There are some misconceptions about prayer. Yes, Christ did say that if we should ask for anything in His name, He would do it, but sometimes we ask and do not receive. Indeed, many of us have been disappointed when, after loads and loads of prayer sprinkled with fasting, God seems to be aloof and deaf to our cries. Many of us go through the motions of prayer, not really believing that God will do anything about our situation; and we do not put all our eggs in that basket, for after all, “once bitten, twice shy.”
In the book of James, we are given a glimpse as to why our prayers sometimes go unanswered. Let us face it, as the writer of the book of James observes, many of the things we ask for do not come from good motives. Often, our requests are aimed at being placed in a position of which we can boast, and we mostly pray for our desires to be met and for our senses to be gratified. In James 1, we are told that our attitude toward God as we make our requests may also be the reason why He does not appear to be interested in us: we simply do not trust Him; and it is written that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6).
But may I venture to say that sometimes, having done everything correctly—that is, having prayed every moment with confidence, and having persisted in it, trusting that God both will and can deliver—we still fail to get answers to prayer.
I have battled with this for a long time, and I must confess that many times, I have been very surprised, even shocked and amazed, when God answers my prayer. But I am now learning this truth, and I know that once I have fully apprehended it, nothing will be impossible to me when I pray. This truth is that we are made for God’s glory. For this reason, everything we do must be aimed at bringing glory, not to ourselves, but to God. I am convinced that for this reason Scripture tells us that if we ask anything in accordance with His will, He hears us, and once we are confident that we are heard, we know our answer will come as surely as the night follows the day.
Let us understand, then, that prayer does not hold God to ransom; it is our expression of faith and confidence in Him and an invitation for Him to intervene in our circumstances; but our requests must be in line with His will—His overarching will for the world and His personal will for us.
God chooses to answer our prayers not because we earn an answer by depriving ourselves of food, or even because we have done all we know to live holy lives or to work for and with Him in ministry, but because of His mercy, grace, kindness, and justice.
My late mother often used to quote this line from the renowned poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson: “More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” This may be an echo of what is said in James 5:16: “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (KJV) or as it is put in the NIV version: “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” Prayer produces results. According to 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, it pulls down strongholds, it demolishes arguments, and everything that opposes God and His will for us.
1 Samuel 1 records the story of a woman worth emulating. Hannah was a sorely troubled wife. In a culture where barrenness was equated with a cursed existence, she found herself married to a man whose other wife had more children than she knew what to do with them. Hannah placed her confidence in God, and expressed that confidence in fervent prayer to God for a son. God answered her prayer, and gave her a son like no other. Her son became a prominent Judge/Priest who ruled God’s people. As a bonus, and because she gave that child to God, He gave her more children.
Prayer is “powerful and effective.” It opens doors. Those who know the power of prayer do not treat it lightly.
Daniel prayed to God at the peril of his life, as it was against the king’s edict to pray. As a top government official who should have set an example by obeying the law of the land, he broke the law by praying to God, because he knew his God and knew the power of prayer.
Queen Esther’s prayers saved herself and all the Jews of her time. God’s people were preserved and rescued from the diabolical plan of Haman to obliterate their existence because Esther prayed (Esther 4-7).
There are no shortcuts to receiving from God. He tells us to pray. So, pray!
