As I was thinking about about the principles of prayer, I asked myself why loving parents would ever deny a request from a beloved child.
The answer. Because the parent (and God) is much wiser than the child. This is why His answers are
sometimes,"Yes,"
sometimes, "No," and
sometimes, "Wait."
God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, and all of the promises (to those who delight themselves in Him and pray according to His will), are, "Yes, and I will do it."
But when we ask amiss, He says, "No." Therefore ask, seek and knock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Principles of Answered Prayer
GOD BLESSES HIS PEOPLE
Hosea 6:1-3
(1) Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
(2) After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
(3) Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
GOD IS WISER THAN WE ARE
Isaiah 55:6-13
(6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
(7) Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
(8) For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
(9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
(11) So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
(12) For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
(13) Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
GOD, THE GIVER OF EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT
James 1:17
(17) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
GOD KEEPS PROMISES
2 Corinthians 1:20
(20) For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
GOD GRANTS DESIRES WHEN WE DELIGHT IN HIM
Psalms 37:3-9
(3) Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
(4) Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
(5) Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
(6) And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
(7) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
(8) Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
(9) For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS US, ACCORDING TO HIS WILL
1 John 5:14-15
(14) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
(15) And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
GOD IS RIGHTEOUS
James 4:3-8
(3) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
(4) Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
(5) Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
(6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
(7) Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
(8) Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
GOD HONORS IMPORTUNITY
Matthew 7:7-11
(7) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
(8) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
(9) Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
(10) Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
(11) 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?
GOD DELIGHTS IN GIVING THE KINGDOM TO FAITHFUL FOLLOWERS
Luke 12:31-34
(31) But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(32) Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
(33) Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
(34) For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
