Unanswered Prayer

fivesense · Jul 4, 2010

Knowing from experience that God does not answer all prayers we pray, what is it that prevents prayer from being answered?

fivesense

brionne · Jul 5, 2010

fivesense said:
Knowing from experience that God does not answer all prayers we pray, what is it that prevents prayer from being answered?

fivesense

thats a good question. My husband, who is a non believer, often says that if God just wanted to prove his existence he could answer prayers to do it. I tried to explain that God does not answer prayers that have the purpose of testing God...even Jesus, when he was put to the test by those who just wanted to see if he had powers, refused to answer such requests. Matthew 12:38-46

There are biblical examples of those who did not have their prayers answered and Jesus gave us an indication of what prayers God does answer.

the Apostle Paul admitted that he had prayed for something earnestly but God denied his prayer in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
and Paul had to deal with what he called a 'thorn in the flesh'. Pauls example shows us that God does not remove sicknesses or trials from us not matter how much we ask him. I would say that is because God has promised us that he will remove our sicknesses and trials at his own appointed time...but we cannot expect him to jump ahead of his own time schedual for our benefit.

Jesus also implied that he answers us when we ask for things which are in harmony with his will at John 14:12-14 he says;
12 Most truly I say to YOU, He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these, because I am going my way to the Father. 13 Also, whatever it is that YOU ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. 14 If YOU ask anything in my name, I will do it.

There are 2 points to consider here. Jesus said that those 'doing the works he did' will have their prayers answered. But also that the purpose of answering such requests would be to 'glorify the father' So our prayers should be in harmony with whatever glorify's God the Father.

I wouldnt say that asking for my lost dog to be found is somethign that will glorify the father...nor will asking to win the lottery if you know what i mean. It seems that if we are asking for the right things, then God will answer us. But if we are asking for selfish things to benefit ourselves then we most certainly wont have our prayers answered.

fivesense · Jul 5, 2010

Pegg said:
thats a good question. My husband, who is a non believer, often says that if God just wanted to prove his existence he could answer prayers to do it. I tried to explain that God does not answer prayers that have the purpose of testing God...even Jesus, when he was put to the test by those who just wanted to see if he had powers, refused to answer such requests. Matthew 12:38-46

There are biblical examples of those who did not have their prayers answered and Jesus gave us an indication of what prayers God does answer.

the Apostle Paul admitted that he had prayed for something earnestly but God denied his prayer in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
and Paul had to deal with what he called a 'thorn in the flesh'. Pauls example shows us that God does not remove sicknesses or trials from us not matter how much we ask him. I would say that is because God has promised us that he will remove our sicknesses and trials at his own appointed time...but we cannot expect him to jump ahead of his own time schedual for our benefit.

Jesus also implied that he answers us when we ask for things which are in harmony with his will at John 14:12-14 he says;
12 Most truly I say to YOU, He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these, because I am going my way to the Father. 13 Also, whatever it is that YOU ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. 14 If YOU ask anything in my name, I will do it.

There are 2 points to consider here. Jesus said that those 'doing the works he did' will have their prayers answered. But also that the purpose of answering such requests would be to 'glorify the father' So our prayers should be in harmony with whatever glorify's God the Father.

I wouldnt say that asking for my lost dog to be found is somethign that will glorify the father...nor will asking to win the lottery if you know what i mean. It seems that if we are asking for the right things, then God will answer us. But if we are asking for selfish things to benefit ourselves then we most certainly wont have our prayers answered.

A dull knife is sharpened by many strokes. I can see the edge forming already.
fivesense

Jimmy Engle · Jul 5, 2010

I think at times God will show Himself in a way to encourage us and remind us that He is with us. I wouldn't consider this testing God...but I was praying and looking up at the stars....earlier I told Him that I never seen a shooting star. So while I was looking at those stars...just being reminded of how great our God is...I saw a shooting star. Again, I don't consider this to be testing God even though I did ask for it while I was praying, but I think sometimes He will answer those prayers that many would think He would never answer...we just have to ask with the right attitude/reasons I think.

fivesense · Jul 5, 2010

James said:
I think at times God will show Himself in a way to encourage us and remind us that He is with us. I wouldn't consider this testing God...but I was praying and looking up at the stars....earlier I told Him that I never seen a shooting star. So while I was looking at those stars...just being reminded of how great our God is...I saw a shooting star. Again, I don't consider this to be testing God even though I did ask for it while I was praying, but I think sometimes He will answer those prayers that many would think He would never answer...we just have to ask with the right attitude/reasons I think.

This adds much to what I am seeking. I certainly have experienced these types of "answers" from Him.
fivesense

gregg · Jul 5, 2010

hey fivesense heres a good one i personally had-my mastiff had died and i was sitting outside on my pourch just enjoying gods country not city and i said God i miss my dog would you send me the uglyest dog in the would. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I FOUND HIM trapped in my fence.i had never seen nothing so ugly and i knew i had to find its owner.paper ,radio, phone calls no one claimed him and as i was looking at him trying to decide what to do God said quote DIDN'T YOU ASK FOR HIM end quote watch what you say always because God is listening.

in love

Paul · Jul 5, 2010

fivesense said:
Knowing from experience that God does not answer all prayers we pray, what is it that prevents prayer from being answered?

fivesense

God does answer all prayer, sometimes the answer is “yes,” sometimes it is “later,” and sometimes it is, “No.” We just don’t like to recognize the answers of “later, or “No.”

fivesense · Jul 5, 2010

gregg said:
hey fivesense heres a good one i personally had-my mastiff had died and i was sitting outside on my pourch just enjoying gods country not city and i said God i miss my dog would you send me the uglyest dog in the would. ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER I FOUND HIM trapped in my fence.i had never seen nothing so ugly and i knew i had to find its owner.paper ,radio, phone calls no one claimed him and as i was looking at him trying to decide what to do God said quote DIDN'T YOU ASK FOR HIM end quote watch what you say always because God is listening.

in love

This is excellent! Absolutely how God works. What a blessing to hear this one gregg.
fivesense

Paul said:
God does answer all prayer, sometimes the answer is “yes,” sometimes it is “later,” and sometimes it is, “No.” We just don’t like to recognize the answers of “later, or “No.”

"Later" and "no" just don't seem to fit the memory files. Gotta go through this over and over sometimes.
fivesense

WhiteKnuckle · Jul 5, 2010

Sometimes what we ask for isn't in our best interest.

I have to use my kids as an example on this one.

They look at you with these big innocent eyes and say, "Dad, can I have a snow cone?" You know they already had a cookie earlier, or maybe have been eating a little more junk food lately than they should.

Even though your heart is melting, and you truely want to see them happy and enjoying a tasty snowcone on a hot summer day,,,,, You have to break your own heart and say "No".

It's simply because you know that it's not the right thing for them right now.

Sometimes even at the store and the kids ask for a toy. LOL, their little voices are soooooo sweet and soft. The toy isn't that expensive, and the same thing, You'd like nothing more than to buy it for them and see the big smiles on their little faces.

but, once again. You need to break your own heart and say "No" again. Because you need to teach them discipline that they don't need everything they see and they need to learn they can't have everything they want all the time.

The disappointed looks on their faces can be devistating and heart wrenching sometimes.

After being a parent It seems I've come to understand how God might look at us and deal with us.

There's always a reason and always a lesson. God always knows what's right and rest assured isn't making any mistakes.

fivesense · Jul 5, 2010

WhiteKnuckle said:
Sometimes what we ask for isn't in our best interest.
I have to use my kids as an example on this one.
They look at you with these big innocent eyes and say, "Dad, can I have a snow cone?" You know they already had a cookie earlier, or maybe have been eating a little more junk food lately than they should.
Even though your heart is melting, and you truely want to see them happy and enjoying a tasty snowcone on a hot summer day,,,,, You have to break your own heart and say "No".
It's simply because you know that it's not the right thing for them right now.
Sometimes even at the store and the kids ask for a toy. LOL, their little voices are soooooo sweet and soft. The toy isn't that expensive, and the same thing, You'd like nothing more than to buy it for them and see the big smiles on their little faces.
but, once again. You need to break your own heart and say "No" again. Because you need to teach them discipline that they don't need everything they see and they need to learn they can't have everything they want all the time.
The disappointed looks on their faces can be devistating and heart wrenching sometimes.
After being a parent It seems I've come to understand how God might look at us and deal with us.
There's always a reason and always a lesson. God always knows what's right and rest assured isn't making any mistakes.

You had to drag the kids into to it, didn't ya. Then there's this parent business your asking me to look at. It's not what I need to make a clear and objective conclusion on prayer. I, like you, can hardly resist them in their petitions. How much more difficult for the One Who has an unending supply of resources. I can say "no" more often because of the money. It ain't there, so don't ask for nothin'. But if I had endless monies, I would probably give in alot to their whining and manipulation. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, in matters of answering prayer as well it seems.
fivesense

evanom · Jul 5, 2010

All these answers are pretty good. Here's another one to chew on:

We all know of God's promises but the problem is we don't know how they are obtained. So we end up relying on our own reasoning to explain why they don't happen, being the most popular “lack of faith”, or perhaps lack of giving (to the ministries, of course) or perhaps that they are tests we must endure. Now, it's not that we can't or shouldn't ask God for things, but what's the point of having so many biblical promises in our Christian lives if we're not taught HOW to obtain them?

We know that Jesus promised that all we request will be given onto us. But we must put everything together correctly in the right context. Let's be careful of taking this promise out of its respective context, isolating it from the rest of the Word. Let's analyze this by comparing the spiritual with the spiritual. Let's begin with Jesus' promise:

“Verily I say unto you, If you have faith, and doubt not, (…) you shall say unto this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”

Matthew 21:21-22

Sounds great, doesn't it? But remember nothing is automatic in the Kingdom of God. Things go into effect by means of covenant. So let's look for the covenant that puts this promise to work.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you”

Luke 6:38ª

So there you have it; first you have to “give” and this can only be done be your own free will.

“But this I say, he who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

II Corinthians 9:6

If you want to request big, then first you need to give big. I know that the first thing that comes to our mind when we hear something like this is money, but this is not necessarily the case. “Giving” can be of your talent for the works of God, or of your time to help in such works or simply muscle power that a work would need to be carried out. There is more than one way of giving, but careful; for God knows the intentions of the heart. It's no use boasting before men in these cases. If you sow lemons you'll reap lemons. God will know if you’re giving Him “spare change” or if you're giving in abundance and merrily, be it money, talent, time, physical work, etc.

“Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God

loves a cheerful giver.” II Corinthians 9:7

With this we begin to see the necessary steps for this promise to come true in our lives. God is a God of covenants and His Word is here a little and there a little. Therefore, we should understand that the promise of “everything will be given” is not something automatic. Let's look then at the most important component that is required for this covenant. Jesus said:

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.”

John 15:7

This is a condition. IF, and only if, we remain in Him, then He will fulfill His promise. What does it mean to remain in Jesus? Let's put it this way: Jesus = the Word of God. Therefore we can translate the previous verse as:

If you remain in the Word of God... What is the Word of God? Well, the Bible. If we remain in what the Bible says, all that is written between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21 that God has established as law, commandment, mandate and truth, THEN we can request what we want or need and it will be given unto us. Equally, we have to keep all that Jesus spoke making it a part of our lives. For a short summary of what Jesus spoke to us, read the Sermon of the Mount in the gospel according to Matthew chapters 5 to 7, and after reading it, apply it to your lives; and after applying it to your lives, ask what you will!

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

I John 3:22

Grat · Jul 5, 2010

Good answer evanom. I'm just not convinced.
I've hear all of the answers mentioned over the years and still I'm not convinced.
Like you, fivesense, the parent ones clouds things for me, not clarifies.
I've just been in a season of rethinking everything to do with prayer and I'm not out of it yet. But things are becoming a little clearer.
This much I do know.
Firstly there are immovable foundations. God is good. He is our Father.
The struggle with these has taken many years. Bad father figures, experiences, etc, all went together to produce wrong images/patterns that clouded things. As God’s corrected, healed, replaced and repaired these things in me I’ve finally at a point to be able to rest in the fact that God is good. That while He has an active sense of humour, He is still good. In all He does and says, He is good.
He is my father, my Dad. He loves me, holds me, nurses me, strengthens me, corrects me, disciplines me and loves me perfectly as my daddy. Like a real Dad, He’ll even stand by while I try things, knowing I could hurt myself but realising that I need to try to grow. Does a loving Dad stop their child from doing something because they might get hurt? No. A loving Dad will help the child to minimise risks, but will not remove the risks.
Next there is the nature of God. God is God. It sounds obvious but we forget this one. We cannot trick, coerce, guilt trip or bend God to our will. He cannot be manipulated by word or spell, so chanting bible verses or doing something the same as someone else isn’t going to get us anywhere either. Whenever someone presents the “10 quick steps to ...”, run away.
Lastly is the Kingdom. In Luke 12 Jesus talks a bit about this, especially Luke 12:31. Where is our heart? Are we seeking God or seeking us?
Is this it? I think not. I’m not there yet, but this is my foundation. This has allowed me to cope with the current situation and have optimism about the future.
I hope this helps you get through this season.

fivesense · Jul 6, 2010

evanom said:
All these answers are pretty good. Here's another one to chew on:
We all know of God's promises but the problem is we don't know how they are obtained. So we end up relying on our own reasoning to explain why they don't happen, being the most popular “lack of faith”, or perhaps lack of giving (to the ministries, of course) or perhaps that they are tests we must endure. Now, it's not that we can't or shouldn't ask God for things, but what's the point of having so many biblical promises in our Christian lives if we're not taught HOW to obtain them?
We know that Jesus promised that all we request will be given onto us. But we must put everything together correctly in the right context. Let's be careful of taking this promise out of its respective context, isolating it from the rest of the Word. Let's analyze this by comparing the spiritual with the spiritual. Let's begin with Jesus' promise:
“Verily I say unto you, If you have faith, and doubt not, (…) you shall say unto this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.”

Matthew 21:21-22
Sounds great, doesn't it? But remember nothing is automatic in the Kingdom of God. Things go into effect by means of covenant. So let's look for the covenant that puts this promise to work.
“Give, and it shall be given unto you” 

Luke 6:38ª
So there you have it; first you have to “give” and this can only be done be your own free will.
“But this I say, he who sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

II Corinthians 9:6
If you want to request big, then first you need to give big. I know that the first thing that comes to our mind when we hear something like this is money, but this is not necessarily the case. “Giving” can be of your talent for the works of God, or of your time to help in such works or simply muscle power that a work would need to be carried out. There is more than one way of giving, but careful; for God knows the intentions of the heart. It's no use boasting before men in these cases. If you sow lemons you'll reap lemons. God will know if you’re giving Him “spare change” or if you're giving in abundance and merrily, be it money, talent, time, physical work, etc.
“Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God

loves a cheerful giver.” II Corinthians 9:7
With this we begin to see the necessary steps for this promise to come true in our lives. God is a God of covenants and His Word is here a little and there a little. Therefore, we should understand that the promise of “everything will be given” is not something automatic. Let's look then at the most important component that is required for this covenant. Jesus said:
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.” 

John 15:7
This is a condition. IF, and only if, we remain in Him, then He will fulfill His promise. What does it mean to remain in Jesus? Let's put it this way: Jesus = the Word of God. Therefore we can translate the previous verse as:

If you remain in the Word of God... What is the Word of God? Well, the Bible. If we remain in what the Bible says, all that is written between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21 that God has established as law, commandment, mandate and truth, THEN we can request what we want or need and it will be given unto us. Equally, we have to keep all that Jesus spoke making it a part of our lives. For a short summary of what Jesus spoke to us, read the Sermon of the Mount in the gospel according to Matthew chapters 5 to 7, and after reading it, apply it to your lives; and after applying it to your lives, ask what you will!
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”

I John 3:22

I would like to think that my needs are more important than others in prayer. In fact, that's who I talk about mostly when I address Him. But your point is strongly noted. There is more to my life than my own desires being fulfilled, and self-centered petitions don't reap a whole lot of answers, do they...

fivesense

fivesense · Jul 6, 2010

Grat said:
Good answer evanom. I'm just not convinced.
I've hear all of the answers mentioned over the years and still I'm not convinced.
Like you, fivesense, the parent ones clouds things for me, not clarifies.
I've just been in a season of rethinking everything to do with prayer and I'm not out of it yet. But things are becoming a little clearer.
This much I do know.
Firstly there are immovable foundations. God is good. He is our Father.
The struggle with these has taken many years. Bad father figures, experiences, etc, all went together to produce wrong images/patterns that clouded things. As God’s corrected, healed, replaced and repaired these things in me I’ve finally at a point to be able to rest in the fact that God is good. That while He has an active sense of humour, He is still good. In all He does and says, He is good.
He is my father, my Dad. He loves me, holds me, nurses me, strengthens me, corrects me, disciplines me and loves me perfectly as my daddy. Like a real Dad, He’ll even stand by while I try things, knowing I could hurt myself but realising that I need to try to grow. Does a loving Dad stop their child from doing something because they might get hurt? No. A loving Dad will help the child to minimise risks, but will not remove the risks.
Next there is the nature of God. God is God. It sounds obvious but we forget this one. We cannot trick, coerce, guilt trip or bend God to our will. He cannot be manipulated by word or spell, so chanting bible verses or doing something the same as someone else isn’t going to get us anywhere either. Whenever someone presents the “10 quick steps to ...”, run away.
Lastly is the Kingdom. In Luke 12 Jesus talks a bit about this, especially Luke 12:31. Where is our heart? Are we seeking God or seeking us?
Is this it? I think not. I’m not there yet, but this is my foundation. This has allowed me to cope with the current situation and have optimism about the future.
I hope this helps you get through this season.

I was thinking about how hard it is to say no to my 14 year old daughter. Being a father to an only child who is excellent in most things, spoiling her without testing and discipline comes easy. It feels like the right thing to do. Fortunately the beautiful wife is aware of my weakness, and offsets that propensitiy by disciplining us both, should I get caught up in being overly indulgent. Whiteknuckle's point of parenting and God's Fatherhood to us, that He will respond according to what is proper at all times, just set me off on how weak and insufficient I am at times to the task.

Grat, I love your relationship to God. It is inspiring to see such devotion and respect for Him. Your balance and experience is very much appreciated. Knowing and realizing who the Father is to us can become lost in our efforts to win the prize of the high calling. You do well to keep that in check by being always mindful of the depth of His love. Thank you.

fivesense

Surf Rider · Jul 14, 2010

I thought that scripture was quite clear on why our prayers were impotent, ie, not answered.

It seems that we read them, but when our life would be condemned by them, we choose to ignore them and debate why, when the scriptures have already told us why.

It also seems that to state these obvious truths is to incur wrath and condescening judgment, and even outright hostility from some. At the very least, one is yet ignored, discussed, and debated, just like the scriptures which speak clearly on these things are done with.

And the debates, discussions, and deep "insights" just keep rolling on and on and on.

But then again, the scirptures are fairly clear, and repeatedly so, on why that happens, too.

O well.

No point in changing. And aren't we taught that this is our lot in life? Carry on!

Selene · Jul 15, 2010

Theoretically, we can ask for anything. Jesus said, "Ask, and you shall receive." He just didn't say what you would get or when. It is useless to pray for anything that would be immoral or evil, since God will not give divine assistance so that we can sin.

Jesus shows the perfect attitude in prayer. Matthew 26:39 describes when Christ was in the Garden of Olives before His arrest. During that time, Jesus prayed so intensely. The Scripture quotes Him as saying "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass, yet not as I will, but as You will." That last part needs to be added to all our prayers. We are encouraged to pray for whatever we need, but should always add the same proviso Jesus did, "yet not as I will, but as You will."

Can we pray to win the lottery? God is not Monty Hall, and life is not "Let's Make a Deal." Praying to win at gambling, even if you promise to share your winnings or give them all to charity or to your church, is disrepectful to our Lord. Games of chance or sporting events should be amusement and nothing else. Praying that your favorite team wins the Super Bowl, the World Series, or the World Cup is not proper because God does not take sides in such things. Instead, we should pray that everyone plays well, that no one gets hurt, that good sportsmanship is shown, and that the officials and referees are fair and just. If a person needs money to pay the bills, it is always best to pray for the bills to be paid rather than to pray to God to provide you the money. God can always get your bills paid without providing you with money. (I know because this has happened.)

Who hasn't prayed while taking a final exam or the SAT? There is nothing wrong with praying for a clear head and that you do your best, but prayer cannot and should not be used to replace study and homework. God gave us an intellect as well as free will; He wants us to use both.

So, yes, there are certain prayers that God will not answer.

pastorlesofm · Jul 15, 2010

Selene said:
Theoretically, we can ask for anything. Jesus said, "Ask, and you shall receive." He just didn't say what you would get or when. It is useless to pray for anything that would be immoral or evil, since God will not give divine assistance so that we can sin.

Jesus shows the perfect attitude in prayer. Matthew 26:39 describes when Christ was in the Garden of Olives before His arrest. During that time, Jesus prayed so intensely. The Scripture quotes Him as saying "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass, yet not as I will, but as You will." That last part needs to be added to all our prayers. We are encouraged to pray for whatever we need, but should always add the same proviso Jesus did, "yet not as I will, but as You will."

Can we pray to win the lottery? God is not Monty Hall, and life is not "Let's Make a Deal." Praying to win at gambling, even if you promise to share your winnings or give them all to charity or to your church, is disrepectful to our Lord. Games of chance or sporting events should be amusement and nothing else. Praying that your favorite team wins the Super Bowl, the World Series, or the World Cup is not proper because God does not take sides in such things. Instead, we should pray that everyone plays well, that no one gets hurt, that good sportsmanship is shown, and that the officials and referees are fair and just. If a person needs money to pay the bills, it is always best to pray for the bills to be paid rather than to pray to God to provide you the money. God can always get your bills paid without providing you with money. (I know because this has happened.)

Who hasn't prayed while taking a final exam or the SAT? There is nothing wrong with praying for a clear head and that you do your best, but prayer cannot and should not be used to replace study and homework. God gave us an intellect as well as free will; He wants us to use both.

So, yes, there are certain prayers that God will not answer.

I agree, unfortunately sometimes we forget who Created who and who is the Creator. For who's purpose. We were created for His purpose II Timothy 1:9 KJV. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

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