Does God Answer Prayer in the Bible
The Bible consistently presents God as one who hears and answers prayer [1, 2]. Prayer is understood as direct address to God, an "intercourse of the soul with God" [3]. This interaction presupposes a belief in God's personality and his willingness to engage with humanity [3].
Scripture provides numerous examples and promises regarding God's responsiveness to prayer:
- Divine Promise God explicitly promises to answer those who call upon Him. For instance, Psalm 91:15 states, "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him" [11]. Other passages like Isaiah 58:9 and Jeremiah 29:12 also contain such promises [1].
- God's Nature The Psalms frequently portray God as hearing and answering. Psalm 65:2 declares that God "hears prayer," and Psalm 99:6 notes that God answered those who called upon Him [2]. Psalm 4:1 implores, "Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!" [5].
- Conditions for Answered Prayer While God's willingness to answer is clear, certain conditions are often associated with receiving answers. These include seeking God with all the heart (Jeremiah 29:12-13), waiting upon God, and seeking Him in times of trouble (Psalm 50:15; 91:15) [1]. Matthew Henry notes that "it is by the word and prayer that our communion with God is kept up," and that if God's word is not regarded, prayers may not be accepted [9]. Similarly, 1 John 3:22 suggests that believers receive what they ask because they keep God's commandments, though this is not presented as earning a hearing but as a fruit of faith [10].
- Through Christ and the Spirit Access to God in prayer is understood to be "by Christ" and "by the Holy Spirit" [7]. Ephesians 2:18 states that through Christ, believers "have access in one Spirit to the Father" [7]. Jesus himself promises answers to prayer (Matthew 18:19) and received answers to his own prayers (John 11:42) [1, 6].
- Varied Forms of Answer God's answers to prayer are not always immediate or precisely what is desired. Sometimes answers come immediately (Isaiah 65:24; Daniel 9:21, 23), while at other times there may be a delay (Luke 18:7) [1]. Furthermore, God may answer "differently from our desire," as seen in Paul's request for the removal of his thorn in the flesh, to which God replied, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:8-9) [1]. Answers can also be "beyond expectation" (Jeremiah 33:3; Ephesians 3:20) [1].
Prayer itself is commanded in scripture (Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6) and involves various postures and expressions, such as bowing the knees, lifting up the soul, or pouring out the heart [2, 3]. The Lord's Prayer, given by Jesus, serves as a model for prayer, emphasizing simplicity and addressing God as Father [8].
The Bible also addresses the question of unanswered prayer, particularly in Job 27:9, which asks, "Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?" [4]. This implies that there are circumstances where prayer might not be heard, often linked to the spiritual state of the one praying [9]. However, the overarching biblical testimony affirms God's active engagement with those who genuinely seek Him through prayer [1, 2, 11].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Answers To — God gives -- Ps 99:6; 118:5; 138:3. Christ gives -- Joh 4:10,14; 14:14. Christ received -- Joh 11:42; Heb 5:7. Granted Through the grace of God. -- Isa 30:19. Sometimes immediately. -- Isa 65:24; Da 9:21,23; 10:12. Sometimes after delay. -- Lu 18:7. Sometimes differently from our desire. -- 2Co 12:8,9. Beyond expectation. -- Jer 33:3; Eph 3:20. Promised -- Isa 58:9; Jer 29:12; Mt 7:7. Promised especially in times of trouble -- Ps 50:15; 91:15. Received by those who Seek God. -- Ps 34:4. Seek God with all the heart. -- Jer 29:12,13. Wait upon God.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Job “Job 27:9 (KJV) — Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?”
- Psalms “Psalms 4:1 (NASB) — Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Public — Acceptable to God -- Isa 56:7. God promises to hear -- 2Ch 7:14,16. God promises to bless in -- Ex 20:24. Christ Sanctifies by his presence. -- Mt 18:20. Attended. -- Mt 12:9; Lu 4:16. Promises answers to. -- Mt 18:19. Instituted form of -- Lu 11:2. Should not be made in an unknown language -- 1Co 14:14-16. Saints delight in -- Ps 42:4; 122:1. Exhortation to -- Heb 10:25. Urge others to join in -- Ps 95:6; Zec 8:21. Exemplified Joshua. -- Jos 7:6-9. David. -- 1Ch 29:10-19. Solomon. -- 2Ch 6:1-42. Jehoshaphat. -- 2Ch 20:5-13. Jeshua. -- Ne 9:1-38. Jew”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 28:9: Note, 1. It is by the word and prayer that our communion with God is kept up. God speaks to us by his law, and expects we should hear him and heed him; we speak to him by prayer, to which we wait for an answer of peace. How reverent and serious should we be, whenever we are hearing from and speaking to the Lord of glory! 2. If God's word be not regarded by us, our prayers shall not only not be accepted of God, but they shall be an abomination to him, not only our sacrifices, which were ceremonial appointments, but even our prayers, which are moral duties, and wh”
- 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:22: we receive--as a matter of fact, according to His promise. Believers, as such, ask only what is in accordance with God's will; or if they ask what God wills not, they bow their will to God's will, and so God grants them either their request, or something better than it. because we keep his commandments--Compare Psa 66:18; Psa 34:15; Psa 145:18-19. Not as though our merits earned a hearing for our prayers, but when we are believers in Christ, all our works of faith being the fruit of His Spirit in us, are "pleasing in God's sight"; and our prayers bei”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 91:15: He shall call upon me, and I will answer him,.... God is to be invoked by prayer, and to be called upon in every time of trouble, in faith and with fervency, in truth and uprightness, and sincerity of soul; and he himself directs and encourages to it, and promises an answer, which he always sooner or later gives; for he is a God hearing and answering prayer; see Psa 50:15. I will be with him in trouble; the Lord knows his people in adversity; he visits them in their affliction, grants his gracious presence with them, supports them under it, that they are not overwh”