God’s Word Stands

Some believers get discouraged over unanswered prayers, and they simply give up. They think, “Prayer doesn’t work for me. Why should I pray, if it doesn’t work?”

The Israelites in Isaiah’s time had the same attitude. Isaiah wrote, “Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the ordinance of their God. They ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching God. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and you take no notice?’” (Isaiah 58:2-3, NKJV).

These people were saying, “I love God. I do right and avoid sin, and until recently, I’ve been faithful to seek him in prayer. But you know what? He’s never answered me. So why should I continue afflicting my soul before him?”

God responded to their self-righteous complaining, “In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers” (Isaiah 58:3).

First, God does not answer the prayers of those who ask for things simply to satisfy themselves: “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3). In other words, “You’re not asking for God’s will. You’re not ready to submit to whatever he wants. Rather, you’re trying to dictate to him those things that will satisfy your own heart.” Second, the Israelites had pet sins that they refused to repent of, and God had warned them over and over through his prophets that they must repent. He refused to answer their prayers as long as they continued to indulge in these sins.

Our God is utterly faithful. Jesus said, “And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21:22). Simply put, Christ was saying, “If you truly believe and are willing to do whatever God asks of you, you will be willing to wait and expect an answer from your heavenly Father. No matter how long it takes, you will hold on in faith, believing he will answer.”

“Oh, how great is your goodness, which you have laid up for those who fear you, which you have prepared for those who trust in you in the presence of the sons of men!” (Psalm 31:19). “But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10)