Conditions on Which Prayers Are Answered by O. A. Johnson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 18, 1916

Conditions on Which Prayers Are Answered

By O. A. Johnson

O. A. JOHNSON

ONE of the greatest privileges and blessings that fallen man may enjoy in this life is communing with God in prayer. To know that our Father in heaven invites us to come unto him and make our wants known to him, and to know that he will listen to sincere petitions arising from the heart, and will always, in due time, answer every prayer that is sent up to him in harmony with his will, is a real comfort and blessing. But as there are conditions on which God will hear and answer prayer, it is our duty to consider what these conditions are, in order that our prayers may not be in vain:—

1. When “thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deut. 4:29. If we wish the Lord to regard our prayers, we must seek him honestly and sincerely with all our heart; then we shall be sure to find him. Jer. 29:13.

2. Our petitions must be in harmony with his revealed will. “This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us.” 1 John 5:14. It naturally follows that if we ask anything contrary to his revealed will, he will not hear us.

3. Our petitions must ever be in harmony with his holy law; for “he that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” Prov. 28:9. If we will not hear nor regard God’s holy law, then he will not pay attention to our petitions.

4. It therefore follows that we must keep the commandments of God if we wish our prayers to be acceptable before him. “Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1 John 3:22.

5. Since our sins separate us from God (Isa. 59:2), we must confess and forsake them, in order to find mercy. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Prov. 28:13.

6. Since Jesus is our mediator, our high priest in the sanctuary above, our petitions to the Father must be in his name, in order to be heard and answered. “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:14. “That whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16. There is no authority in the Bible for asking anything of God in the name of the Virgin Mary, or of any saint, however good he may have been; “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

7. Faith, implicit faith, in the promises of God must be exercised in order that prayer may be answered. “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” Mark 11:24. “Let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.” James 1:6, 7.

8. Our aim must ever be to live in harmony with the Word of God in all things in order that our prayers may be heard. “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7.

9. God has promised to forgive our sins and remember them no more, and every true believer rejoices at the thought that all his sins are not only pardoned, but forgotten. Jer. 31:34. In like manner must we forgive those who trespass against us, or our prayers for forgiveness will never be heard. “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.” Matt. 6:14, 15.

10. When our sins are pardoned and we are cleansed from all unrighteousness, then follows a regenerate mind, tender and full of compassion and love. But should bitter feeling of any kind ever arise in the heart, that would hinder our prayers. “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.” 1 Peter 3:7. “This have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.” Mal. 2:13, 14.

11. Any known iniquity, and unkind feeling, envy, jealousy, hatred, or strife harbored in the heart will always hinder our prayers. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Ps. 66:18. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Ps. 51:17.

O God, teach us all how to pray, how to believe, and how to receive the rich and precious blessings so freely promised us.

College Place, Wash.