Message #11 (of 20) from the PrayerPower radio series
"Asking - God’s Way"

by Kaye Johns

Not "why would God fail to answer all our prayers the way we want Him to," but "why would we ever feel we weren’t getting any answers--not ‘yes,’ ‘no’ or ‘wait’?"

Jesus taught that everyone who asks receives [Matthew 7:8], but that teaching cannot be isolated from the rest of what He taught. His teaching on prayer spanned His whole ministry. Everything He taught relates to the other truths He spoke.

Before Jesus said that everyone who asks receives, He had taught we’re to confess our sins [Matthew 6:12]. After all, God’s Word teaches that if we cherish unconfessed sins in our heart, God will not hear us [Psalm 66:18], that He will hide His face from us [Isaiah 59:2]. Our fellowship will be broken.

If we want to be sure God our Father will hear our prayers, we must acknowledge that though He is a loving and merciful Father, He is also a high and holy God who will not tolerate any unconfessed sin in our lives.

The prayer promises of Scripture come with strings attached. We must be children of God, and be free of unconfessed sin. So before we ever ask the Lord for anything, we had best search our hearts and confess any sin or disobedience He reveals. Think of the cost, to ourselves and to those we’re praying for, if our prayers aren’t even heard.

Pray with me now -- Lord, help us to be honest with You and with ourselves, to face our sins, confess and repent of them so that You will hear our prayers. In Jesus’ name, amen.

ã 1999 PrayerPower Ministries, P.O. Box 1368, Dallas, TX 75380-1368, 1-800-949-PRAY.
May be copied for personal or church use; please include PrayerPower name, address and phone on copies.