Why didn't God answer my prayer?
Your Perception Can Harden Your Heart
What to Watch Out For:
One of the THE most important things to know when a prayer did not get answered or answered with the result desired is — DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEART.
And when we are in a quandary as to “why” our prayer didn’t get answered we need to take a breath and a step back to see how we handled it. God is in the business (so to speak) of answering prayer. He loves us. And as any good parent does, they always want to do things for their kids and answer their questions and resolve their problems if possible.
The Lord said that all God’s promises are “yes and amen” - or the answers from God are “yes and so be it” and it is “to the glory of God through us”. (1 Corinthians 1:20.)
So if our prayer didn’t get answered, instead of looking at it like it’s God’s fault and getting bitter and mad at Him, we need to go to the Word and find out the reason “why”. The Holy Spirit will reveal which one is the case in your situation. There will be a “knowing”. You will just know “that’s it” and He will lead you if there is anything to do. Sometimes there is, for the given situation. Sometimes there isn’t. Below are the scriptures for each situation and there are more scriptures regarding each situation if you choose to research it. Ask the Holy Spirit according to the Ephesians 1:17-19 prayer for wisdom and revelation knowledge regarding the situation as you go through the following. Get your Bible out and read these scriptures from your Bible:
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Proper Care in Handling the Situation:
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Sometimes we are too quick to jump into a prayer for someone or something. We have to ask the Lord “what is the way” to pray over the situation. It may not be what we think of initially.
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Go to the scripture the Holy Spirit leads you to and use those scriptures for the prayer.
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Was the prayer done in faith?
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Romans 10:17 - faith comes from the Word. What scriptures are you basing your prayer on?
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Romans 14:23 - whatever is not of faith is sin.
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Hebrews 11:1, 3, 6 - faith is the substance of your prayer; faith can’t been seen initially; without faith it is impossible to please God.
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At the end of your prayer did you close it with praise and thanksgiving to God and receive the answer BEFORE you see it manifest, AND don’t speak anything contrary to the prayer - that is being double minded: James 1: 5-8; Philippians 4:6-7.
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James 4:3 - what was the motivation for the prayer? If it was with wrong motives it will not be answered.
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Sometimes we think the answer should be what we think is best. It may not be. God may answer your prayer differently than how you think.
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Praise: ALL prayer should begin and end with praise and thanksgiving. We enter into His courts with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4) and we end the prayer with thanksgiving for HAVING already received the answer before we see it. That’s faith. Every time you think about the prayer, go into praise!! No complaining. Praise.
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2. Healing:
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Healing is God’s will - Exodus 15:26 and 1 Peter 2:24. But if healing didn’t show up for yourself or someone else of whom you prayed for there are different reasons why this happens.
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As that scripture in Exodus says you have to be listening to what the Lord tells you to do and do it. If the person has ignored God’s promptings healing can’t happen because of disobedience. Disobedience needs to be honestly repented of and see what the Lord wants you to do.
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Sickness can be a cause of a sinful lifestyle. Like the previous situation there is disobedience involved. Often it is willful. Living a lifestyle that is against the Word of God, like living with someone who isn’t your spouse. If there are kids involved they are under the sin of the parents as well. Until the living situation is corrected, whether that is for the couple to be married or to move out.
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Free will. If the person who was prayed for doesn’t want to get better, they won’t. This could be for many reasons like: they think they deserve it; they are too tired to fight both spiritually and physically; they don’t believe God heals.
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Unforgiveness. This always causes illness. Much of the time cancer is the outcome and there are many illnesses that show up because of unforgiveness. Including unforgiveness for yourself. Guilt and condemnation if left to fester always causes illness. They have to be willing to forgive themselves and others in order for the Lord’s healing power to come into and on them. (Mark 11:25-26; Matthew 18:34 [21-35].)
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Deliverance. Many times with a life threatening disease there is a demon involved. This is usually related to one of the above like sin or unforgiveness. It can also be from family curses, curse from something the parents had done like they were never married; or if they were in witchcraft, sorcery, satanist’s/free mason’s etc. dedicate the children to demons; mental health issues can be demonic but not always; suicide is always a demon. Ask the Lord for guidance. If there is a demon involved there is always a way the Lord wants the deliverance done. It’s not always the same for each person - look at all the times Jesus cast out demons. Each situation was slightly different. Jesus would ask different questions and do slightly different things. Have the Lord lead you.
One thing you can do, if you are led, is to bind the demon and forbid it to speak in Jesus Name. Especially when you are in the situation of an event happening right at the moment. Then ask the Lord how to proceed. At least that demon can’t act out or speak once that is done. Whatever of the Lord tells you to do, do.
3. Finances:
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It is God’s will for you, His kids, to be prosperous. All parents want their kids to do well. 2 Corinthians 8:9 Jesus became poor so that you might become rich; and Job 36:11 If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. And there are hundreds more about prosperity. But there are reasons why it doesn’t occur when we pray about it. As Job says, we need to listen to the Lord and do what He says. If we aren’t listening and doing what He says, we won’t prosper.
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3 John 1:2 - “Beloved, I would that you may prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.” If our soul isn’t prospering then we won’t be in health and we won’t be prosperous.” For our soul to prosper we need to renew our minds. See the article entitled: SPIRIT, SOUL, & BODY for detailed study of how to do this.
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Tithing. Yes, it is something we are to do. Sometimes people think that it is specifically discussed in Old Testament scripture that it is not for today. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The law has been superseded by what Jesus did on the cross and gave us a new and better covenant; but money and our relationship with it can get us in trouble. Do we serve God or mammon? God or money? And when you tithe you are showing that you put God first. When we look in the book of Acts we see the first church took gifts of what people wanted to give. It wasn’t a set amount. It was how they each were led with what they had. (Acts 4:32-37 and 5:1-11.) They shared as the Lord led but when Ananias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit about what they were going to give it cost them their lives. We have to be honest with the Holy Spirit. As 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 says we are to give as we are led to, not a specific amount, and we are to have joy in our hearts about it. Not consternation: “6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10Now He Who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
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Two other important scriptures about giving, and they are in the New Testament: Luke 6:38 - “Give and it shall be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will it be poured into your bosom. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” We see from what Luke has to say that it will be given to us the same as we deal it out. So we have to inspect our hearts. Are we being miserly?
4. Salvation:
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God wants all to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth! 1 Timothy 2:4.
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When we are standing for family members, spouses, friends we get uptight if it hasn’t happened yet. This is where standing in faith is vital. Don’t let go of your prayer with doubt and unbelief!! We have promises from God that they are saved. God is not a man that He should lie. Take a look at Acts 2:38-39 and Acts 16:31. Your whole household is saved. Now believe it and act like it, especially when it hasn't manifested yet. Treat them like a brother or sister in the Lord. It may not happen in your timing. Trust God. He will do it in His timing. It’s a promise.
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When you’re dealing with family and friends it’s really important to share what you are getting from the Lord in the Word and share your experiences in prayer. They learn that He is real and not some abstract being that is “out to get ya.” It also allows them to see the truth that He loves you and wants to be with you, and go through experiences with you. Everything the majority of people have learned about God is false. They need to see what He is really like through you. Nothing gives testimony like your own personal experience.
5. Believing for Marriage:
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When you are single and are believing for a Godly marriage there is one main thing to consider before you get married: Do you spend time with the Lord first and nurture your relationship with God? If this isn’t on your radar to start then you will wind up in situation that most likely was not guided by Him but guided by hormones. And it will cause trouble. Be sure your focus is on God first. Then He will bring the right person to you in the right time.
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If you are struggling in your marriage: very first thing to do is pray the Ephesians prayers: 1:17-23 and 3:14-21 for your spouse! Every day. Forgive them, as many times a day as it comes up. Be sure you are not holding resentment toward them. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any hurt, animosity, or bitterness - then immediately forgive it on purpose. NOT because you feel like it. Never base spiritual things on feelings. They will lie to you every time. Continue to pray for them. Ask the Holy Spirit for other scriptures to help in the situation and speak them over your spouse. (Psalm 139:23-24 and Psalm 141:3-4.) It won’t happen immediately but there will be changes as soon as you change your heart and focus on what the Lord wants you to focus on. As always check all the marriage scriptures and love scriptures to be sure to give your heart a “check up”.
1 Corinthians 13
1 Corinthians 7
Proverbs 31:10-31
Romans 7:1-3
Ephesians 5:21-33