THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

 

Chapter 17

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Determinants to Favourable Answers to Prayers

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Text

Isa. 52:5-12 “And Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord, “That My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them make them wail,” says the Lord, “And My name is blasphemed continually every day. Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks: ‘Behold, it is I.’ ”

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

 

Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem.

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The Lord has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

 

Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.

 

For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

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​​​​Memory Verse

John 9:31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him.

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Introduction

Prayer is not a bribe to get God to do what you want. He has more resources than any request we could make.

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God does not answer some people and ignore others because the first group “lobbied” Him better. Timing also matters. God’s fullness of time is His call, not ours.

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When God delays, He is often teaching persistence and discipleship.

 

Objective
To know five key elements that a Christian’s prayer must have in order to receive a favourable answer from God.

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Presentation

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1. Doubtlessness: Faith Without Wavering
Doubt in your heart limits the power of God in your prayer. It blocks answers. God expects us to come to His throne of grace with confidence and boldness (Mark 11:23-24; Heb. 4:15-16).

 

He already knows what you need (Matt. 6:8). Therefore come believing that He hears and is able.

 

2. Persistence
When God does not answer right away, it is often to draw you closer and make you more dependent. It keeps you sober and seeking Him (Luke 18:6-7; 1 Thess. 5:17).

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God also looks at why you are asking. A wrong motive kills the prayer (Jam. 4:3).

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3. Holiness, Hospitality, and Humility
Purity of heart is non-negotiable because God is holy (1 Pet. 1:14-16; Heb. 12:14). That inward holiness must show outwardly: obedience to Christ’s teaching, respect for God-ordained authority, and hospitality to others (Rom. 13:1-7; Jam. 1:27). God listens to the godly person who does His will (John 9:31).

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4. Fullness of Time
God’s patience is not forgetfulness (2 Pet. 3:9). He is not slow. He is working things out in the right order. If He promised it, He will bring it at the right time.

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“He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” (1 Thess. 5:24)

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5. Motive
There must be a godly reason behind your prayer. God moves when your request lines up with His purpose and glory (Jam. 4:3).

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If it is for selfish gain, do not expect an answer.

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Conclusion
In prayer, remember who you are: a son or daughter of the King. Do not approach God like a beggar. You are making declarations and announcements based on His word, like preaching.

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God is your Helper (Heb. 13:5-6). He expects you to receive help from Him so that you can go and help others, just as Jesus did (Acts 10:38; John 17:18).

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Stop asking God to send you helpers. Ask Him to make you a helper to the helpless. If you become an agent of help, you will be helped. May God bless you with this knowledge in Christ.

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​​Evaluation Questions & Answers

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1. How many helpers do we have in the world? Who?

   • One. God alone is our Helper. “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Heb. 13:6)

2. People may be instruments, but God is the source. If God delays the answer to our request, He does not deny us and will not let us die before the answer. Discuss.

   • A delay is not a denial. God’s delay is for your good - for maturity, persistence, and the right timing. He will not let you perish before the answer comes, because He is faithful (1 Thess. 5:24). The answer is waiting for His fullness of time.

3. Why do we need persistence in our dealing with God?

   • Persistence keeps us close to God, builds faith, and reveals our motives. It also aligns with Jesus’s teaching in Luke 18:1-8. God uses delay to deepen dependence and make us ready for the answer.

4. If our wickedness neither harms God nor our righteousness benefits Him in heaven, why does He bother to correct us?

   • Because He loves us. Correction is for our good, not His. He disciplines us so that we can share in His holiness and live the life that we are made for (Heb. 12:10-11). Sin destroys us, so He corrects us to bring us back to life.

5. How do we examine ourselves to ascertain that we are fit to be called His children?

   • Check your faith, motive, obedience, and love. Are you trusting God without doubt? Is your request for His glory? Are you walking in holiness and hospitality? Do you love and obey Christ’s teaching? That is the evidence of sonship (1 John 2:3-6).

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Prayer

Father, thank You for teaching us how to pray in a way that gets answers. Make our prayers pure, persistent, and full of faith. Let everything we ask be for Your glory and the good of others. Make us true worshippers. Amen.

 

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