Why is God not listening to me?
Why has God not answered me?
Is there something wrong with my prayer?
Religious people all over the world, for generations have been taught to pray. To talk to their God/god and offer thanksgivings, praises, and make their petitions to Him/him. And no doubt, many a soul burdened, perplexed, despair and anxious feels relieved when they have talked to their Deity. It eases their conscience that they have done the right thing and now they must wait for the answer. But when no answer comes, the mind of doubt, skeptical, rebellion begins and questions whether God/god exists, did He/he hear, did I pray it right? Such reasoning in the minds of men have turned many away, simply because they did not get what they wanted or asked for. In that 'hot' moment of tragedy, of great need they reached out, and their answer never came and they swore off any allegiance to such a God/god that would forsake them in their greatest hour of need.
In the Christian faith, prayer is the established communication between God and man. As God established prayer as communication between Himself and His creation; so Satan has used this great creation of prayer to multiply his lies, deception and harm. Many saints have prayed, many more have been negligent in it. There false hopes of other religions that they are 'saying prayers' but their is no deity to hear or answer them. They pray but there is none to hear them or answer them. They have been deceived. The prayer life of the Christian runs a very close parallel to this 'calling and answering', 'hearing and granting' our prayers. There is the directive from God, 'Call and I will answer'. Yet what happens when they offer prayer but there is no answer. This unanswered prayer carries over to the church and Christian when they pray for something but it is doesn't happen, or happens the way that they want it to. Unanswered prayers are hard to understand for what God is allowing and doing.
There are two issues to address in this: did God hear; is God willing to answer. Too often they focus on getting what they want by quoting and knowing the promises from God; but do not focus so much on, 'is this the will of God?'. One of the reasons all the promises verses in the Bible are promioed is to get what you want and it is all about, 'ask and it shall be given'; 'whatsoever you ask in My Name, it shall be done.' "If you have faith the size of this mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Be thou removed' and it shall happen." These are absolute statements from God, from Christ in regards to prayer; yet, are these things being asked for, the will of God. When we seize these promises and ask, we forget some of the other conditions of prayer and God's will. These promises are only one side of the many sided cube of prayer.
There are 3 rules of thumb for prayer:
1. pray according to God's will;
2. don't ask amiss;
3. 'if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me' & if He doesn't hear me, then my prayer won't be answered;
Why is God not listening to me?
This question is asked by the one who is not seeing their prayer answered. They have been taught, or desired to try prayer, and there is no answer to their prayer. Thus, they look around as if to say, 'Where is He?" Many of us have been conditioned 'you ask a question you get an answer'; and to ask a question and them not answer is rude and impolite. We fix the same standard to God. Yet, how many times has God spoken, called, required of us and answer and we have not replied. We are far more guilty of this in not answer the Lord. And the reality of this truth is simply, 'The Creator does not have to reply to the creation'. But God has already spoken decidedly on this thing called prayer and when He will and will not listen and answer. It is for us to understand these truths out of His Word and make application.
First, let us establish the biblical truths of God listening and speaking. It is repeated throughout Scripture of God giving permission and initiating 'call & answer'.
--Genesis 3:9, 'The Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou?" God called for him, meaning He desired an answer of him.
--Jeremiah 33:3, 'Call unto Me, and I will answer";
--Matthew 7:7, "Ask, and it shall be given";
Three instances of 100's that set the standard that God is listening and gives permission for us to speak to Him. It is the common dialogue of God and men throughout history and Scripture to see that God is listening. Can you ever testify that He has heard and answered you? Do you bear the record of Him listening? Faith compels us that He is listening and knows before we ever speak, think or ask. Faith is the unseen, and unknown yet believing it that it is. But once evidence of answered prayer occurs, it is no longer faith but proof. Proof in specific answered prayers that He heard and He answered, for no one else knew it.
then why would anyone say, or believe that God is not listening when we pray?
1. Weak faith or no faith;
--Even though the mind may know what the Bible says in regards to God listening, they have not received what they asked for, nor is there evidence that He is listening, therefore they doubt. A strong faith, blessed and enhanced by the Holy Spirit is a testimony to God for Who He is and what He has said. A weak faith listens to the voice of Satan, 'Hath God said?' and doubts. They fail often in the issues of resolve, 'God said it, and I believe it'. They are more prone to say, 'God said it, I wonder if He meant it.'
--The Word of God offers promises and hope in faith of God's power and works. Yet when the Word of God is absent, unknown, unheeded and not received, faith is limited. Yea, some of the great saint of faith, anchored in the Word of God on His promises. When no Word is known or held fast, carnal minds, hearts and flesh is left to define what is believed and hoped for. And this is a dangerous place to be in, for Satan can manipulate and scorch the heart, mind and flesh quickly to anit-God sentiment.
--To some degree faith is weakened when there is no testimony of faith answering prayer. When there is no evidence of its proof, then faith is shaken and Satan storms the ground with doubt and unbelief. Remember the rebuke of Christ in Mark 9 of the demonic boy, 'why could we not cast him out?' And Jesus said, 'Because of your unbelief.' Seeing is believing, yet when not seeing anything, faith is limited and eroded in the weak saint.
2. The answer is not given.
--lost people pray and ask for many things; and when they are not answered they immediately deduce that there is no God, or that He is not listening.
This is always about the carnal heart and life. Prayer and answered that God hears and answers is about His will, His glory and His power. These prayers are selfish desires and have nothing to do with God or His will. Jesus prayed it rightly, 'nevertheless not My will be done, but Thine.' He yielded and surrendered His prayer to the Father's will of obedience and acceptance. Yet, a lost person cares nothing for this, only that they have what they want.
--we ask amiss;
We are warned in James 4:4, 'Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." to often the prayers offered are heard, but cannot be granted for the reaons given, it is about self, rather than the glory of God. We are asking out of selfish motives for our own desire rather than the greater good. How often we are found praying from our perspective rather than heavenly, spiritual perspective. Asking amiss is largely found in this wrong perception of God and His will.
--contrary to God's will;
We are to pray in agreement and according to God's will and ways. The Bible directs and teaches us in a great part what that Divine will is. But to often the asking amiss is contrary to God's will. We are not found praying in agreement with Him, but contrary to His desired will. Seeing that often we may not know the will of God in particular situations, it is better to learn from Christ, 'nevertheless Father, Thy will be done' and be accepting of it. Praying and believing that the answer and action taken of circumstances is God allowing and accomplishing of His will.
Why has God not answered me?
Themes of truth will start to overlap in understanding why some prayers are not heard, nor answered. Scripture will show us much of what God has said and will do for His people. But there is almost much left unanswered to things of future, God's will and God's ways. He is infinite, we are finite, how can we possible expect to understand or explain it all; simply put, we can't. But we must be accepting that His will is right, for He cannot do wrong, nor make a mistake. And when we have done that which is required of us, we may certainly know according to His Word, that He will do all that required of Him. So let us look at a few answers to 'why God has not answered me':
1. God's timing
It is the general belief that as we ask for things among each other, we receive them. The timing of this is instant or rather soon. We are prone to transfer the same to God answering our prayer. In other words, we want it NOW. and when it doesn't happen, we seek to answer for God. Not only the answer to the prayers is by our faith that God will do that which is right, but also the timing of the answer to the prayer we must accept.
Timing:
--Instant;
Today, right now, at this moment the prayer is heard and immediately answered. We see several example of this in Scripture.
--Delay;
There are numerous forces of heaven and hell that causes delay in the hearing and the answering of the prayer.
Started: June 20, 2017
Continued: 6/21; 6/22; 6/23; 6/24; 6/27;7/7;
Finished:
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