Does God Answer Prayers? The Bible Says…

Does God Answer Prayers?

Yes, God answers prayer. The Bible makes this extraordinarily clear. In 1 John 5:14-15, we read that “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus tells us to “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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

These verses make it clear that God does answer prayer, but He may not always answer in the way we expect.

Why Does God Answer Prayers?

God answers prayers for a number of reasons.

Because He Is Good and Sovereign

God answers prayers out of the goodness of His heart and because He loves us. He answers prayers to show us His glory and power, to remind us that He is sovereign over our lives and cares for us every moment (Psalm 46:1).

Because He Loves Us

God also answers our prayers because He loves us. He desires for us to be in close relationship with Him and wants us to recognize His presence in our lives. He answers prayer as a way of expressing this love (John 3:16). When we pray and God answers our prayers, it draws us close to Him.

It Fulfills His Promises

God also answers prayers to fulfill His promises. He knows the needs of His children and He promises to meet those needs (Matthew 6:30). We can trust that God will answer our prayers if we ask in faith. We can be sure that He will answer in His perfect timing and when it is best for us (Psalm 31:14-15).

It Brings Him Glory

God answers prayers because He is a God of love, and it brings Him glory to answer His children’s requests. When we pray according to His will, He is glorified when He answers our prayers (John 15:7-8). God is seen to be exceedingly powerful and able to do all things. He is glorified as the provider of all things and the Sovereign One.

How Does God Answer Prayers?

At the risk of being overly simple, God answers prayers in three distinct ways.

God Answers “Yes”

Sometimes God answers our prayers with a definitive “yes”. He agrees to our requests and fulfills them in His perfect timing. We can trust that God will never say “yes” to anything that is contrary to His will (James 4:3). When God says “yes”, we can be sure that He is giving us exactly what we need.

There are examples in Scripture of God answering prayers right away. In the book of Acts, for instance, God answered Peter’s prayer for a miraculous sign instantly (Acts 10:9-16). Jesus told us that if we pray in His name, God will do great things. In Mark 11:24, He says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

God Answers “No”

There are other times when God says “no” to our requests. He may not grant us the thing that we are asking for, but it is only because He knows what is best for us.

In John 15:7-8 Jesus says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

This means that whatever we ask for in prayer should be within the boundaries of God’s will. If it is contrary to His will, He may say “no” and instead give us something better (Jeremiah 29:11). We must remember that God arranges all things for our good, including the times when He says “no”.

In Romans 8:28 we read, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

God Answers “Wait”

Finally, there are times when God answers prayers with a “wait”. He may not give us an immediate answer, but He does have a plan and purpose. God wants us to trust in Him, even when we don’t understand why He hasn’t answered our prayer right away.

In Psalm 27:14 it says, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

When we don’t get an immediate answer to our prayers, it is important to remember that God already knows what the future holds, and His timing is perfect (Proverbs 19:21). We can be confident that whatever He has planned for us will be good.

God answers prayers according to His perfect will. He answers “yes”, “no”, and “wait” in order to fulfill His love for us, complete His promises, and bring Him glory. We can trust that God will answer all of our prayers in the best way for us. In faith, we can be sure that He will give us exactly what we need in His perfect timing.

Does God Answer Everyone’s Prayers?

Yes, God does answer everyone’s prayers. However, the Bible makes it clear that God particularly loves to answer the prayers of His children. In Luke 11:13, Jesus says, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

God wants His children to come to Him with their needs and He promises to answer us when we call out to Him. In Hebrews 4:16 it says, “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

God answers the prayers of those who trust Him, even when they don’t get exactly what they ask for. He is perfect in His love and wisdom, and He is always working for our good.

The Types Of Prayers God Answers

Prayer In Jesus Name

First and foremost, God answers prayers that are made in Jesus’ name.

John 14:13-14 says, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

God is always willing to answer prayers made in Jesus’ name because of the powerful authority it carries. This is why Jesus specifically told us to pray in His name, so that God would be glorified and our prayers could be answered according to His will.

When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are stating that we are relying on Jesus for our righteousness. We can’t ask God to answer our prayers based on our own good works. We can, however, ask Him in the name of Jesus and be confident that He will answer according to His perfect will.

Prayers Of Faith

God also answers prayers of faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

God requires faith in order for Him to answer our prayers. We must have a deep trust and belief that He is working on our behalf. When we pray with faith, God hears us and works His perfect will.

It is important to remember that our faith must be in God alone. We can’t put our faith in ourselves or anything else, because only God has the power to answer prayers and fulfill His promises (Philippians 4:6).

Prayer According To His Will

Does God answer prayer? Yes, if those prayers are according to His will. In 1 John 5:14-15 it says, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

God always answers prayer according to His will. He loves us too much to give us something that would harm us or go against His plans for our lives. When we pray, we must be willing to accept whatever answer He gives—even if it isn’t the one we were expecting.

We can have confidence that when God answers our prayers, it is always according to His perfect will and timing. He knows what is best for us, and we can trust Him to give us exactly what we need.

Thankful Prayers

God also answers prayers that are accompanied with thanksgiving. When we are thankful, it shows that our hearts are in the right place and we recognize God’s sovereignty over us.

Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God promises to answer our prayers when we come to Him with a heart of thanksgiving. By praising God for all that He has done, we can trust that He will continue to work on our behalf.

Prayers Of Repentance

God also answers prayers of repentance. When we come to Him with a humble and repentant heart, He hears our prayer and forgives us for our sins (1 John 1:9).

God loves us too much to leave us in our sin and will always answer the sincere prayers of those who are truly seeking Him. We can have faith that He will grant us mercy and grace when we come before Him in repentance.

In Psalm 51:17 it says, “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God will not despise.”

God wants us to turn to Him with a humble and repentant heart. When we do this, He will answer our prayers and provide us with the grace and mercy that we need.

Humble Prayers

Finally, God answers humble prayers. When we come to Him with an attitude of humility, He hears our requests and is faithful to answer them.

James 4:6-10 says, “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”

God desires our humility when we come to Him in prayer. When we humble ourselves before God, He hears us and grants us favor according to His perfect will.