God Still Answers

We will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

1 John 3:22

DOES GOD ANSWER prayer?

Many people today, even Christians, feel that God’s answers are few and far between. Many consider prayer a waste of time. When we do get an answer, often we tell ourselves it’s nothing more than mere coincidence or the law of averages.

A study was done several years ago to research the effects of prayer on sick people. One group of participants prayed for a number of ill people. The other didn’t pray at all for a second group. Result: no real difference in the number of people who recovered. Thus, the people conducting the study reported that prayer had no visible effect.

However, wasn’t the whole idea flawed from the beginning? Would God normally respond to such a manipulative technique? And what of the beliefs of the people who were prayed for, and the commitment of those praying?

In fact, those are important factors, mentioned in the verse above. John states that God gives us whatever we ask for. Wonderful. Let’s get praying! But then he adds the kicker. Why does God give us what we ask for? Because “we obey him” and “do the things that please him.” So there are requirements.

Are you praying and not seeing answers regularly? The question then is, are you obeying God and doing the things that please him? If you are, he will be more inclined to give you what you’ve prayed for.