TEACHING

Unanswered Prayer

Your prayers aren’t answered. How come? What is it? What is the deal? There are many people who say they pray and they don’t get an answer. So I want take a look at some of the reasons and some of the things that happen to people along the way.

We do a lot of praying. We pray every day. Sometimes we don’t remember what we pray for; but nevertheless, let’s take some of the things. Number one, it’s the wrong time.

When we think of Jesus, the Apostle Paul said, “In the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son.” Everything had to be in order for that to happen. People had prayed, and prayed, and prayed, and prayed for the coming of Messiah, prayed to be delivered from Rome, prayed for these miracles, prayed for the prophets to be fulfilled. Nothing happened. And yet, in the fullness of time...

What was the fullness of time? The Roman Empire had to get peace. There had to be roads all over the Roman Empire. There had to be a common language. You go down the list of everything, and people’s hearts had to be open. And then Jesus came and set forth a spiritual explosion that transformed the whole world. So that’s number one. So you pray, and it’s the wrong time; you don’t get an answer.

The second thing is you are not ready. The times may be ready, but you aren’t. And what does that mean? Well, it means that in your life, there’s something wrong. If there’s sin in your life, you’re not going to get it. Well, let’s assume that God’s put in your heart that—you’re a young person—and one day, you’re going to be a famous scientist, or you’re going to be a famous leader. Maybe you’re going to be President, or you’re going to be super rich or something. But at age 20, you’re not ready. At age 25, you’re not ready. You haven’t gone through the trials and the torment, and you haven’t built up those spiritual muscles you need. And so God will not give you the answer. And I can’t imagine anything more horrible to happen to a 21-year-old than to win the lottery. I can’t imagine anything more destructive than to have an answer to your prayer, “Oh, God, let this be the winning number,” and you’re 21, 22, and bingo, it destroys your life. So God’s not going to give it, because you’re not ready.

And the next reason we don’t get prayers answered is the answer you’re asking for will hurt you. God will not give you the appropriate answer that you’re asking for, because the answer to your prayer will hurt you. You don’t know what you’re asking for. You’re asking for something selfish. You’re asking for something to consume on your desire. And you don’t get an answer to it, because a wise God says that answer will hurt you, and He’s not going to give it to you.

And I find this to be much more particularly for those who love the Lord, and that there is something—and this is very important—something better for you. You are asking for something, but you are asking too small. We did that in relation to CBN. I looked for land, looked for land, looked for land, looked for land. I tried this, I tried that, I tried the other, I prayed. Nothing, just closed doors, because I was asking for the wrong thing. God was giving me something much better. Before it was finished—we now have, instead of six acres, we now have 700 acres along an interstate that is very valuable. God had something much better, and He shut doors and said no, no, no, until the best came about.

Now what about somebody dying. And you say, “Well, I want him back to life again.” And the answer here, very simple. Is Heaven better? And whether we like it or not on earth, we don’t want to see a loved one taken away. We don’t want to see them die. We don’t want to see them sick. But Heaven is better. And God says, “He’s with me, and I have brought him to this point, and I have allowed him to leave this world so that he might spend eternity with me. Heaven is better, and I have given him something better.” So you don’t get your prayers answered like, “Get him out of bed.” Dear friend, but God says he’s in Heaven, and Heaven’s better.