Subang Jaya Church of Christ

Why doesn’t God answer all our prayers?

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by Yeow Chin Kiong

The Holy Scriptures instruct us to “… come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16) but there are conditions to fulfill when we approach the Most High with our needs. The Bible provides a number of reasons for unanswered prayer which have to do with some shortcoming on our part, when we do not fulfill these conditions. When Christians work at overcoming these weaknesses, they can expect the results of unhindered communication with the Father, assured that He will answer their prayers as He considers appropriate.

Firstly and fundamentally, some prayers are unfruitful simply because the one who asks does not know how to pray. The disciples had to ask, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), knowing that John the Baptist also taught his disciples how to pray. Responding to their request, Jesus taught the model prayer (Luke 11:2-4). During the sermon on the Mount, the Lord addressed the topic of effective prayer in some detail, covering motives, actions, content and conditions (Matthew 6:5-15). His directions must be followed when we pray, if we expect to be heard of God.

Secondly, prayers are hindered when we do not abide with God in fellowship, defined as seeking to please Him. “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). “And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22). The proof of being in fellowship with God is faithfulness to His revelation which is essential for our salvation and for our existence as God’s people (II Timothy 3:14-17). Abiding in a relationship with Jesus as Lord simply means that we do what He commands us (Matthew 7:16-17; Luke 6:43-49, James 2:20).

Thirdly, prayers are hindered when there are sins in our lives. Summarizing Psalm 34, I Peter 3:12 tells us, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." The Psalmist insists that his prayers have been answered but acknowledges that, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18). The one thing to pray for when we sin, before and above all else, is God’s forgiveness and His help for us to forsake our sin (I John 1:5-10), for this is a condition of remaining in fellowship with Him (I John 1:6-7).

Fourthly, our prayers are futile when they are made with wrong motives. Reminding us that we do not have because we do not ask, James 4:3 explains that, even when we do ask, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures”. The best example of successful prayer in the Old Testament is Hannah’s in I Samuel 1. She requested fervently for a male-child which she desired to dedicate to the Lord’s work, and her prayers were answered when she bore Samuel whom she placed in the service of Eli the priest from the time he was weaned. Whatever we feel we need or want ought to be of use in the Lord’s Kingdom and for His glory, and not for ourselves alone. If we expect to have our prayers answered, each time we ask in prayer, we should first ask ourselves, How is what I’m asking for important to the Lord’s work?

Fifthly, lack of faith stands in the way of answered prayer. Faith is conviction based on the evidence of scripture (Hebrews 11:1) that a loving God exists Who intervenes in the affairs of men. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). The opposite of faith is doubt, either in God’s existence as a loving Deity or in His desire to give good things to us, a guarantee that our prayers will be unanswered. “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord “(James 1:6-7). Besides on the occasion of the sermon on the Mount, Jesus had another opportunity to teach about effective prayer when the disciples noticed that a fig tree cursed by the Lord previously had dried up from its roots (Mark 11:12-14, 20-25). "Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:22-24).

Sixthly, as the Lord tells us in Mark 11: 25, a necessary condition of having our prayers answered, indeed a condition for our approaching God (Matthew 5:23-24), is being in a right relationship with our fellowmen, especially in forgiving others for their wrongs against us. Forgiving others is important to prayer because God needs to forgive us of our own sins if we are to come to His presence with our requests.

Lastly, we must persevere in prayer, asking without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17). This is the message of the Lord’s parable of the importunate widow in Luke 18:1-8, the valuable lesson that crying day and night is evidence of great faith in One who will provide. “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9).

SUBANG JAYA NEWS UPDATE OUR GUESTS LAST WEEKFri - Stephanie Khoo (Karen’s daughter) Sun - Angel &Jun Hon (SJ’s guests) * Mr Khoo, Stephanie, Maxine & Wilton (Karen’s family & parents) *Aneesha (Mahiban’s daughter) * Dr Michael (Pauline’s guest) & William (Sui Lin’s husband) * Chong Meng’s family OUR VISITORS LAST WEEKFri - Sis Hor (Klang) * Allan & family and Yu Kong (Malacca) Sun - Yik Min & Karen (JB) * Margaret, Candy & Tze Yean (Kuantan)* Stuart Daniel (KL) * Dr Koay (Klang); Mandarin - Candy & Margaret (Kuantan) * Quays (Malacca) * Bro Kwan (Klang) PRAYER REQUESTS For the health of: Doris Chan (KL), Francis, Katherine, Frank Pierce, Mahiban, Gary, Mr Chiah Tee Sang (Sis Tee’s brother-in-law), Ah Ngen (Han’s brother), Steven How (Daybreak printer) * Santhi and family * Yik Min’s grandmother * Charlie DiPalma’s eyesight* Sarojini & Leela’s health OUR APPRECIATION TO * Richard and his committee for the 7th Evangelism Seminar held last Thursday with 95 attendees. * The speakers and presenters * All who turned up. HAPPENING THIS WEEK• Engs’ home fellowship at 8 pm, Tuesday, 6 May • Chans’ home fellowship at 8pm, Wednesday, 7 May • Ladies Fellowship - 4pm, Saturday 10 May with Mary DiPalma, sharing a lesson entitled,    “What Should My Priority Be?” Bessie & Stephanie will coordinate. UPCOMING PROGRAMMES1. Sunday School Open Day Saturday, 24 May 2. Vacation Bible School (age 4 - 12), 8am - 5pm, 26 & 27 May 2008 organized by Klang. For     registration (free) please sign up with Lily Tan. 3. 3rd Chinese Asian Bible Lectureship, 29 - 31 May 2008 organized by JB. 4. 1st Annual Four Seas Lectureship 1 - 5 June.