Permy: My question for the Bible is: Why is God taking so long to answer? I’ve been praying and praying about some things and God is just taking so… and He’s been promising me a whole lot of things. But it’s like, things are happening only slow, slow, slow. So I just want to know why is it taking so long to do so?
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Brother Bob Pellien: Thank you very much Permy for that very candid, and well, very straightforward question. And there may be others that are wondering the same thing. Some may be trying to let’s say troubleshoot where in the process of offering their prayers to God and having them granted. What happened? “Something must have gone wrong,” they might be saying, since they have not yet received what in fact they’ve been praying for. Very similar to the question of Permy.
Why doesn’t God answer my prayers? Is God slow to answer?
Brother Bob: Does prayer not work some would ask? Is God really slow as Permy mentioned in her question? Well dear friends, the Bible clears up any misconception of the problem being on God’s part, or on God’s side. And we could read that in 2 Peter 3:9. Let’s take a look:
The Lord is not slow to do what he has promised, as some think. Instead, he is patient with you, because he does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins.
[2 Peter 3:9 Today’s English Version]
Brother Bob: So Permy, according to what is written here in the Holy Scriptures, God is not slow in doing what He has promised.
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God is not slow
Brother Bob: So whatever God has stated here in the Holy Scriptures we can be absolutely sure that He will definitively fulfill those promises.
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We can be absolutely sure that He will definitively fulfill those promises.
Brother Bob: That’s another reason why we’re so very confident in God’s response to our prayers.
Reasons prayers are not answered
Brother Bob: Well, with that being said, since a seemingly unanswered prayer is not due, then, to God being at fault, it’s not due to Him being slow, the one praying, then, has to examine whether or not they’re actually meeting the requirements to be heard, requirements to be answered by God.
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To be heard
To be answered
By God
Brother Bob: Well, what are some of those requirements that God has? For those whose prayers He will assuredly answer. The bible also gives us in Matthew 21:22, it says this:
Prayer of faith
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
[Matthew 21:22 English Standard Version]
Brother Bob: So God requires us to have faith.
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God requires us to have faith
Brother Bob: So someone who is praying and asking God for something has to believe in the power of prayer; has to have faith in prayer.
Brother Bob: And what would be the terrible outcome, in fact, if one is praying and praying but yet they’re doubting in the power of that prayer? Let’s listen for a moment here in the book of James 1:6-8, it says this:
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, but he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
[James 1:6-8 New International Version]
Brother Bob: So dear friends, the Bible here actually states that a person who doubts while praying should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.
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A person who doubts should not expect to receive anything.
Brother Bob: But you know some try to, they try to haggle, you know, they try to, as if trying to negotiate with God, saying something like, “they will prove their faith by doing this or doing that, if God will just grant their prayers.”
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They will prove their faith if God will grant their prayers.
When does God answer prayers?
Brother Bob: But you know that’s backwards. Since faith is one of the prerequisites to receiving what the person is praying for. So why do some who have faith not still receive what they ask for, while others do? Is faith the only requirement?
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Is faith the only requirement?
Brother Bob: We can read the answer in 1 John 3:22, it says this:
And we receive from Him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].
[1 John 3:22 Amplified Bible]
Brother Bob: So clearly the Bible states that in order to receive what we ask for from God or pray for, we need to carefully and consistently keep His commandments and also do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
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Carefully
Consistently
Keep His commandments
Brother Bob: In order to accomplish this, we need, of course, to know, we need to study, we need to learn, we need to know God’s laws written in the Holy Scriptures. We cannot follow that which we do not know.
So after learning the biblical truths regarding the condition God set in order for Him to hear, in order for Him to grant our prayers, what would happen, in fact, if we ignored Him?
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In order for Him to hear
In order for Him to grant our prayers
Brother Bob: Didn’t listen to Him? And then asked God in prayer to help with this, fix this, do that, heal this, well we’ve already learned that a lack of faith would hinder our prayer from being answered.
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Lack of faith would hinder our prayer from being answered
Brother Bob: But what if one just outright ignored God’s words. God Himself answers. And He answers here in the book of Proverbs 1:24-28:
I have been calling you, inviting you to come, but you would not listen. You paid no attention to me. You have ignored all my advice and have not been willing to let me correct you. So when you get into trouble, I will laugh at you. I will make fun of you when terror strikes—when it comes on you like a storm, bringing fierce winds of trouble, and you are in pain and misery. Then you will call for wisdom, but I will not answer. You may look for me everywhere, but you will not find me.
[Proverbs 1:24-28 Good News Bible]
Brother Bob: From what we have read here dear friends, we’re able to even feel the anger of God towards those that just ignore His words. We have then to understand that in order to receive what we ask for from God, simply praying, although is so very necessary, it’s not enough.
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Doing our part
Seeking to learn
Brother Bob: We have also to make sure that we are doing our part, seeking to learn, and then follow God’s truths His commandments, recorded here in the Holy Scriptures and then doing the things that are pleasing to Him. Truly having faith.
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Truly having faith
Brother Bob: If we do these things, then, that’s when God will not be slow in doing what He has been promised, we are sure, we have faith and believe in this. Why? Because that’s in the Bible.
Dear friends, it’s the reason why we constantly invite everyone and anyone to join with us, watching the programs of the Church Of Christ, sit in on anyone of our scheduled Bible studies that are near to you. Observe a worship service in any of our places of worship. These are all opportunities to hear what is actually written in the Bible so that you may know God’s commandments in order to constantly obey them and thus bring prayers to Him that He will hear and respond to. So, when you’re ready to learn more about these fundamental teachings found here inside the Church Of Christ, visit incmedia.org, there you will find various series of programs dedicated to answering your spiritual questions.
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incmedia.org
Brother Bob: You will also find there a directory of places of worship and place of worship nearest to your own place. And any time, you would like to send us your own video question which we could use on this program, email your questions to answers at incmedia.org.
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Do you have questions about the Bible?
Send us your videos to: answers@incmedia.org
Brother Bob: That’s all we have time for today. Thank you for joining us, and we’ll see you again next time, here on That’s in the Bible.
