How Does God Answer Prayer?

By: Gary L. Hutchens

   How does God answer prayer?  We know how we want God to answer our prayers.  We want Him to grant our requests, whatever they might be, and preferably right now.  We want God to answer “Yes!”  God always answers the prayers of the righteous (Jer. 33:3), but anyone who prays knows that His answer is not always “yes."

​   So, just how does God answer prayer?  As one studies the subject of prayer in scripture, he will find at least three basic responses on God’s part.  A fourth response, to a certain group of individuals, could also be noted.
   First, God answers some prayers, “Yes!”  Numerous examples of God granting requests made in prayer could be cited in scripture.  During a battle with the Amorites Joshua prayed that God would cause the sun to stand still, and not allow the day to come to an end until the Israelites could finish defeating their enemy (Josh. 10:12).  God granted his request (vs. 13-14).  King Hezekiah prayed that God would spare his life (2 Kgs. 20:1-3).  God granted his request by giving him fifteen more years (vs. 4-6).
   Second, God answers some prayers, “No!”  The apostle Paul prayed three times for God to remove “a thorn in the flesh,” evidently some physical problem (2 Cor. 12:7-8).  God did not grant Paul’s request (vs. 9).  In Gethsemane Jesus prayed at least twice that He would be spared having to go to the cross (Matt. 26:37-44).  From our perspective, we can be thankful that God did not grant Jesus’ request, that He allowed Jesus to die on the cross to pay the price for the guilt of our sins.
   Third, God answers some prayers, “Wait awhile…”  Twice Abraham tried to reason with God as to how he thought God should fulfill His promise that He would give Abraham an heir (Gen. 15:1-4; 17:15-21).  God fulfilled His promise to Abraham, but not according to Abraham’s time-table and not in the ways Abraham suggested.  We have a tendency to want things right now, but God knows the right time.
   As noted earlier, there is a fourth way in which God responds to the prayers of a specific group of individuals.  God knows all, sees all and hears all.  But the scriptures seem pretty clear that God can choose to simply not listen to the prayers of the unrighteous (Ps. 18:40-41; 34:14-16; 1 Pet. 3:11-12).  How awful, how tragic to be so caught up in a lifestyle of sin that it could cause God to not listen to your prayers!
   Prayer is a wonderful blessing from God.  Of course, God knows best what we really need even before we ask, but He wants us to ask.  Asking demonstrates our faith in Him, and it admits our dependence upon Him.  In order for God to answer prayer we must first go to Him in prayer.  James states that blessings are often not given because we do not ask (Jas. 4:2).
   Let’s utilize prayer regularly and frequently and remember that God can answer prayer in different ways.  Just because we may not receive the exact answer we seek in the exact time frame in which we seek it does not mean God is not listening or answering our prayer.  He may be answering in a different way than we desire.  But, God knows best…