Three Ways God Answers Prayers

Three Ways God Answers Prayers

written by Cyprian Henry

[source: Cy Motivations]

‘He never sleeps; He never slumbers, He never tires of answering our prayers’ - Don Moen

There are many questions that bother every young Christian. Does God truly answer prayers? If yes, why has He never been able to answer my prayers? Why did I fail that examination in spite of the fact that I put in all my best? Why did He refuse to provide for my parents so I could travel out of this frustrating country? Why has He not granted my heart desires? Why? Why? Why? Why? This has been the questions that have bothered many Christians at one point or the other. No matter how strong you think you have grown in your Christian faith, you have definitely come to a crossroad in your life where you almost, if not doubted God. I heard of a very funny story that better explained this issue. There was a young boy who had prayed to God for a heart desire for too long a time. After some months, the boy stopped praying and screamed to God ‘Dear Jesus, are you deaf?

The bible records great men and prophets who almost lost there faith and trust in God. Daniel asked God ‘Dear God why have you forsaken me? Jeremiah screamed ‘Is there is no balm in Gilead? There are numerous recounts of strong men of God who at one point in their lives began to have shaky faith. But despite the fact that at some point in our lives God seems to be 'slow' in answering our prayers, we know well that He still answers prayers. We know well that he is the same yesterday, today and forever more. He also said in his words that ‘If you ask anything in my name I will give it to you’. Despite my little knowledge about God, I am not still blind to His Goodness and generosity.

For you to understand God, you must understand that His ways are not our ways and that His thoughts are not our thoughts. He is the Omnipotent i.e.almighty, the beginning and the end. He was there when the foundations of the earth was casted. This is to say that he is ‘all understanding’. He knows every thing and what is best for us. Where we have problems is our inability to understand what He is trying to say. Like a young minister once noted ‘Prayer is a dialog .When we pray, then we have to listen to what God is trying to say’. All we want is for God to listen to us and we turn our ears deaf to what He has to say. As a result, we complain, scream, and begin to doubt if truly he hears us when we pray. I have come to understand that there are three ways God answers our prayers. Which are explained briefly?

1. YES: God says yes to our requests in prayers only when He has fully scrutinized our prayers. When He has gone through it and conclude that, of a truth we are worthy of the request. Here He is sure that granting us that request will do us not harm or land us into any problem whatsoever. When he says YES! To our prayers nobody, no forces, no prince of Persia can stop us from receiving it.

2. NOT YET: When God says ‘Not yet to our prayers’ He is trying to make us understand that He has not fully trusted us. He is trying to allow us undergo some more test and training of our faith. He is trying to work something out and as soon as he is done He will answer us. Probably he knows that if He grants us that request we may turn our back on him or land ourselves in some kind of danger. Because he loves us and would not afford to miss us he would delay us a bit. He may be trying to tell us to repent first from some kind of sins before He can commit our requests to us. So He says ‘my son, my daughter NOT YET’

3. I HAVE A BETTER PLAN FOR YOU: God will always seem to delay the answers to our prayers when he has a better plan for us. He may want to really give us a surprising package that will ‘wow’ our mind. So he will say to us ‘My son I have a better plan for you I know you have lost that opportunity, but don't worry I will work something better for you’. Do not forget that God’s plans will not always be our plan. My friend Obagidi Victor is a young man that understands how God works. And I come to understand also that when we know how God operates or does His things, then we will not always be worried. Victor taught me a secret while praying. He said ‘After my prayers and requests to God, I always end my prayers with these words ‘All the same, let your will be done’. The truth remains that after we have prayed only God’s will, must be done. If He says ‘Yes! Then that is it. If He says ‘Not yet’, then that is it, if He says ‘I have a better plan for you’ then we have no other choice than to wait patiently. I have been oblivious of this truth through out my life but today God has given me this little understanding. Remember when Jesus was weighed down about the death he was to face at Golgotha. He ran to His father and said ‘Lord take this cup away from me, but at the same time let your will and not mine be done’.