How To Receive Answers To Prayer

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:14, 15.

One of the most astounding facts of the spiritual life is that Yahuwah hears and answers prayer. The Bible abounds with the testimony of those whose prayers have been signally answered, and every sincere child of Yahuwah can add his own personal experiences.

Prayer puts man in touch with Yahuwah. It forms the connecting link between human weakness and Yahuwah’s omnipotence. Out of weakness men are made strong. See Hebrews 11:34.

The Privilege of Prayer

1. What is prayer?

When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven. Luke 11:2. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need, Hebrews 4:15-16.

And since Yahushua is the friend of sinners, He invites the most sinful to come to Yahuwah through Him.

Answer:

A. The cry of a soul in need.
Prayer is the cry of a soul in need, but it is much more than that.

Have mercy upon me, 0 Yahuwah, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. Psalm 31:9.

Elohim is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1.

B. The opening of the heart to Yahuwah.

Real prayer is the opening of the heart to Yahuwah as to a friend. It is not just asking for things. It isn't all talking on man's part or on Yahuwah's part. It is some of each, and more. It may be communion in utter silence at times-just a sacred sense of His holy, presence.

Be still, and know that I am Elohim (Psalm 46:10).

Yahuwah asks us to call Him Father; therefore we may freely come to Him with our problems and our joys.

2. What prayer is not?

Answer: Prayer is not an act of merit that earns Yahuwah's favor. Yahushua said: He. . sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.“ Matthew 5:45.

If prayer would get us anything we wanted, we probably would pray not so much for holiness as for temporal benefits which would not be used to our good or Yahuwah's glory.

Prayer is not ostentation and show (Matthew 6:1-8). Prayer is communion with Yahuwah, and may take place whenever and wherever the soul of man reaches out sincerely for his Creator.

3. Why do we pray?

Four questions will help to find the answer:

A. Is it to give Yahuwah information?

Oh Yahuwah. Thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising. Thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, Oh Yahuwah, thou knowest it altogether. Psalm 139:1-4.

Your Father knowest what things ye have need of, before ye ask Him (Matthew 6:8). Be alert and reverent when you talk to Yahuwah, and your prayers will be heard.

B. Is it to make Yahuwah willing?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? Luke 11:13.

Prayer is taking hold of Yahuwah's willingness: Prayer does not make Him willing, for He is always willing to help us.

C. Is it to change Yahuwah?

I am Yahuwah, I change not. Malachi 3:6.

With Him is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17). Yahuwah's promises are conditional; therefore answers vary. But Yahuwah never changes (Hebrews 13:8). Come now, and let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18).

D. Is it to change us?

Prayer is the greatest unused force in the universe to change what most needs to be changed- men. We pray in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring Yahuwah down to us, but brings us up to Him. Read Paul's experience in Acts 9: 10-18.

Yahuwah’s Willingness to Answer

4. How did Yahushua illustrate the willingness of our Heavenly Father to give us what we need when we ask?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him? Luke 11:13.

Answer: No man with a father’s heart would turn from his son who is hungry and is asking for bread. Would he promise to give him good and nourishing food, and then give him a stone?

Power of Prayer

5. How did Yahushua illustrate the limitless power that every believing disciple can receive in answer to prayer?

“Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:21, 22.

6. What is our part in getting our prayers answered?

Answer: Read the story of the Pharisee and the publican in the Temple (Luke 18:10-14). Now go and note carefully these eight points:

A. Recognize your need of Yahuwah.

I will pour water upon him that is thirsty. Isaiah 44:3.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6.

B. Recognize Yahuwah as your indispensable helper.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing. John 15:5.

See also: James 1:17; Isaiah 50: 10-11

C. Pray in faith.

lf any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Yahuwah, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. James 1:5-6.

Ask in faith (Hebrews 11:6).

D. Confess and forsake all your sins.

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Proverbs 28:13.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, Yahuwah will not hear me Psalm 66:18. (See Proverbs 28:9.)

Confess and forsake. We must not wait for feeling. We must act. (1 Samuel 12:19)

Sin is the transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). We must forsake sin, (which is lawlessness. Obedience must be the rule of our lives. It is the fruit of true faith. Faith without works is dead (James 2:20).

E. Pray according to Yahuwah's will.

He went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, 0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt Matthew 26:39. See (verse 42).

We know not what we should pray for as we ought (Romans 8:26).

The answer sometimes is No, or Not now; a postponement. Trust Yahuwah. He knows best.

F. Persevere with Yahuwah.

Read Luke 18:1-8 -the story of the importunate widow.

Persevere in prayer. Keep an attitude of prayer. It does mean faith and earnestness, as in the case of Elijah's praying for rain and sending his servant seven times to the hilltop to look for signs of rain.

G. Pray in Yahushua's name.

Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14: 13.

To pray in the name of Yahushua is to pray in the mind and spirit of Yahushua while we believe His promises, rely upon His grace, and work His works.

H. Listen as well as talk.

See Habakkuk 2:1.

The prayer room is not so much the oratory room as the observatory room. Waiting for Yahuwah to speak in prayer sometimes provides the only answer we need to our petitions.

Conditions for Answers

7. Why are some prayers not answered?

Answer: In order to have our prayers answered, we should remove all the obstacles that block the prayer channel. Think of these four things:

A. We must forgive others.

If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15 (See Matthew 18:21-35.)

B. We must pray for others.

Yahuwah turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Job 42:10. (See Matthew 5:44.)

A man whose prayer is always, 0 Lord bless me, can never become like Yahuwah in character. We must have not only the inward look, but the outlook. John Knox prayed, "[Yahuwah], give me Scotland or I die." He prayed for his enemies.

If we do not pray for those who despitefully use us, we shall surely despise them. Sincere prayer for them is essential for our own sakes.

C. We must confess our faults one to another.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. James 5:16. (See Matthew 5:23-24.)

We must confess faults to others we have injured. This is simple decency. If you break a man's leg, do your best to fix it. If you break his heart, you are the only human being who can help patch it up. Do this now with kindness and words of sincerity.

D. We must restore anything taken by fraud or robbery.

If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. Ezekiel 33:15. (See the example of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-9.)

8. In what manner does James say Yahuwah will answer the prayer of faith?

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of Yahuwah, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” James 1:5, 6.

9. With what power did Jacob prevail at the Brook Jabbok?

See Genesis 32:24–28.

Answer: With power of faith. Importunate prayer.

10. What does John say is necessary if we are going to experience the power of prevailing prayer?

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” 1 John 3:22; 5:14, 15.

Praise in Prayer

11. What does Paul say will always be connected with true prayer?

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto Yahuwah.” Philippians 4:6.

12. When Paul and Silas mingled praise with their prayers, what happened?

See Acts 16:25, 26.

Answer: In the prison at Philippi, while suffering from the cruel stripes they had received, their feet fast in the stocks, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praise to Yahuwah; and angels were sent from heaven to deliver them. The earth shook under the tread of these heavenly messengers, and the prison doors flew open, setting the prisoners free.

Private and Public

13. What counsel has Yahushua given to His disciples in regard to their personal prayer life?

“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matthew 6:6.

NOTE: Have a place for secret prayer. Yahushua had select places for communion with Yahuwah, and so should we.

14. What other kind of prayer does Yahushua endorse with the promise of His presence?

“Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19, 20.

NOTE: We should not come together to remain silent. All the time should be occupied by short, pointed testimonies and prayers. Ask, believe, and receive.

Posture in Prayer

15. What example has Daniel and Paul left us in regard to the physical attitude of prayer?

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his Eloah, as he did aforetime.” “And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.” Daniel 6:10; Acts 20:36.

Please take time to read [Luke 22:41; Acts 9:40; 7:59, 60; 21:5; Ezra 9:5, 6; 2 Chronicles. 6:1-13; Ephesians 3:14.]

NOTE: Both in public and private worship it is our duty to bow down upon our knees before Yahuwah when we offer our petitions to Him. This act shows our dependence upon Yahuwah.

16. In what manner has Yahuwah declared He would have us approach Him in prayer during public worship?

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before Yahuwah our maker.” Psalm 95:6.

NOTE: The prayer offered by Solomon during the dedication of the temple, was not made while he stood upon his feet. The king knelt in the humble position of a petitioner.

Let man come on bended knee, as a subject of grace, a suppliant at the footstool of mercy. Thus he is to testify that the whole soul, body, and spirit are in subjection to his Creator.”

17. Why are we especially admonished to pray now?

“And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” Romans 13:11, 12.

Answer: Said Peter: The end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 4:7.

If we are to stand ready to meet Yahushua through death or at his return, we must get the daily prayer habit, and pray always. Morning, noon, and night we should lift our souls to Yahuwah. Yahushua said: Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares . . Watch ye therefore and pray always, that ye, may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. Luke 21:34, 36.

"For whatever is born of Yahuwah overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith." (1 John 5:4, Restored Names Scripture)

Will you commit yourself to become better acquainted with Yahuwah by setting apart some time every morning to talk with Him in personal, private prayer?