CONCERNING PRAYERS PART THREE. THE MYTH OF UNASWERED PRAYERS

CONCERNING PRAYERS PART 3. THE MYTH OF UNANSWERED PRAYERS

The man in Christ has been saddled with a compulsory responsibility to pray  without ceasing. Your usefulness to Christ’s kingdom on earth is dependent  on prayers. The man that doesn’t pray can not fulfil God’s plan. We have seen in part one of this series why we must pray. We also saw in part two what we must pray.  Prayer doesn’t just change things , it changes you. Kindly read part one and two before  you  proceed. In this  part, we are looking at the certainty in prayers. Do we pray for praying sake ? Does God answer prayers ? Is there anything like unanswered prayers ?

There are several myths believed among Christians. What is a myth? A myth in this context is  an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true. Many persons fight for what doesn’t exist. Like in the previous part, we saw one of such myth that  power is in killing people.  We saw from scriptures that how God show He is powerful is by saving men. 

Before you pray you have to be certain about the one you are praying to. You have to know and believe that he answers prayers. Let’s look at the book James. 

James 1

5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

In the first verses of James 1, we see that it talks about temptations for believers. Verse two says we should rejoice when we are having issues. Now verse 5 says if any lack wisdom (to deal with the issues in that context ) let him ask God. The word used for lack(Greek word leipō) is to leave behind. If you leave wisdom behind in dealing with issues, you can pray to ask God. Pay attention to the God you are to ask. Who is this God? Everyone believes God has the  ability to do all things. The issue many times is if God is willing and ready to do it now. 

God gives to all liberally without upbraiding. He gives sincerely without reproach or finding fault. To upbraid is to reproach, to find reason not to do, to find fault. God gives to all without finding fault. This is the more reason why even those not in Christ can ask and receive miracles  even in their sins. We saw Jesus, the image of God walked the earth, He never refused anyone their petition. He never  found fault not to answer. That is the God we pray to. NOTICE verse 6 says let the one who asks do so in faith. The person must believe on the merciful and giving nature of God. He must also believe in his asking. You learn  to believe in your prayers knowing that God ALWAYS answers prayers. The result of not having faith  is that the person  will not receive verse 6. It doesn’t say GOD WILL NOT GIVE but the person will not receive. Take note of  that. Why will the person not receive? Because he didn’t ask in faith. So it is as good as not asking at all. God doesn’t respond to pity party. He responds to our request in faith. 

WHAT OF THE PRAYER OF SINNERS ?

One myth that many believe is that the prayer of a sinner is abomination unto God.  You cannot use Bible to support that. The Bible is full of sinners who prayed and got their answers. Adam that introduced sin into the world, God made clothes for him. Genesis 3:21. God gave them wisdom to make the clothes. We saw the first murderer in the Bible, Cain prayed and God didn’t refuse his request. He asked for protection after killing Abel and he got it from God (Genesis 4:14-15). We know that God never changed. He remains the same. He doesn’t find fault. He doesn’t find reason not to answer. What of Hagar? She prayed and God answered her through an angel. She experienced “angelic dimension “ that many believers are praying to break into not knowing it is normal for angels to serve man. In Genesis 16 when Hagar fled from the Abraham melt the Angel and  asked water of the Lord and got it through angelic supply in verse 3-14. What about Job who kept praying for years before God answered? Not so. The first time it was recorded that job prayed was in chapter 42. This was when his situation changed. He never prayed before then. Remember in time of affliction, we are told to PRAY not to cry, wait, complain or think is God punishing us. 

James 5: 13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray....

This was what Job failed to do. He ought to pray  and rebuke the devil the devourer. Another myth is to think God use evil to tempt Job or teach him a lesson. God can talk if he wants to teach lesson, he can speak to you through His word, His spirit in you or the men around you. Job fell victim of the devil because of his fears and sin consciousness. 

James 5: 13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 

God cannot tempt us with evil. So, it is obvious that it was not God who tempted Job. It is very important to know the nature of God in prayers. The God you know is the God you pray to. Some persons have prayed to the devil as God. They get angry at the end that God didn’t answer when they didn’t pray to Him. God answers prayers, yes he does despite the actions of men. Does it means God likes sin ? No. He likes the sinner not the sin. But you must realise that out of His love nature He always answers without finding fault. 

WHAT OF PSALM that said that IF GOD REGARD INIQUITY IN OUR HEART HE WILL NOT HEAR?

It is not in the Bible like that. It is a myth to believe God doesn’t hear us because of iniquity. Let’s look at psalm 66. 

Psalm 66

18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

19  But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

20  Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

One of the greatest danger is to quote a verse without considering the verses before and after it that is, the context. There is nothing in this verses above that says God doesn’t answer prayer because of sin. It is a false believe not true.

First realise that it is DAVID who says if I regard iniquity not God. If man regard the sins in their heart,  God will not hear them. Notice verse 19 says VERILY, CERTAINLY,  God had heard. It is because God does not regard iniquity. Verse 20 tells   us God heard us because of His mercy not because  of sins. God has always been gracious even before  beginning. So, we can see that God does not find fault in answering prayers. 

What of Isaiah  that says  HIS EARS COULDN'T HEAR OUR PRAYERS because of our iniquity?  Not so.

Isaiah  59

1  Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidhis face from you, that he will not hear.

16  And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.

17  For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.

Notice the first verse stated that God's hand is not short to deliver. God delivers and hears prayers sure. No doubt about it. The issue is that these people were under the law with sins being imputed by the law. There iniquities were imputed because no intercesor. Now that God's arm Christ has brought salvation, sins cannot be imputed again by the law. It is the sin that separates  people. It is the law that imputes sins not God. We must understand forgiveness of sins before the law, during the law and after the law. Forgiveness of sins has always been because of the nature of God.  When the law came, we saw the law imputing sin. For example, we see the children of Israel murmur in Exodus 16 and there was no consequence. After the law was given in Exodus 19 and 20, they murmured and many died. For more on these please read the series on forgiveness of sins part one, part two and part three. 

So far, we have seen that God answers prayers not finding fault.  He is good to all. He will not even say because the person  is not in Christ He will not answer. God is kind to the unthankful. 

Luke 6: 35  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

God is kind to the unthankful and to the evil. That is the God we pray to. I have seen many persons who think God owes them because they feel they merit it . Such persons many times find it difficult to get from God. Others come knowing that God is merciful and will always  answer us. We must come to God knowing who he is that He doesn’t find fault.

IS THERE ANYTHING LIKE UNANSWERED  PRAYERS ?

NO. The Bible is the basics of what we believe. In the Bible there is no record of any man praying to God without getting a reply. What  about waiting on the Lord?  It is the language of the prophets used to mean prayers. You are waiting on the Lord when you are praying knowing fully well you will surely get answers. How come we experience delays some times in getting answers ? The delay is not from God. In the side of God, it is instant.

THE WISDOM OF GOD IN KNOWING WHAT GOD CAN DO AND DOES IN PRAYERS

There is what God does solely by himself. There is what requires process and the efforts of men. Many times, people blame God for what God is not responsible for. One thing we know GOD IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE for is SALVATION. Here lies the sovereignty of God. When it comes to salvation all man need to do is to believe and have life. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A MAN WHO BELIEVED AND NOT GET SAVED IMMEDIATELY? NO. This shows us how that delay is not with God. Delay is with men. If it was Solely in the hand of God to give you that money,  job, health, He would  have given you immidiately you ask. Men are given the opportunity to run this earth not God. Out of God’s love, He cannot override the choices of men. Psalm 115: 16  The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men. The way God answers prayers is what we must learn. If it is salvation, we believe and it happens once. There is nothing that is solely in the hand of God that cannot happen immediately. 

But if it involves men, we must learn to pray for wisdom and get instructions from God. We must also learn to depend on the power of God and to work miracles. For example, money is in the hands of men. God doesn’t produce money. So, when we are praying for money, we must know that it will come through men. God can lay it in the heart of men to favour us. We can work miracles of provisions too. So if it is base on these, some factors like the choice of men can delay the money coming. It is not because God didn’t answer. That is the place of patience in time of issues. Patience is not what will be will be,  rather it has to do with waiting in faith.  Because you believe , you keep faith alive. Another example is someone praying for a job. God is not an employer. What can happen? Miraculously, God can make the opportunity to come but the person will still have to do the interviews trusting God and resume the job. 

What of fruit of the womb? God gives children to all. But HOW? By intercourse between male and female. It is a natural process. This is why even prostitute are giving birth. So when you get married and you do the normal thing and didn’t get the result, it means something is wrong with the body. So you correct it with the power of God.  You can first ascertain what is the problem,  then use the power of God on it in prayers. There is never a disadvantage for the man who prays.

FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS IN PRAYERS

Also learn to follow instruction from prayers. James one says , in times of issues if you leave wisdom behind, you ask God and get. The answers from prayers some times can be as instructions. For example, you are praying for a job and suddenly names of people and places comes to your mind. You have to take note of them because prayer is a dialogue. The answer is there. If in praying for the contract , you hear call this , and go this place. Don’t argue with the instructions.  The wisdom of God is the answer. Do exactly what you feel in your heart knowing GOD CANNOT FAIL. Learn to follow God like a baby in prayers. Follow God with God’s sense not with human sense. If you fail to follow the instruction and didn't get the result , you can not blame God. It is that you refused to work with the answer you got. REMEMBER GOD IS NOT IN CHARGE  OF EVERYTHING. TAKE EVERYTHING YOU HEAR, FEEL OR SEE in prayers serious. Not following all of these makes people to  say there are unanswered prayers. God’s answer is yes always. There are times to simply ask the Lord.  Other times you have to USE GOD'S POWER deliberately to get the answer. When it is an opposition, you speak to the mountain believing what you said. 

Mark 11

23  For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

24  Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

You must know when to use the power of God or when to ask and  receive.  You must also learn to insist on the power of God. We are not quitters and must not take No for an answer. We know it is not God delaying. So we must use God’s power and wisdom to get the answer. You cannot be praying to get clients for example and the same time be rude and fighting all your customers in business. Even if the power of God brings them, your attitude will drive them. We know God can do exceedingly above what we ask by God’s power in us. Ephesians 3: 20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

What then do we say in prayers? What are our declarations ? What about praying in tongues? How does it help in prayers? All these and much more will be addressed in the next part of this series, CONCERNING PRAYERS PART FOUR., What we say in prayers, praying in tongues and known langauge. 

BY EMEKE MODESTY OBIAZIKWOR 

www.emekemodesty.com