God Responds to Prayer

MEMORY VERSE: “This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” —I John 5:14

HEBREWS 11:6

PRAYER is essential to victorious Christian living. To pray with the assurance that we will be heard by the great God of the universe requires faith, a belief that he actually exists, and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Our memory verse emphasizes that our prayers must be in harmony with the Lord’s will.

The blessings for which we may hopefully pray are broadly covered by the promises of God with respect to the blessings which he will grant to those who are faithful to him. From this standpoint we could properly say that prayer is the claiming of the promises of God. Prayers pleasing to God cannot be selfish. First they should be concerned with the glory of God, and then the blessing of others, and lastly our own blessings in so far as they are in keeping with the plans and purposes of God.

MATTHEW 7:7-12

This passage assures us that God will answer our prayers, but our faith in this assurance must be based on the fact that our requests are in harmony with the divine will. Jesus’ illustration of the point is in keeping with this. It is a natural and proper thing for children to ask for “bread” and “fish.” And when they do, a loving father will respond to their requests. He will not substitute “stones” and “serpents.”

So, as followers of the Master, and new creatures in Christ Jesus, we have certain spiritual needs which are basic to our growth in grace and the knowledge of the Lord. These we can request in our prayers, and be assured that our Heavenly will not respond by providing substitutes.

The spiritual blessings which the Lord gives his people reach us through the power of the Holy Spirit, so properly we pray for a greater infilling of that Spirit. To be filled with the Spirit means that we will seek to he a blessing to others. The Law and the prophets emphasized that we should treat others even as we would want them to treat us. Jesus’ new commandment takes us a step further and indicates that we should lay down our lives for one another.

II CORINTHIANS 12:7-9

There is a question in the minds of Bible students as to just what it was that Paul referred to as “a thorn” in the flesh. Generally speaking it is thought to have been poor eyesight. But the important lesson for us in his reference to the matter is how the apostle reacted to God’s method of answering his prayers that this “thorn” be removed.

Verse 9 quotes Paul on this point. The Lord said to him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” And to this Paul explained, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” How graciously Paul accepted the Lord’s “no” answer!

ROMANS 8:26,27

This passage of Scripture is often greatly misunderstood. This misunderstanding is based largely on the error that the Holy Spirit of God is a person, the third person in a so-called “trinity” of gods. Instead, the Holy Spirit of God is the unlimited power of God. In the case of Christians this power, through the written Word of truth, operates largely through their minds and hearts.

Paul explains that the Spirit “helpeth our infirmities” in connection with prayers, helping us to grasp the will of God as expressed through the written Word. Then follows the expression, “The spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” The King James Version uses a capital “S” for spirit in this statement, to give the thought that it is the Holy Spirit, but this is not correct.

Imagine the Holy Spirit of God, a third person in the “trinity,” as it is claimed, being unable to speak except in “groanings which cannot be uttered.” The thought here is really that our own spirits, our minds and hearts, often find it difficult to express our thoughts in proper language when we approach God in prayer.

QUESTIONS

What is a basic requirement for prayer?

How can we be sure that our prayers will be answered?

Explain the Holy Spirit of God.

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