Sometimes it’s easy to pray, but with a seed of doubt. Sometimes we pray wondering, “Is God really going to answer my prayers?” How do you turn this around and pray believing God will answer?
Reading Psalm 17:6 challenged me in my heart about how I pray.
Do I pray believing God will answer?
Psalm 17:6 says, “I am praying to you, because I know you will answer, God.”
David was praying to God. He didn’t get on social media, or run to his friends for advice. He didn’t ask his parents for their perspective, or even seek the wisdom of his pastor. He took his needs straight to God (“I’m praying to you…God.”)
Why? “…because I know you will answer.”
I love when Scripture uses the word “will” because it gives us confidence. It gives us reason to believe, it gives us reason to trust. It’s a word marked with certainty, as in a promise.
David prayed believing God would answer.
In a message I had the opportunity to deliver to a church congregation, I shared from Isaiah 61:1-3. There were so many promises packed in those few verses about how God will comfort the brokenhearted, release the captives, free the prisoners, give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, and festive praise instead of despair. Every time I came to the word “will,” I felt the need to emphasize it because it offered another promise to hold on to and it filled me with such joy because those are the things we can stand on because God is not a man so He cannot lie. So, every time He says the word “will,” we can count on it!
I love this verse from Psalm 17:6 because we have a promise that God will answer our prayers.
How many times do you pray, really believing and knowing that God WILL answer—not hoping, not wondering but knowing that God will answer?
I want to challenge you to go to Him with your needs first—go to Him before you go to your friends, before you go to your parents, before you go to your pastor, before you go to your counselor. Before you put the post out on social media, go to God in prayer. Before you even turn the lights on in the morning, go to God in prayer, knowing He will answer.
But don’t put Him in a box. Don’t tell Him how He has to answer your prayer. Because however He chooses to answer, whenever He chooses to answer, know that it will be the best answer for you and for your circumstance, and for His glory.
How has God answered your prayers in the past? I’d love for you to share in the comments.
Because of Him, #HopePrevails!
Thanks for linking up at #PorchStories with this truth-filled post.
My uncle back in the 80s it was Christmas day. He came with my brother to my house n I was raising aittle girl. My uncle n my brother bought her a necklace with a little cross n she lived it. I put that neckless on her. N my uncle God love him bought me the living Bible n I did indeed read my Bible 2 times straight through. N learned so much reading my Bible. N I pray day n night n during the day. God is always in my heart. N Jesus Christ our lord
N he answered my prayers already. I’ll never stop praying to our lord god and sweet Jesus Christ amen 🙏
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.”
Amen..
That’s why I hate to hear people say if it is His will, but I read about Jesus in the garden, as a man He to had to face doubts, and is a sympathetic High Priest. He is will are we? Unbelief is really where you really don’t want to go.
Such an encouraging post, Dr. B; thank you. I do believe. Dear Lord, help my unbelief.
Wonderful post! There’s so much hope and freedom here, especially when we remember the truth you’ve spelled out in the last paragraph. Our Heavenly Father loves us and always has our best interests in mind, even when His answers make no sense to us! So glad to be your neighbor at Chasing Community this past week …
Thank you for this encouraging post which also reminds me that we are told to Ask in faith.
This is so encouraging. I try to always pray first but I will find myself sharing a need with my hubby, a family friend, someone I know will pray but not to God first. So that is a super challenge for me to go to God first with a prayer need and praying believing and expecting that He will answer, WILL, and then wait to see what His answer is. Thank you so much!! Such a needed message. Sure do love and appreciate you!
I know God hears every one of my prayers. I know He will answer every prayer with a yes, a no, or a wait. The only times I know what the answer to my prayer is how short of a timetable it needs to be answered by either a yes or a no. However, there are may times where the wait answer can take a long time for me to know it was a yes. I trust Him that He will give me my answer on His timetable; not mine. Trust and hope go very well together.
Cathleen, His timing is always best!
I need a prayer circle for my daughter thalia masonto end her marriage and see she deserves a way better husband and accept her mom back into her life
Christina,
It’s so hard to watch our children suffer. Prayer is our greatest weapon. Who do you have around you that you know and trust who can fill that prayer circle for you?
Father, give Christina wisdom. Give her words to pray. Bring prayerful support around her today. Guide her with your love. In Jesus’s name, Amen.