questions to ask when prayers seem unanswered part 1

Questions to Ask When Prayers Seem Unanswered

Part 1

Questions to ask when prayer seems unanswered

• Is God listening?

At times David questioned

Psalm 10:1

Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

Psalm 74:11

Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?Take it from the fold of your garment and destroy

them!

At other times David knew

Psalm 94:9

 He who planted the ear, does he not hear?He who formed the eye, does he not see?

Psalm 5:3

O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;in the morning I direct my prayer to you  and watch.

Psalm 4:3

But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself;the LORD hears when I call to him.

David UnderstoodPsalm 34:7, 19, 22

   The angel of the LORD encampsaround those who fear him, and delivers them.

 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

 The LORD redeems the life of his servants;none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

The Lord encircles and watches over the righteous

David UnderstoodPsalm 55:17

    Evening and morning and at noon

I utter my complaint and moan,and he hears my voice.

The Lord stays interested and available at all times

David UnderstoodPsalm 145:18-19

    The LORD is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.19 He fulfills the desire of those

who fear him;he also hears their cry and saves

them.

The Lord listens to those calling in truth and with

reverence

Questions to ask when prayer seems unanswered

• Is God listening?

• Does God care?

David feared this

Psalm 77:7-9

“Will the Lord spurn forever,and never again be

favorable?8 Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his

promises at an end for all time?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?”

David cured his doubts with facts

Psalm 77:10-13

Then I said, “I will appeal to this,to the years of the right hand of the Most High.” 11 I will remember the

deeds of the LORD;yes, I will remember your wonders of

old.12 I will ponder all your work,

and meditate on your mighty deeds.13 Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is great like our God?

David cured his doubts with factsHosea 11:3-4, 8-9

Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. 4 I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love,

and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.

How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.

9 I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy

One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath. 

Questions to ask when prayer seems unanswered

• Is God listening?

• Does God care?

• Am I praying in God’s will?

Hebrews 11:35-38Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some

were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered

mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated

— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves

of the earth.

Hebrews 11:35-38, 39Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some

were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered

mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated

— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves

of the earth.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith,…

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 So to keep me from becoming conceited

because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in

the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming

conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave

me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made

perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so

that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am

content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Sometimes we are fighting unseen battles with…

PRIDESELFISHNESS

SELF-CENTEREDNESS

MY OWN AGENDAETC., ETC.

Questions to ask when prayer seems unanswered

• Is God listening?

• Does God care?

• Am I praying in God’s will?

• Is my timing God’s timing?

John 11:1, 6Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and

her sister Martha.

So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he

stayed two days longer in the place where he

was. 

John 11:4, 40 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not

lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the

Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of

God?”  

Maybe God is waiting for the pray-er to learn…

To glorify GodTo depend on God

To look for God’s agenda

Questions to ask when prayer seems unanswered

• Is God listening?

• Does God care?

• Am I praying in God’s will?

• Is my timing God’s timing?

• Is my answer God’s answer?

Hebrews 2:10; 5:8-9For it was fitting that he, for whom and

by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the

founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. 

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he

suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal

salvation to all who obey him, 

Jesus was perfected, matured by suffering

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 So to keep me from becoming conceited

because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in

the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming

conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave

me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made

perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so

that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am

content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul learned dependence, was matured through suffering

We ask for what we want, God gives us what we need

What are we finding thus far?

• God certainly hears and cares

• It is a promise to His children

• His timing/answer may be unexpected, but it will be for our good

Do you have this privileged access?