CONDITIONS TO ANSWERED PRAYER
John 14:12-15
“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
One of the reasons we feel like God doesn’t answer our prayers is we act like God works for us. We love the idea of asking for anything and getting it, but when we ask, we are shocked by a very long, loud silence.
What does it mean, “If you ask in my name”?
It means, Jesus is our Savior and because of our faith and love for Him, we keep His commandments and seek His will in our prayers.
1 John 3:21-23
Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
Maybe you’ve been holding a grudge, or you’ve prayed, but you’ve never really expected God to answer, or you haven’t prayed in “Jesus name” because you’ve only experienced religion instead of a personal faith in Jesus.
When we have a real relationship with God, forgive others, expect an answer and obey God’s word, we see our prayers answered. Have you been overlooking any of these conditions?
Is there any sin that is causing you to be distant from God?
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James 5:17-18
Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Elijah was just like us, an ordinary person but God answered his prayers even though they seemed impossible. Elijah knew how to pray because he honored God in how he lived.