Topical Bible: Answers To Prayer: Saints are Assured of

Bible > Topical > Answers To Prayer

◄ Answers To Prayer: Saints are Assured of ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The assurance of answered prayer is a profound promise found throughout the Scriptures, providing comfort and encouragement to the saints. This assurance is rooted in the character of God, His faithfulness, and His desire for a relationship with His people. The Bible offers numerous passages that affirm God's commitment to hearing and responding to the prayers of His saints.

Biblical Foundations

1. God's Faithfulness: The assurance of answered prayer is grounded in the faithfulness of God. In 1 John 5:14-15 , it is written, "And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him." This passage highlights the importance of aligning our prayers with God's will, assuring believers that such prayers are heard and answered.

2. Promises of Jesus: Jesus Himself provided assurances regarding prayer. In Matthew 7:7-8 , He instructs, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." This promise emphasizes persistence in prayer and the certainty of receiving a response.

3. Conditions for Answered Prayer: While the assurance of answered prayer is a promise, it is also conditional upon certain attitudes and behaviors. James 4:3 warns, "And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures." This indicates that the motives behind our prayers must be pure and aligned with God's purposes.

4. Faith and Belief: Faith is a critical component in the assurance of answered prayer. In Mark 11:24 , Jesus states, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." This underscores the necessity of faith in the prayer life of a believer, trusting that God will fulfill His promises.

5. The Role of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit plays a vital role in guiding the prayers of the saints. Romans 8:26-27 explains, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God." The Spirit aids believers in praying according to God's will, ensuring that their prayers align with His purposes.

6. Examples from Scripture: The Bible is replete with examples of answered prayers, serving as testimonies to God's faithfulness. The prayer of Hannah for a child (1 Samuel 1:27), Elijah's prayer for rain (1 Kings 18:42-45), and the early church's prayer for Peter's release from prison (Acts 12:5-17) are just a few instances where God responded to the earnest prayers of His people.

Practical Implications

The assurance of answered prayer encourages believers to approach God with confidence and boldness. Hebrews 4:16 invites, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." This assurance fosters a deep, personal relationship with God, where believers can freely express their needs, desires, and gratitude.

Furthermore, the assurance of answered prayer calls for a life of obedience and righteousness. 1 Peter 3:12 reminds us, "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer." Living a life that honors God aligns believers with His will, enhancing the effectiveness of their prayers.

In summary, the assurance of answered prayer is a central tenet of the Christian faith, offering hope and encouragement to the saints. Through faith, alignment with God's will, and the intercession of the Holy Spirit, believers can be confident that their prayers are heard and answered by a loving and faithful God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 John 5:15
And if we know that he hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Immortal Prayers of the Saints
... will live and die without receiving the answers to many ... odours, which are the prayers
of the saints," shall be ... we have shed in the hours of agonizing prayer. ...
/.../anderson/prayer availeth much/chapter 13 the immortal prayers.htm

Elijah, the Praying Prophet
... Let saints and sinners, angels and devils, see and feel ... With what assured confidence
Elijah faces the conditions ... God and of His being is that He answers prayer. ...
/.../bounds/prayer and praying men/v elijah the praying prophet.htm

Prayer Perfumed with Praise
... God has willed such a thing, and he makes his saints to will it, and express their
will in prayer. ... You shall get your answers to prayer when you multiply ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 25 1879/prayer perfumed with praise.htm

God Has Everything to do with Prayer
... cannot represent God who do not get answers to prayer ... to answer all prayer, to answer
every prayer, and to ... than should the prayers of God's saints declare the ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/iv god has everything to.htm

Letter v. Prayer and Fasting.
... offer up so many prayers without receiving answers?" The apostle ... a mountain, and
spent a whole night in prayer. The Old Testament saints were also in the habit ...
/.../letter v prayer and fasting.htm

Helps to Intercession
... The hints=2. What to Pray.="Scripture calls us to pray for many things: for all
saints; for all men; for kings and all ... 3. Answers to Prayer.="More than ...
/.../murray/the ministry of intercession/helps to intercession.htm

Prayer Answered, Love Nourished
... made perfect and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. ...
There is not a church in London, that has had such answers to prayer as we ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/prayer answered love nourished.htm

Jesus Christ, the Divine Teacher of Prayer (Continued)
... it clear and strong that God answers prayer, assuredly, certainly ... all his name."
New Testament saints must learn ... were to be impressed that prayer would serve ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/vi jesus christ the divine.htm

The Prayer of Faith.
... God confers other blessings, on both saints and sinners, which ... Why, that God will
grant answers to prayer when it ... them is to preach about this kind of prayer. ...
/.../finney/lectures on revivals of religion/lecture v the prayer of.htm

A Mystery! Saints Sorrowing and Jesus Glad!
... vine, and under your own fig-tree, and talk to the poor tried saints, and say ... many
in this Church who were led to seek the Lord through answers to prayer. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/a mystery saints sorrowing and.htm