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Has anyone here ever prayed and had God answer their prayer then and there? I ask because it appears to me that it is always after the prayer and the play out of the situation, that is when the person who did the praying makes an assessment of what may or may not have happened. They are the ones who have to make sense of what happened or what did not happen.
Why is it that god seems to NOT answer the prayer, audibly, right then and there as the person is praying? Why doesn't he just say "NO" or "YES" at the point of prayer?
Hi, my belief is that God's ways are not our ways and He answers our prayers in a way that is best for us. He may not answer them in the way that we want because He is developing a greater faith in us as we learn to fully depend on Him. Sometimes I have seen how God has answered my prayers on something maybe years later. He opens my eyes to realize that He was brought about a change in me that did not know was happening at the time. So we have to trust that He knows what He is doing. God bless.
Prayer requires trust and confidence without doubt; leaving behind the “who, what, when, where, why and how” of the matter, knowing that all things work together.
Prayer requires trust and confidence without doubt; leaving behind the “who, what, when, where, why and how” of the matter, knowing that all things work together.
Amen! . . . and the more sincere and pure the intentions of the supplicant . . . the better it is received. The prayer warriors here at C-D are some of the most sincere around.
Has anyone here ever prayed and had God answer their prayer then and there? I ask because it appears to me that it is always after the prayer and the play out of the situation, that is when the person who did the praying makes an assessment of what may or may not have happened. They are the ones who have to make sense of what happened or what did not happen.
Why is it that god seems to NOT answer the prayer, audibly, right then and there as the person is praying? Why doesn't he just say "NO" or "YES" at the point of prayer?
God often answers my prayers for guidance, wisdom or information --- when I ask, by opening my mind and heart to His answers in His Word. No, He doesn't often 'shake my bed' and speak out of darkness in His Charlton Heston voice, ... but, my God is not in hiding! He speaks with me about as often as I speak with Him ... and then listen!. This is part of God's command, "Be still and know that I am God" -- Many cannot stop talking long enough to truly listen to and hear God.
Otherwise, when I'm seeking God's power in my life and the lives of others ... not simply immediate information or an answer, -- I often see God's hand 'after-the-fact.' Since "His ways are not my ways," I don't often see what God is doing until afterwards. But, again, one must first believe and then "Seek God where He may be found".
Prayer is one of those things in scripture that we will only learn about by praying ... not by analyzing! ---- Those who depend on God's faithfulness and expect to see and hear from God ... often do! Those who do not truly expect to hear or see God, rarely, if ever, do. They often go through life only seeing and hearing what they are willing to see and hear (typically, their own reason and logic).
God's answer to prayer is not always immediate. Sometimes its not within God's will, like when Jesus prayed that He not be required to be crucified. This is why one of the petittions of the Lord's Prayer is , Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Sometimes its just not time. Prayers are answered, with yes, not just yet. Zechariah apparently asked for a child, but the prayer wasn't answered until he was old.
Lk 1:13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
God is always testing our faith, and so we are encouraged by Jesus to keep praying and not give up.
Do you have a relationship with the Father? Do you spend time with Him daily, in His Word, in prayer, getting to know His voice? Or, are your prayers treating God like a cosmic vending machine? Do you pray only when you need/want something and then get surprised when things don't go your way?
These are things to think about. God isn't a vending machine and He's not there just to bail us out at our beck and call. God longs for a relationship with His children.
Yes, God answers prayer. Like Shana said, not always in our preferred time or perhaps not exactly how we'd like our prayers to be answered, but that's because He's God. He knows things we don't. The Bible assures us that when we pray according to His will, our prayers are always answered.
I have an example of God's faithfulness that I can share. Three-and-a-half years ago I lost my job. I did not get unemployment and I only had two months living expenses on hand. I was literally living on prayer. My church was able to help me out one month. I was grateful for that because times were really bad and even the church finances were bad. I have no family at all so I couldn't get any help there. Two-thirds of my friends never called me when they found out I lost my job. Why not? I firmly believe that they thought I would ask them for money, which I wouldn't have. The friends that stuck with me didn't have anything to give because they were struggling too. We stuck together, encouraging each other.
So, how did God answer my prayers? I have a daily relationship with Him. I meet with Him just to be with Him and He honors that. I prayed about my situation because I would always come to the end of the month and need money to pay rent and bills. I never knew how it was going to come in. I didn't ask anyone for money. I didn't want to be a burden or have people give out of guilt or begrudgingly. I told only God about my need, reminded Him of His promise and then I praised Him because I stood in faith, believing. I went to Him first instead of running to everyone else.
I was on YouTube one day, just commenting on a great sermon video and a guy from the UK commented on my comment. We spoke back and forth, on the topic of the video only, about three times and that was it. Two days later, he wrote to me and said that God put it on His heart to give me money. He was 100% certain and said he wanted to obey God immediately. I had never mentioned my need or my situation to him. He sent me $1,000 - the exact amount I needed to pay rent and bills that month.
Two months later, without speaking, He said sent me another $1,000, saying He heard from God again to send me money. That was the last month of my time being unemployed and I hadn't spoken to the guy since the last time he sent money. He was doing it out of pure love for God and obedience to what God had told Him. I prayed the night before and asked God for His help again. And again, I never said a word to anyone about my need. But, God knew and responded.
This has been my relationship with God. I look forward to spending time with Him every day. I can't imagine (and wouldn't want to have) a day without Him. He answers prayer. Prayer isn't just asking God for help and that's where a lot people don't get it. It's a relationship. If you and I spoke on the phone every day for a month, I could call you one afternoon and just say, "Hi! How's it going?!" And you would know it was me because we spent time together and you would recognize my voice. We would have spent time both talking and listening to each other. When you spend time with people, and listen to them, you get to know there voice and you recognize their voice anywhere. It's the same with God.
Do you have a relationship with the Father? Do you spend time with Him daily, in His Word, in prayer, getting to know His voice? Or, are your prayers treating God like a cosmic vending machine? Do you pray only when you need/want something and then get surprised when things don't go your way?
These are things to think about. God isn't a vending machine and He's not there just to bail us out at our beck and call. God longs for a relationship with His children.
Yes, God answers prayer. Like Shana said, not always in our preferred time or perhaps not exactly how we'd like our prayers to be answered, but that's because He's God. He knows things we don't. The Bible assures us that when we pray according to His will, our prayers are always answered.
I have an example of God's faithfulness that I can share. Three-and-a-half years ago I lost my job. I did not get unemployment and I only had two months living expenses on hand. I was literally living on prayer. My church was able to help me out one month. I was grateful for that because times were really bad and even the church finances were bad. I have no family at all so I couldn't get any help there. Two-thirds of my friends never called me when they found out I lost my job. Why not? I firmly believe that they thought I would ask them for money, which I wouldn't have. The friends that stuck with me didn't have anything to give because they were struggling too. We stuck together, encouraging each other.
So, how did God answer my prayers? I have a daily relationship with Him. I meet with Him just to be with Him and He honors that. I prayed about my situation because I would always come to the end of the month and need money to pay rent and bills. I never knew how it was going to come in. I didn't ask anyone for money. I didn't want to be a burden or have people give out of guilt or begrudgingly. I told only God about my need, reminded Him of His promise and then I praised Him because I stood in faith, believing. I went to Him first instead of running to everyone else.
I was on YouTube one day, just commenting on a great sermon video and a guy from the UK commented on my comment. We spoke back and forth, on the topic of the video only, about three times and that was it. Two days later, he wrote to me and said that God put it on His heart to give me money. He was 100% certain and said he wanted to obey God immediately. I had never mentioned my need or my situation to him. He sent me $1,000 - the exact amount I needed to pay rent and bills that month.
Two months later, without speaking, He said sent me another $1,000, saying He heard from God again to send me money. That was the last month of my time being unemployed and I hadn't spoken to the guy since the last time he sent money. He was doing it out of pure love for God and obedience to what God had told Him. I prayed the night before and asked God for His help again. And again, I never said a word to anyone about my need. But, God knew and responded.
This has been my relationship with God. I look forward to spending time with Him every day. I can't imagine (and wouldn't want to have) a day without Him. He answers prayer. Prayer isn't just asking God for help and that's where a lot people don't get it. It's a relationship. If you and I spoke on the phone every day for a month, I could call you one afternoon and just say, "Hi! How's it going?!" And you would know it was me because we spent time together and you would recognize my voice. We would have spent time both talking and listening to each other. When you spend time with people, and listen to them, you get to know there voice and you recognize their voice anywhere. It's the same with God.
What a wonderful testimony of God's love and faithfulness through earnest prayer!
I too had a situation about 12 years ago where God answered a prayer of mine through a total stranger, a new resident in the neighborhood, who I met for the first time through an incredible act of God. She said God put it on her heart to come to my home because of my need at the time. And she was about 6 months pregnant with 2 small children with her to help me. I will never, ever forget it. Our God is such an AWESOME God.
Matthew 7 comes to mind ...
7“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Hi, my belief is that God's ways are not our ways and He answers our prayers in a way that is best for us. He may not answer them in the way that we want because He is developing a greater faith in us as we learn to fully depend on Him. Sometimes I have seen how God has answered my prayers on something maybe years later. He opens my eyes to realize that He was brought about a change in me that did not know was happening at the time. So we have to trust that He knows what He is doing. God bless.
Amen! Praise God! But to answer in a positive way to the OP, my niece called me the other night. She had had surgery and was short on her normal income due to short-term sick leave only paying 60% of her salary but with her out-go still remaining at 100%. She said she never prays for herself, but for others. Topic of money/short term leave income came up with a co-worker, and my niece explained the process in her experience, being short this month, bills that needed paid, etc. Came home, a male friend came to her home for dinner, and at leaving, told her he never bought gifts for his (older) kids, gave them money to buy what they wanted, told her to close her eyes, hold out her hand, hoped she wasn't mad that he hadn't gone shopping to buy her something, and gave her money as her Christmas gift! Needless to say, she had to share with me this God-sent financial blessing!
My story: on a Tuesday, had a car not being used, just sitting. Insurance bill came in, due Friday. On a whim, I asked my friend to take the car to work and put a "For Sale" sign on it and park it where it would be seen from two well-traveled roads. I wanted $1,000.00 for it. Husband said "no way". IT SOLD WITHIN THE HOUR! I asked and got $800.00 for it, add the insurance of over $100.00 due, and license plates that would have been needed to drive it, there was my $1,000.00. I didn't pray for this to happen, but God knew my wants and needs, and answered them!
"Faith is knowing He will". My mantra is "Faith is knowing He does".
God often answers our prayers in small ways. He knows what is best. Even if we don't get exactly what we asked for, because it isn't part of His plan, He will always give us something is what I have noticed.
For example, I once was struggling in a Calculus class in high school. I prayed that I wouldn't fail, and worked as hard as I could. When I got my report card, I had failed due to a low grade on the final exam (D+). I thought "wow God, why did you deny me?" But He had a plan. When I told my parents about the grade, they were surprisingly not mad at all. I signed up for summer school, which was surprisingly only two weeks to re-mediate the failed semester. In summer school, I surprisingly got an A! So although I didn't get what I wanted exactly, God gave me several little gifts that made my life so much easier! He can be very subtle, and you just have to have faith and recognize his presence in the small things.
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God does answer prayer ... now and/or later
