Good news! GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS.
The God who made all things and who holds the universe together wants to answer YOUR prayers.
You don’t have to twist his arm or convince him against his will. God really, truly LOVES to answer prayers.
Let’s look at what the Bible has to say about how God answers prayer. In this guide, we’re going to look at:
- Why God responds to prayer
- The ways God answers prayers
- Verses about God answering our prayers
Why God Answers Prayers?
Why does God respond when to our prayer? After all, he’s the one who rules the entire universe. Why would God stoop to respond to our prayer requests?
Several reasons.
God Answers Prayer Because He Loves You
First and foremost, because he loves us! God loves you! You are his precious, beloved child, bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. God is your heavenly Father, and he loves to give good gifts to you when you pray.
In Matthew 7:8-12, Jesus said:
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
When you come to God in prayer, you’re praying to the one who absolutely loves to bless you. An earthly dad knows how to give good gifts to his kids. How much more does God love to bless you in response to your prayers.
Because It Honors God When We Call Upon Him
One of the main reasons God invites us to pray is that he is glorified through prayer. When we pray, it shows that we are dependent upon the Lord. We absolutely need Jesus to work mightily in our lives. We need him to provide for us, strengthen us, and encourage us.
The Lord is glorified as generous, powerful, when he responds to a prayer request.
God Answers Prayer In Three Ways
So how does God answer our prayers? In three ways:
- Yes
- No
- Later
Sometimes God says, “Yes,” to a request. When we ask him for something, he gives us exactly what we as ask for.
Other times, the Lord does not give us what we ask for. Not because he doesn’t love us. It’s the opposite, in fact. Jesus often says, “No,” because what we’re asking is not actually good for us or what we really need. God wants the absolute best for us and only withholds things that aren’t good for us.
And then sometimes God waits to give us what we’ve asked for. He’s wise, loving, powerful, good, and in control of all things. When the time is right, he’ll provide exactly what we need, when we need it. Until the answer is, “No,” we need to keep praying, seeking, and knocking.
Does God Answer All Prayers?
Yes, he does. It may not be the answer we expect, but it’s always the absolute best thing for us. We can always be confident in God’s heart for us. It’s full of love, full of generosity, full of grace.
How Do You Know God Answers Prayers?
Because the Bible says that God always responds to the prayers of his people. God wouldn’t invite us to pray if he didn’t plan on doing awesome things in response.
The verses below show many of the amazing ways that Jesus responds to praying people.
Bible Verses About Answered Prayer
Let’s take a look at all the Bible verses about God answering our prayers.
| 1. …if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) |
| 2. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7) |
| 3. And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (1 John 5:14) |
| 4. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2) |
| 5. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5) |
| 6. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24) |
| 7. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. (Jeremiah 29:12) |
| 8. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12) |
| 9. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. (Psalm 145:18) |
| 10. Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. (Jeremiah 33:3) |
| 11. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. (Matthew 18:20) |
| 12. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16) |
| 13. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:6) |
| 14. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears. (Psalm 18:6) |
| 15. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. (1 John 5:15) |
| 16. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. (James 5:16) |
| 17. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:6) |
| 18. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. (John 15:16) |
| 19. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. (1 Peter 4:7) |
| 20. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (John 14:13) |
| 21. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. (Matthew 21:22) |
| 22. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26) |
| 23. Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. (Psalm 118:5) |
| 24. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. (Matthew 7:8) |
Everyone Who Asks Receives!
If the Bible makes one thing clear, it’s that prayer is powerful! So don’t stop praying, even if you don’t see anything happening right away. You don’t know all the amazing things that God might be up to!
And if you need more encouragement, read the powerful prayer quotes.
Thank you for reminding us that no prayer is too big for our God, and that He lives to hear what concerns we have.
Hey Pat! You’re welcome. And yes, no prayer is too big for our God. He is able to do ANYTHING! I’m so grateful for that.
Thank you so much for this encouragement to pray I need this so much!
Thank you you are a blessing!
I’m so glad it was helpful for you Naomi!
Amen Brother Stephen! It brings so much strength to my bones to know that God does answer our prayers! He may not always answer them in the way that we pray but He does answer in the manner in which will benefit us the most because God knows what’s best for us and that’s exactly what He wants for us is the very best. yes! God does specifically bend to lend His ear to hear the cry of His children. Psalm 40:1 proves it, it states; I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. It is so encouraging to know that God is Sovereign and that He can hold this whole universe together and hear every one of our prayers individually, without getting my prayer confused with anyone else’s prayer. God is Awesome. We serve The Great I AM. Hallelujah!!! ALL things are possible with Him! May God continue to give you illumination, impartation and revelation of His Holy written word. For Christ Sake! Amen.
Amen! All things truly are possible with him!
Thank you for the verse (Psalm 40:1) sister Joanne. God bless you!
Amen. Prayer does change everything. It shows that God is our only soul provider and hope. This is true worship.
I pray that God gives us the strength to depend on Him.
Thank you so much for this. God bless you.
The right post at the right time for me. Thanks, Stephen.
Oh Stephen! I’m so refreshed by your post. I praise God for this! Most of the time we limit God of the blessings He wants to shed upon us because like you say, we tend to take prayers for granted.
He wants us to come unto the throne of grace boldly and with burning faith so that we can ask Him whatsoever in Jesus’ name.
Yes, I need to take a more childlike approach to my Father in prayer. Have a blessed day with your family.
God is merciful. I know this. He has shown me. My mom is a woman with great faith in God but is dealing with great pain with court decisions. I keep telling her God has got this. Even if it looks like everything is against them. I need help with prayer for both of my parents as her faith is wavering. My God is so amazing
Dear Stephen,
I read your post about the song “Reckless Love.” I took the title phrase as the person being made aware that God’s love extends even to him. However, it still seems to him, that God is taking “chance” on him, because he has proven to be irredeemable, is reckless; because he has failed every time he was given a chance to reform himself. The person in the song is still trying to accept that no matter his sins, God seeks him.
I think God always wants to answer our prayers. He wants what is best for us.