ASSURANCE OF ANSWERED PRAYER FOR EVERYONE

ASSURANCE OF ANSWERED PRAYER FOR EVERYONE

Matthew 7:8-11

What a great privilege praying is. It is a privilege we have not studied, learnt or practised enough. Every believer and every preacher would do more good in life if he knew what Christ taught in this passage. It will do us a world of good to lay all
excuses and speculative theories on prayer aside and take the words of Christ at face value. Christ, Himself, prayed and got supernatural answers like no other man before Him. And His teaching on prayer is higher than any man’s concept on prayer as the heavens are higher than the earth.

Our Lord and Saviour assures us of the absolute certainty of answers to our prayers. He, the Son of God, is the perfect Example for all the sons of God. He said, “Father, I thank Thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me ALWAYS” (John 11:41,42). He prayed with absolute trust and peaceful confidence. His expectation was based on His relationship with the Father. That is the true basis for firm expectation in prayer - relationship with the heavenly Father. Sinners cannot have absolute certainty of receiving the children’s bread (John 9:31; Psalm 7:11). The goodness of God is to lead sinners to repentance (Romans 2:4). “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The first and only prayer a sinner can pray with absolute assurance is prayer of repentance, forgiveness and salvation in Christ. This makes him to be born again, truly born into the family of God. Now, with Christ as his Saviour and God as his Father, the promises of God to all members of His Family are also his. With the proper relationship with God, we can ask and receive whatever the Father has promised His own children.

1.    THE IMPARTIALITY OF GOD IN ANSWERING PRAYER

       Matthew 7:8; Luke 11:10; Numbers 21:8,9; Acts 10:34,35,43; Romans 2:11; 10:11,12; Psalms 32:6,7; 65:2; Isaiah 55:1-3; James 1:5.

      

       Partiality is often found in the human family because of man’s sinful nature (Genesis 37:3; 25:28). Partiality, favouritism, preference, injustice and unfairness will always cause problems whether they are found in the human family or in the church family. God’s Word condemns partiality in clear terms and it is not to be allowed any manifestation in our families or in the Church (2 Chronicles 19:7; Proverbs 24:23; 28:21; James 2:1,9; Colossians 3:25; Ephesians 6:9). God’s perfection assures us of His impartiality (1 Peter 1:17).

      

       In His response to prayer, God is fair and impartial to all His children. “Every one that asketh receiveth.” God is more faithful and infinitely more just than any man that ever lived. After giving us a promise sometimes man in his earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom (James 3:15) may find reasons and arguments not to keep those promises - God is infinitely more righteous and impartial than man. Most parents, even non-Christian parents, because of natural love and affection will provide necessities of life for their children. “How MUCH MORE shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?”

2        THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF GETTING ANTITHETIC ANSWERS IN PRAYER

       Matthew 7:9,10; Luke 11:11,12; Proverbs 25:21,22; Job 4:17; Psalms 85:12,13; 145:9,19; John 16:23,24; Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 103:1-5; James 1:16,17.

       Religious people have developed many theories on prayer. These theories are to excuse their unbelief so that they can give some comfort to those who fail to receive expected answers to prayer. Some of these “comforters” (Job 16:1-3) in an attempt to unravel the mysteries of life say that we may pray for something and God may give us the exact opposite - evil instead of good, sickness instead of health, poverty instead of wealth, defeat instead of victory, sorrow instead of joy, setback instead of progress, weakness instead of strength, oppression instead of deliverance, etc. Some Christians believe such theories so much that they resign to their fate and say, ‘Thy will be done’! They think they are resigning or submitting to the will of God when in reality they might be yielding, giving themselves up to the will of Satan. What would have happened if Jabez, Hannah, David (during the treachery and treason of Absalom), Esther, Hezekiah, Jochebed (the mother of Moses) or Jonah had believed such theory of prayer? Not only they themselves alone but their nation and the world would have suffered a great loss. Our Lord asks a series of questions with obvious answers. (1) “What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9). Will you? No. Are you better than God? (2) “Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? ” (Matthew 7:10). Will you? No. Are you more considerate than God? (3) “Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:12). Will you? No. Are you more loving and compassionate than God? When you ask for something good from God, especially when it is something He has promised in His Word, He will give what is good and beneficial, not what is evil and injurious.

3.       INSIGHT INTO GOD’S AFFECTION FOR HIS PEOPLE

Matthew 7:11; Luke 11:13; Psalm 103:11-13; Isaiah 49:15,16; 1:2-4,15-18; 30:8-10,15,18; Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 2:12-17; 3:8-10,19-22; Luke 15:11-32.

       “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? ” (Matthew 7:11). “HOW MUCH MORE shall your heavenly Father give THE HOLY SPIRIT to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:13). “How much more?” By how much is God more loving, more compassionate, more benevolent, more faithful, more righteous, more gracious, more merciful than man? Infinitely more! God loves His children infinitely more than any human parent could possibly love his own offspring. No earthly parent would want their children to be wanting or to lack good things (morally, materially, spiritually) if he could prevent it. Earthly parents do their best to provide everything necessary to keep their children healthy, prosperous and happy. Will God do any less? Certainly not! God, in His infinite love, will do infinitely more for us than earthly parents could ever do.

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