When we pray to God, we expect the answer to be yes. When the answer is No or Wait, we cringe in quiet rebellion and we ask “why don’t you answer me now Lord I am asking with all my heart.” Sound familiar?  In PrayerBoard.net I share many positive aspects of prayer and when I asked my friends for feedback – many say “if the answer is Yes, well and good. What happens if the answer is No or Wait and kept in ‘limbo’? “That triggered some thing in my heart to include this discussion in PrayerBoard.net.

In this section I want to bring this out in the open when the answer is No or Wait and address it upfront. This is important if we want to continue to build our relationship with God we need to be confident of that relationship.

We as Christians must first understand the following:

1.       God is our Father in Heaven 

Matthew 6:9 -   9“This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

2.       We are His Children

Romans 8:16-17 – 16The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 

3.       He Loves us

John 3:16 – 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

4.       And our Father provides for all our needs

Philippians 4:19 – 19And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:26-27 – 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

If we are good responsible parents, do we give our child what ever they ask for, every time, all the time?  I don’t think so, we will not say yes to everything. How can we? We need to access the request and only give what is good for them. In the following section we will show you how the Yes, No and Wait answers are possibly given in the different scenarios.

A father and child

I want to start with an illustration to help us understand when we discuss this.

We have a father who has a child he loves dearly. As a good loving father; he would want the best for the child and would do anything to provide for and protect the child. So how does father responds to different requests from his child? Let us examine these scenarios.

Answer is Yes: If your child has been wearing a set of old clothes for some time already. Your child asks “Dad, can I have a new set of clothes? Mine is rather worn out now” Would you knowing that it is time to change, not hesitate and say “Yes! Let’s go shopping for some new clothes.”  There are many things the father will answer yes especially when it is with regards to the child’s needs as they grow up.

As a father, I sometimes even give my child some things even before they ask; something we know they need and is good for them. For example, after a tiring game of soccer, as a father realising that the child would appreciate a cool drink to cool down prepares it for the child without being asked. Have we as fathers not done that before? 

Matthew 7:9-11- 9“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

2 Peter 1:3-4 – 3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Matthew 6:8b – for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 

Answer is No: If your child after watching a war movie and found that it was cool to own a gun. The child asks you, “Dad, would it be good to have a gun at home? We could protect ourselves from bad guys who may one day rob us at home; can you buy me a gun?” As a father the answer is clear. “No I will not get you the gun because it is dangerous to have a gun in the house, an accident would result in someone getting hurt or even die, No we are not having a gun in the house.” The child grumbled, “Why did dad not answer my request. I am so sad, it was a reasonable request – it is protection of the family”.

The father, in his wisdom knows that it is the good decision not to start having a gun in the house, as it could lead to accidents etc. It may not be apparent to the child as they want to see what they want to see. Anything outside the scope of what they see is unfair and many times deem not reasonable according to them.

James 4:3 – 3You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 - 7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Answer is Wait: On another day, my child who is ten years old this week, saw a very sporty car drive past our home. “Wow dad, that car is cool! I want a car like that, dad. I can drive to school myself; I can save time travelling to and back from school. Wouldn’t that be great?” Can you buy me a car dad? “ The father realising that the idea is a good idea, but the child being ten years old will need to grow up a few years before they can be granted a driving license after they passed the driving course. “hmm, it is a good idea, you are right now too young to drive. You will need to be at least 18 years old before I can send you to driving school and get you a car for your birthday”. Again, from the child’s perspective, it is unfair to wait to get the car.

 Genesis 12: 1-4 - 1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.  2 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.

Genesis 21:5 -   Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

As the prayer requestor (the child), we want a positive answer or outcome to our prayer. Many times, we sincerely think what we ask for is good for us. However, we may not know the bigger picture that the father has for us. So it does take confidence in the father to accept the answer No and Wait. 

Our Father in Heaven hears our prayers 

Sometimes we ask ourselves, is God there? Is He hearing our prayers? Be assured that God our Father in heaven hears our prayers. It says so in the following verses.

Psalm 6:9 – The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer. 

Psalm 17:6 – I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. 

Self Evaluation

Now that we established that God our Father hears our prayers. We also need to make sure we are right with God in order for him to answer our prayers. I would recommend that we do a self review of the Conditions for Prayer and Hindrance to Prayer to make sure we are right with God when we ask him in prayer.

If we passed the above assessment; then bring your request to God and wait for His answer.

It is important to believe that as God is our father, he will always have his best for us. Sometimes it is hard to believe so; we need to have the faith that it is so. In the following verse:

Romans 8:28 -  28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Knowing that God has his best for us; we need to give thanks for all circumstances. As a child, it is some times difficult to believe at that time, God’s decision is good for us. It is only on hindsight in the future, we will see that it was the best answer for us. Let us have the faith of God’s wisdom and grace that he has our best at heart, give thanks for the answer even if it is a No or Wait answer and see how God unfold his perfect plan for our lives.

Isaiah 55:8-9 –  8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD.  9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts

Psalm 118:21 – I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Warning

I know that there are people who try to confuse Christians and saying that Yes No Wait are all possible answers we can get and praying to God is an illusion, like praying to an inanimate object; whatever the outcome, we can say it is the answer from “god” or that inanimate object.

As I have explained, how can this be? As earthly parents, we do answer Yes No and Wait when our children ask us for things; and we answer according to what we know is good for our children, not randomly. So don’t be deceived by those who mean harm to our relationship with God the Father.   

1 Peter 5:8,9  8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 

Romans 16:17-18 - 17I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 

 

So in summary, Yes, No or Wait is possible answer from our Father in heaven who has His best will planned for us. As our Father loves us, He will answer accordingly and that it will work for good to children who love him. We need to believe it.  But don’t be deceive by others who say otherwise.

God Bless

Ben