IS GOD LISTENING?

Matt. 7:7-8 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened

unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”

Is God Listening?

Matt. 7:9-11“Or what man is there of you, whom if his

son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil,

know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good

things to them that ask him?”

Is God Listening?

Matt. 7:9-11“Or what man is there of you, whom if his

son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil,

know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good

things to them that ask him?”

Is God Listening?

Prayer is one of the great privileges God offers to His children.

Some may not have the proper degree of faith in prayer.

Some may feel God won’t answer their prayers, because they do not

have enough faith.

Some may ask: “Is God listening?”

Is God Listening?

I. Zacharias and ElisabethThey were both godly people.

Luke 1:6“And they were both righteous before

God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of

the Lord blameless.”

Is God Listening?

I. Zacharias and ElisabethThey were both older people.

Luke 1:7“And they had no child, because that

Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.”

God heard their prayers!

Is God Listening?

I. Zacharias and ElisabethAn angel told them their prayers

had been answered.Luke 1:11-12

“And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side

of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled,

and fear fell upon him.”

Is God Listening?

I. Zacharias and ElisabethAn angel told them their prayers

had been answered.Luke 1:13

“But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard;

and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name

John.”

Is God Listening?

I. Zacharias and ElisabethZacharias was surprised, indicating

that he had not recently been praying for a child.

Luke 1:18 “And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in

years.”

Is God Listening?

I. Zacharias and ElisabethDon’t you think they asked many of

the same questions that we ask?Don’t you think that they wondered

why God hadn’t answered their prayers?

They had probably given up on a child.God hadn’t forgotten their prayers, He

simply delayed His answer.

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

DON’T FORSAKE GOD!!Zacharias & Elisabeth were both

probably disappointed, but they did not turn their backs upon

God.When he learned of the child, he

was in God’s house.

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

He may have ceased praying for a son, but he had not quit going to God’s house to serve Him!

Our supposed unanswered prayers just may be one of the ways in which God is testing our faith.

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

James 1:3“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith

worketh patience.”

Remember that the answer to our prayers may simply be delayed.

GOD KNOWS BEST!

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

He knows best: when & what we need.

Matt. 6:25“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the

life more than meat, and the body than raiment?”

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

He knows best: when & what we need.

Matt. 6:26“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow

not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better

than they?”

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

He knows best: when & what we need.

Matt. 6:26“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow

not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better

than they?”

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

Our prayers must be according to His will: He knows best.

I John 5:14“And this is the confidence that we have

in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:”

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

Remember that we must be righteous.James 5:16

“…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

God has never promised to answer the prayers of an unrighteous man.

Is God Listening?

II. How to deal with prayers apparently unanswered.

Remember God’s perspective.Just think of all the contradictory

prayers that God receives.The farmer prayers for rain.

Next door the contractor prays for clear weather.

Is God Listening?

We must trust that what ever God does for us is best.

We may not understand some of the answers, therefore, our

faith must takes over.As God’s children, He will supply

our needs, to some of our wants He may say NO.

Is God Listening?

PRAYER IS POWERFUL!What Jesus said in Matt. 7:7-11

IS TRUE! The prayer that Jesus spoke of

was one prayed by a righteous man in accordance with God’s

will.

Is God Listening?

Do not neglect your prayer life.Make prayer a active part of your

life.God answers prayers in three ways.

1. YES2. NO

3. WAIT AWHILE

GOD IS LISTENING!

Is God Listening?

To pray with hope of an affirmative answer one must

obey the gospel.1. Hear – Rom. 10:172. Believe – Heb. 11:63. Repent – Luke 13:3

4. Confess Christ – Acts 8;36-375. Be baptized – Acts 2:38

6. Remain Faithful – Rev. 2:10

Is God Listening?