Intro: Unanwered Prayer
Welcome back to our channel where we discuss various aspects of faith and Christianity. The topic of today’s discussion is hotly debated- Is prayer the key to Christian success?
As Christians, prayer is an essential part of our faith, but can it open all doors? Together, let’s explore this question.
A Christian prayer is a powerful tool
Christian prayer is a powerful tool. In this way, we can communicate with God and ask for His guidance and intervention in our lives.
Some people, however, believe that prayer alone can solve all our problems. Does this really happen?
Faith without works is dead, according to the Bible. In addition to praying, we need to take action.
For example, we cannot simply pray for a job without searching for and applying for it. In the same way, if we need medical treatment, we cannot pray for healing without seeking it.
The Bible also teaches that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.
Even if we pray for something, we may not receive it in the way we expect or at the time we expect.
Prayer is not ineffective, but rather we need to trust God’s plan for us.
Furthermore, prayer is not just about asking for things. Also, it is about praising God for His goodness and thanking Him for what we have.
Our prayers can also enable us to align our will with God’s, and to seek His guidance when making decisions.
There can be no unanswered prayer for a Christian if prayer is the key to their lives. There are, however, unanswered prayers. In his systematic theology book,(When you click on this link and purchase that product, I receive a small commission from an Amazon affiliate.) Wayne Grudem discusses unanswered prayers.
Unanswered Prayers: What Should We Do?
Unanswered Prayers: What Should We Do? As long as God is God and we are his creatures, there will always be unanswered prayers.
The reason for this is that God keeps his wise plans for the future hidden, so even though people pray, many events will not take place until the time that God has decreed.
Unanswered Prayers in the Bible
Although Jews prayed for centuries for the Messiah to come, God did not send his Son until “the time had fully come” (Gal. 4:4).
Martyrs in heaven, free from sin, cry out for God to judge the earth (Rev. 6:10). But God doesn’t respond immediately; rather, he tells them to rest a little longer.
Because the people praying do not know God’s wise timing, there can be long periods of delay during which prayers go unanswered.
We will also be unable to pray because we do not always know how to pray correctly (Rom. 8:26), we do not always pray according to God’s will (James 4:3), and we do not always pray in faith (James 1:6-8).
Sometimes we think that one solution is best, but God has a better plan, even if suffering and hardship are necessary to fulfill his purpose.
In all of these events, Joseph no doubt prayed earnestly to be rescued from the pit and taken to Egypt for slavery (Gen. 37:23-36), but he later discovered that “God meant it all for good” (Gen. 50:20).
We join Jesus in praying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).
In the same way, Paul asked the Lord three times to remove his thorn in the flesh, but it wasn’t removed; rather, the Lord told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, since my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:8-9).
“I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Sam. 12:20, 23). David prayed for his son’s life to be saved, but it wasn’t, so he “went into the house of the LORD, and worshiped” and said of his son, “I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
Our prayers join the prayers of martyrs throughout history who prayed for deliverance that did not come, for they “loved not their lives even unto death” (Rev. 12:11).
When prayer remains unanswered we must continue to trust God
When prayer remains unanswered we must continue to trust God, who “causes all things to work together for good” (Rom. 8:28 NASB), and to cast our cares on him, knowing that he constantly cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). We need to keep remembering that he will give sufficient strength for each day (Deut. 33:25) and that he has promised, “I will not fail you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5).
We must also continue to pray. When Hannah bore a child after years of waiting (1 Sam. 1:19-20), or when Simeon saw with his own eyes the long-awaited Messiah come to the temple (Luke 2:25-35), an answer is suddenly provided.
There will be times in this life when prayers will go unanswered. It is possible for God to answer those prayers after a believer has passed away.
There are times when he will not, but even then, the faith expressed in those prayers and their heartfelt expressions of love for God and the people he has made will still ascend as a pleasing incense before God’s throne (Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4) and will lead to “praise, glory, and honor” (1 Peter 1:7).
Conclusion: Prayer is an essential part of the Christian faith
As a result, prayer is an essential part of the Christian faith, but it cannot solve all our problems. Taking action and trusting in God’s plan are essential. Prayer can help us stay connected to God and seek His guidance and intervention in our lives. We appreciate you joining us today, and look forward to seeing you in our next video.
