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Analyzing Unanswered Prayer (Protestant/Evangelical Devotional)
Ligonier Ministries ^ | 2/21/2018

Posted on 02/21/2018 5:50:02 AM PST by Gamecock

Our prayers are sometimes not answered because we pray in vague generalities. When all our prayers are either vague or universal in their scope, it is difficult to experience the exhilaration that goes with clear and obvious answers to prayer. If we ask God to “bless everyone in the world” or “forgive everyone in town,” it would be difficult to see the prayer answered in any concrete way. Not that it is wrong to have a large scope of interest in prayer, but if all prayer is given to such generality, then no prayer will have specific and concrete application.

Our prayers are also hindered if we are at war with God. If we are out of harmony with God or in a state of rebellion toward Him, we can hardly expect Him to turn a benevolent ear toward our prayers. His ear is inclined to those who love Him and seek to obey Him. He turns His ear away from the wicked. Thus our attitude and reverence toward God is vital to the efficiency of our prayers.

We also tend to be impatient. When I pray for patience I tend to ask for it “right now!” It is not uncommon for us to wait years, indeed decades, for our most earnest petitions to be realized. God rarely is in a hurry. On the other hand, our fidelity to God tends to depend on “prompt and courteous” action by God. If God tarries, our impatience yields to frustration.

We also have short memories and easily forget the benefits and gifts we’ve received from the hand of God. This is the mark of the apostate—he forgets the benefits of God. The saint remembers the gifts of God and doesn’t require a fresh one each hour to keep his faith intact.

Though God does heap grace upon grace, we should be able to rejoice in God’s benefits if we never receive another benefit from Him. Remember the Lord when you go before Him. He will not give you a stone when you ask Him for bread.

Coram Deo

Reflect on these reasons for unanswered prayer to determine if they are affecting your prayer life: praying in generalities, being at war with God, being impatient, and forgetting the benefits you have received from God.

Passages for Further Study

Isaiah 40:29 He gives power to the faint,

and to him who has no might he increases strength.

30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,

and young men shall fall exhausted;

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not faint.


TOPICS: General Discusssion
KEYWORDS: prayer; praying; unansweredprayer

1 posted on 02/21/2018 5:50:02 AM PST by Gamecock
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To: Alex Murphy; bkaycee; blue-duncan; boatbums; caww; CynicalBear; daniel1212; Dutchboy88; ealgeone; ..

Ping


2 posted on 02/21/2018 5:50:32 AM PST by Gamecock (The greatest threat to humanity is not "out there" but "in here" in the recesses of the soul. TK)
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To: Gamecock

Thank you Gamecock, for this critical post!

FREEPERS, PLEASE TAKE NOTE: Maybe the Best Book on prayer and it’s effect is :

“REES HOWELLS, INTERCESSOR” by Norman Grubb -

This humble Welsh coal miner was used of God in a major way. Thru his leadership, and with his Bible school, prayer changed the course of World War 2. Yes, you read that right. Read the untold story of WHY Hitler did not exploit his success at Dunkirk, and destroy the British army.


3 posted on 02/21/2018 6:31:21 AM PST by InkStone (Omni Vivum Ex Surfboard)
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To: Gamecock

Bfl


4 posted on 02/21/2018 6:34:46 AM PST by skr (May God confound the enemy)
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To: Gamecock

What’s really wrong is perceiving God as some sort of natural phenomenon that can be practically utilized if only you know how to work His bells and whistles.


5 posted on 02/21/2018 6:34:49 AM PST by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: Gamecock

And sometimes the answer is, “No.” (Example: St. Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9)


6 posted on 02/21/2018 6:57:53 AM PST by txrefugee
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To: Gamecock

I believe in James 1-3, which addresses prayers, gives us a very informative answer to this question of supposed ‘unanswered prayers’. James speaks of not praying with a ‘double-minded’ mindset, that is to pray for something/someone while having doubt in one’s mind & heart.

IOW, it is not just the mind & heart of the person doing the praying, but also the heart & mind of those whom we are praying for that matters. If our hearts and minds are not of one accord, then this is praying in ‘double-mindedness’ aka sending mixed messages to God.

All throughout Scripture the Word of God tells us how to pray and He tells us which prayers He hears and which prayers He does not hear. Therefore, we need to return to His Word that Jesus preached, taught & prayed according to and not according to some ‘book’ that man has written.

1Jn 2:27 But the anointing that you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as His anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in Him.


7 posted on 02/21/2018 6:59:07 AM PST by patlin (Jesus (Yeshua) is the Messiah & I will never deny Him!!!)
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To: Gamecock

I answer prayer means “no”.


8 posted on 02/21/2018 7:17:34 AM PST by sarasota
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To: Gamecock

“Our prayers are sometimes not answered because we pray in vague generalities.”

Our prayers are answered. Its just that sometimes the answer is “no”.


9 posted on 02/21/2018 7:32:42 AM PST by bk1000 (I stand with Trump)
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To: txrefugee

Or even “wait” all prayer is answered just not always in the way we wish


10 posted on 02/21/2018 8:00:39 AM PST by Mom MD ( .)
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To: Gamecock

Thanks for posting that.


11 posted on 02/21/2018 8:34:07 AM PST by Cincinnatus.45-70 (What do DemocRats enjoy more than a truckload of dead babies? Unloading them with a pitchfork!)
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To: Gamecock

[Verse 1]
Just the other night, at a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into, my old high school flame
And as I introduced them, the past came back to me
And I couldn’t help but think of, the way things used to be

[Verse 2]
She was the one, that I’d wanted for all times
And each night I’d spend prayin’, that God would make her mine
And if he’d only grant me, this wish I wished back then
I’d never ask, for anything again

[Chorus]
Sometimes I thank God, for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’, to the man upstairs
And just because he doesn’t answer, doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers

[Verse 3]
She wasn’t quite the angel, that I remembered in my dreams
And I could tell that time had changed me, in her eyes too it seemed
We tried to talk about the old days, there wasn’t much we could recall
I guess the Lord knows what he’s doin’, after all

[Bridge]
And as she walked away, well I looked at my wife
And then and there I thanked the good Lord, for the gifts in my life

[Chorus]
Sometimes I thank God, for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’, to the man upstairs
And just because he may not answer, doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered...

[Outro]
Some of God’s greatest gifts, are all too often unanswered
Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers


12 posted on 02/21/2018 3:00:51 PM PST by boatbums (The Law is a storm which wrecks your hopes of self-salvation, but washes you upon the Rock of Ages.)
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