World

If you know me, you know I am a huge Oklahoma Sooners fan. In all my years of rooting for the Sooners, I have only identified one problem: I live in Texas. I’m constantly surrounded by people wearing their burnt orange Longhorn shirts or their maroon Aggie hats, and there I am sporting the crimson and cream.

And of course, these Aggies and Longhorns are always giving me a hard time, so I just have to remind them which football program has won more national titles and Heisman trophies (hint: it’s not located in Texas).

I like to compare my situation as a Sooner fan living in Texas to being a member of God’s kingdom. As believers, you and I are members of God’s kingdom, yet we still live here on this earth that is full of sin and evil. And just like Texas fans are always showing me their horns and trying to pull me down to their ways, this fallen world does everything it can to bring us down and pull us away from our Savior. Tests, trials, and temptations seem to be around every corner.

In order to help us maintain the right attitude towards this situation, let me point you to 3 passages of Scripture from the Gospel of John.

1. John 14:1-3 “Your heart must not be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if not, I would have told you. I am going away to prepare a place for you. If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come back and receive you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.”

This world is not our eternal home. The Bible tells us we are simply “sojourners” or “temporary residents” here on earth. God has much better things in store for those who are faithful. When we pass away, we will be with Him in heaven. At the end of time, we will be a part of the new creation—the new heavens and the new earth—for all eternity.

2. John 15:18-19 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the word would love you as its own. However, because you are not of this world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.”

This is what Jesus told His disciples just a few days before being crucified, and it still applies to you and I today. If you are a believer, and therefore a member of God’s kingdom, then you, too, are not of this world, because Christ has chosen you out of it. So we don’t live according to the standards of this world; we live in accordance with God and His Word.

3. John 16:21-22 “When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world. So you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your hearts will rejoice, and no one will rob you of your joy.”

Jesus knew His departure from this earth would cause His disciples to become sorrowful. Even today I sometimes wish Jesus was here with you and I. But this illustration Jesus gives is powerful: One day we will see Him again, and all the pain will be forgotten. Our sorrow will be covered with joy. Oh how we should long for that day!

Living in this world is no doubt a challenge. But if we will remain in Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be changed. We will become less like our sinful selves and more like our Savior.

In conclusion, here are two things to remember:

1. We are not of this world!

2. Boomer Sooner!

Faithfulness in a Fallen World

Let me begin by asking you a quick question. Would you consider any of these places to be a Christian environment?

·      Your workplace

·      Your child’s school

·      Your local Wal-Mart

·      Your local fitness gym

·      Your local movie theater

Sure, there are Christian businesses, Christian schools, and even Christian movies. But when we take a second to look around us, wherever we may be, it is easy to see that we live in a fallen world. We sin. Others around us sin. We let each other down. Most of all, we let God down.

But as believers, we are called to faithfully follow our Savior in the midst of this fallen world. So how do we do that? Let’s think about the story of Daniel and his three friends and find a few pointers…

According to Daniel 1:3-4, Daniel was a young Jewish man from a royal family. His life was turned upside down when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem and led Daniel and many others into exile. In Babylon, he and several others were chosen by the one of the king’s officials to be taught the Babylonian language and literature. Basically, they wanted to convert these young men. They wanted to steal their allegiance away from the Lord and turn it to the king.

How would Daniel and his three friends react in this foreign land, surrounded by these powerful people? Would they change their allegiance, or would they remain faithful to their God?

The first test they faced concerned the food they ate. The Babylonians tried to feed them royal food from the king’s table, but Daniel would not accept it because it was in violation of Old Testament dietary laws. Instead, he requested that they be fed vegetables and water, which of course made them healthier than the others.

The second test they faced concerned the first and second commandments: not having any other gods and not worshipping idols. When King Nebuchadnezzar made a towering gold statue and commanded everyone to bow down and worship it, Daniel’s three friends refused. As a result, they were thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter than normal. But as you know, the Lord protected them and they survived.

We read about another test Daniel faced in chapter 6. By this time he had interpreted many of the king’s dreams, had been made one of three administrators over the country, and was very well-known. But because of his success and popularity with the king, Daniel’s co-workers despised him and they devised a plan to trap him. Knowing that Daniel prayed to God often, they convinced King Darius to sign an edict stating that anyone who prays to any god or man besides the king would be thrown into the lions’ den. But did that stop Daniel from praying to God? No way! He continued to pray three times a day, just as he had done before. And when he was thrown into the lions’ den, God shut the lions’ mouths and protected him.

So what can we learn from Daniel and his friends?

1. It is possible to remain faithful. This doesn’t mean it’s always easy, but it is possible.

2. We can be in the world, but not of it. Daniel and his friends were immersed in the Babylonian culture, including the worship of idols. They lived with the people and worked with the people, but did not give in to the sinful ways of the people.

3. God blesses us when we are faithful. Daniel 1:21 tells us that Daniel served in the king’s court “until the first year of King Cyrus.” Cyrus was a Persian king, which means that by being faithful to God, Daniel outlived the Babylonian empire! God blessed Daniel with wisdom, insight, and a long, fruitful life.

I’m sure that at times Daniel and his friends found it challenging to remain faithful. But they didn’t let the world around them dictate who they were and what they did. As we live in this fallen world, you and I must follow suit. Instead of letting the world around us change us, we need to let God and His Word change us.

Let me leave you with some instruction from 1 John 2:15-17. “Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For everything that belongs to the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.”

How the Church Becomes an Idol

The first occurrence of the word church (ekklesia) in the New Testament is found on the lips of Jesus in Matthew 16:18 — “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church…” From this point forward it is clear that God’s grand plan was for Jesus’ disciples to establish the church after His ascension.

And this is exactly what they did. If we fast-forward to Acts 2, in fulfillment of Jesus’ statement above, it is Peter who stands up to give his famous Pentecost sermon (v14), leading to the salvation of many (v41) and the establishment of the church (vv42-47).

This is the church that the apostles continued to grow. This is the church that the Reformers fought to preserve. This is the church that so many have been a part of throughout the centuries. This is the church that you and I are a part of today.

But I am afraid that this church, fashioned by the hand of God, has in some ways replaced God.

Allow me to share with you four ways in which the church becomes an idol…

1. When the happenings are more important than the Head

We are taught very clearly in Ephesians 1:22 and Colossians 1:18 that Christ is the head of the body, the church. But do all of our church’s events, programs, and happenings point to the head? Do they point people to Christ? Do they result in the changing of lives and the growth of the kingdom? Or do they merely result in our happiness and contentment? Christ must be the center of everything the church does.

2. When the work is more important than the Word

You may think that pastoring a church is simple. After all, pastors only work on Sundays and Wednesdays, right? Wrong. The work of the church, led by the pastoral staff, is a huge endeavor. There are meetings to be held, prayers to be said, visits to be made, songs to be sung, meals to be cooked, and events to be planned. But none of this should outweigh the studying, the preaching, the teaching, and, as a result, the exaltation of God’s inspired Word.

When the focal point of a worship service is not the preaching of the Word, something has gone wrong. When the word of man is given more emphasis than the Word of God, something has gone wrong. When meals and meetings take precedence over meditation, something has gone wrong. When more time is dedicated to event planning than exegesis and exposition, something has gone wrong.

Let Isaiah 40:8 remind us that “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever.”

3. When the building is more important than the body

Buildings are important. Buildings are needed. Churches today are constructing multi-million dollar facilities, and are putting them to great use. But we cannot forget that the church is not the four walls and the steeple (wait, do churches even have steeples anymore???). Even though Webster’s dictionary primarily defines the church as “a building that is used for Christian religious services,” the Greek word ekklesia refers to the “assembly” or the “gathering”—the people in the pews.

So while buildings are important, we shouldn’t sacrifice the needs of the people for the sake of our building projects. A strong body ought to be valued more than a state-of-the-art building.

4. When money is more important than ministry

In no way am I suggesting that money is unimportant. Giving financially to your local church is important. The way the church manages the money given is extremely important.

But here is what I’m getting at: The way a church spends its money needs to reflect its devotion to ministry. The church needs to focus on serving its members and reaching out to the lost more than on how much money is in the bank account.

After all, the church doesn’t have a 401k. While a church should put some money aside for emergencies and for the future, it should also be willing to spend money for the sake of the kingdom. Money should never hold a church back from doing the ministry God has called it to do.

In conclusion, let me ask you this: Do you see how easily the church can become an idol? Do you see how the line has been blurred between worshipping Christ and worshipping His church?

Remember, we can keep the church from becoming an idol when we:

·      value the Head more than the happenings

·      highlight the Word over the work

·      care about the body more than the building

·      focus on ministry more than money