Most people know that prayer is an important discipline in the life of a believer. And many believe that God answers prayer. So why don’t we pray more often? One answer could be that we discount ourselves. But Jesus wants you to know that God will personally answer your prayers.
‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3
Why pray? Because God answers prayer! Let that sink in. God is very plainly telling us that if we will call out to Him, He will answer us! He does not say that He “might” answer. He says that He “will” answer. This truth is all over the Bible. Jesus Himself taught very plainly and said:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7, 8
Jesus simply said, “Ask, and it will be given to you.” He does not put any disclaimers on this statement. He is wanting to convince us that God truly answers prayer.
So why don’t we pray more often? One answer could be that we discount ourselves. It’s easy to believe that God answers other people’s prayers; perhaps the prayers of a pastor or a super-religious person, but we tend to discount ourselves.
This is one reason why some may ask other people to pray for them. Some will attempt to put their prayer requests on a prayer chain hoping that God will respond if there were hundreds praying on their behalf. There is nothing wrong with having other people pray for you, but you don’t need other people praying on your behalf to get God’s attention. The Lord simply says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you.” At the heart of the matter, Jesus wants you to know that God will answer your prayers. Yes, you!
Jesus invites everyone to pray and receive from God. Jesus very plainly said, “Everyone who asks receives.” Did you catch that? Everyone (this includes you … no one is left out) who asks (this is prayer) receives (God answers everyone’s prayer, which includes you). This means that you are not excluded or overlooked. You are not disqualified to let your requests be made known to God. And He will answer your prayers.
Notice how personal Jesus is directing this truth: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives…” Jesus wants you to be convinced that God will answer your prayers.
Notice what Jesus also said in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”
Jesus opens this verse by saying, “Therefore I say to you.” In other words, this is a personal word from the Lord to me and you as an individual. And then notice the following phrases: You ask; you pray; you receive; you will have. Why pray? Because God answers your prayer!
Jesus wants you to be convinced that when you ask and pray, you will receive.
So what should you do? The answer is quite simple. Ask! And when you do, Jesus said, “Your Father who is in heaven give[s] good things to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11
The following is a very important and life-changing truth: God gives to those who ask Him. That’s called prayer. And God answers prayer. Sometimes we do not receive simply because we do not ask. In fact, James 4:2 says it quite directly, “You do not have, because you do not ask God” (NIV). Let’s not fail to receive from God simply because we do not pray and ask.
Sometimes we do not receive simply because we do not ask God.
If you have any needs; if there is something weighing on you; if you need God to come through in a real and personal and tangible way; approach the Lord in prayer and ask, believing by faith that He will answer you.
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:24.
So let’s come to the Lord in prayer, believing that He will answer.
Why pray? Because God answers your prayer
Tristan Fenholt 