Does God Answer Prayers?
The short answer is yes! God wants you to bring your concerns to Him, and He has promised to listen when you do.
In the Bible, there’s a book called Psalm. In it, a man named David wrote, “As for me, I call to God … and he hears my voice” (Psalm 55:16-17). God not only hears, but He is eager to respond.
So does prayer work? Why does it seem like God doesn’t hear you? How do you really know if He does?
Sometimes, our prayers may seem to go unanswered because God is keeping us from something that isn’t best. He may answer prayer with a “Yes,” “No” or “Wait.” That might not be what we want to hear, but we see only part of the picture where God sees all of it.
The most important thing, however, is that we all have a problem that can hinder our prayers, and we have to deal with that first. That problem is called sin.
Sort of like weeds choke out a plant, sin keeps us from getting the light – the answers we need from God. Sin is anything we do or don’t do that goes against God’s moral standard. It’s falling short of His perfection. Like two cliffs with no bridge between them, sin always cuts us off from God. And we’re all guilty of it.
Whether it’s a crime or bad habits, jealousy or putting material things before God, sin pollutes our souls. That’s why Jesus Christ came to this earth, to take our sins upon Himself so we can be made clean inside and be in relationship with God.
He spans the gap between those cliffs and reconnects us with the God who made us and loves us. Through Jesus, we become friends with God again, and in friendship He listens to us and cares for us.
When we consider whether God is hearing us, the first and most important question is whether we have a relationship with Him. Prayer is not just getting or asking or even demanding. Prayer is conversation between God and those who know Him.
Do you know that you need God’s forgiveness? Do you believe that the only way to receive it is to know that Jesus has taken the punishment for your sin so you can be forgiven?
Step 1 – God’s Purpose: Peace and Life
The Bible says:
"We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:1
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
"I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
John 10:10
Step 2 – The Problem: Sin Separates Us
The Bible says:
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 3:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 6:23
The Bible says:
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."
Proverbs 14:12
"But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear."
Isaiah 59:2
Step 3 – God’s Remedy: The Cross
The Bible says:
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
1 Timothy 2:5
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God."
1 Peter 3:18
"But God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
Step 4 – Our Response: Receive Christ
The Bible says:
"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me."
Revelation 3:20
"But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."
John 1:12
"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved."
Romans 10:9
Here is how you can receive Christ:
- Admit your need. (I am a sinner.)
- Be willing to turn from your sins (repent) and ask for God's forgiveness.
- Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
- Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. (Receive Jesus as Lord and Savior)
We suggest a prayer like this one:
"Dear God, I know I am a sinner. I want to turn from my sins, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe He died for my sins and that You raised Him to life. I want Him to come into my heart and to take control of my life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as my Lord from this day forward. In Jesus' Name, amen."
Did you pray this prayer?
