The Faithfulness of God in Answering Prayers
Thank you for joining us, and welcome to our radio program, The Voice of Many Waters Broadcast.
Our message today is entitled:
The Faithfulness of God in Answering Prayers
Prayer is an essential aspect of faith that connects believers to the divine. Throughout the Bible, there are numerous examples of people who earnestly sought God through prayer, and He answered them without fail. The stories of Jabez, Joshua, Elijah, and Jesus all showcase God’s unwavering faithfulness to those who have faith in Him.
Jabez’s Request
In the book of First Chronicles, chapter 4, verse 10, we find the Prayer of Jabez, a brief and powerful request for God’s blessing. Jabez, whose name means “pain” or “sorrow,” sought a divine transformation in his life. He prayed, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” The subsequent verse vividly displays God’s faithfulness, stating that God granted Jabez’s request.
First Chronicles chapter 4, verse 10, reads: Jabez cried to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.
This story exemplifies how God remains faithful in answering the sincere prayers of His children. It highlights the importance of humbly seeking God’s blessings, acknowledging our dependence on Him, and having faith in His unwavering commitment to answer our prayers according to His perfect plan.
Divine intervention occurs in response to prayer.
The Bible contains numerous accounts of God’s faithful responses to prayers that went against natural laws. During a crucial battle in the book of Joshua, Chapter 10, Joshua prayed for the sun to remain stationary. God answered Joshua’s bold request by making the sun stand still until victory was achieved. God’s faithfulness is on display in this extraordinary event, answering His people’s needs regardless of how audacious or incomprehensible the request may seem.
Joshua chapter 10, verses 12 to 14, reads:
On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel,
“Sun, stand still over Gibeon.
and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
So the sun stood still.
And the moon still
until the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as written in the Book of Jashar.
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down for a whole day. There has never been a day like it before or since when the Lord listened to a human being. Indeed, the Lord was fighting for Israel!
Elijah Stops the Rain
Elijah, the fearless messenger of God, also exemplified the effectiveness of fervent prayer: First Kings, chapter 17, verse 1.
Elijah the Tishbite was a prophet among the settlers in Gilead. “I serve the Lord, the God of Israel,” Elijah told Ahab. “As surely as the Lord lives, no rain or dew will fall during the next few years unless I command it.”
Elijah prayed earnestly for drought and later for rain. God, in His faithfulness, withheld and then sent abundant rain as Elijah spoke. This account emphasizes God’s sovereignty over nature and His eagerness to answer the prayers of those who seek Him with all their hearts.
The promise Jesus made in John, chapter 15, verse 7.
In the Gospel of John, Chapter 15, Jesus promises something profound about prayer. He declares in verse 7 that if you remain in Him and His words remain in you, whatever you ask for will be granted. The promise emphasizes God’s unfailing commitment to answering the prayers of those connected to Him.
Encouraging Faith and Trust
The prayers God answers in the Bible are a firm foundation for our Christian faith. They give us the courage to confidently approach God’s throne of grace, knowing He will listen to and answer our requests. Even when faced with overwhelmingly impossible obstacles, we remain steadfast in our faith.
When confronted with hardships and doubt, the Bible reminds believers to pray and surrender their worries to the Lord (Philippians chapter 4, verses 6 to 7). The Apostle Paul assures believers in his letter to the Philippians that the peace of God, surpassing understanding, will guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This illustrates how, in prayer, God attends to our needs and grants a profound and unwavering peace that surpasses human understanding.
The Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. Jesus provides instructions on prayer in Matthew, chapter 6, verses 5 to 6
“When you pray, don’t act like the hypocrites who stand on street corners or in synagogues and pray for other people to see. Truly, I tell you, they have already received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your unseen Father. Then your Father, who sees what is done secretly, will reward you openly.”
In these verses, Jesus emphasizes the importance of genuine communication with God, rather than seeking public approval for one’s spirituality, by contrasting the sincere, private nature of prayer with the ostentatious and hypocritical practices of the Pharisees.
The core of Jesus’ teachings is not solely about the place where one prays, but rather, it emphasizes the state of one’s heart. Jesus advocates for a personal and genuine relationship with God, underscoring the importance of honesty and closeness with God.
The promise that God will reward us openly highlights His willingness to hear and answer our sincere prayers. Although the reward may not necessarily be tangible or visible to others, it can take the form of spiritual growth, peace, wisdom, or a deeper understanding of God’s will.
In addition to highlighting the transformational power of genuine, intimate communion with God, this doctrine emphasizes the significance of sincerity and authenticity in the connection between Christians and God. Prayers also foster humility, realizing that prayers grant us an audience with God Himself.
In conclusion, the Bible is a treasure trove of God’s faithfulness in answering prayers. From the humble plea of Jabez to the audacious requests of Joshua and Elijah and the promises of Jesus in the New Testament, the Scriptures affirm God is faithful and responsive to the cries of His people.
As followers of Christ, we are called to imitate the faith of those who came before us and recognize that our God is eternally constant (Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8). Prayer is the link that connects us to the divine, and God’s faithfulness anchors our hope. Therefore, let us come boldly before the throne of grace, trusting that our faithful God will answer our prayers according to His perfect plan and timing.
