Answered Prayer

Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today we are going to take a look at a passage of Scripture from the book of John.

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7

In order to have prayer answered by the Lord, there are certain requirements that need to be fulfilled first. Before God will even listen to somebody’s petition, they must humbly turn away from their sinful activities. If there’s no attempt at repentance, God will not even hear from heaven.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Remember that God is perfectly just and He doesn’t reward disobedience. What do you think is going to happen if a high school student punches another student in the face? Do you think the principal’s going to give them a fruit basket? That’s preposterous! If somebody in a jail decides to jump a guard and hold them hostage, do you think the warden is going to give them extra recreation time? What foolishness! Yet there are so many people who profess to be Christian who really believe that God is going to reward their wicked and impenitent hearts. They are sadly mistaken. The Apostle James warned the church about that scenario.

James 4 ⁶ But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. ⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. ⁹ Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

Some people are in a state of unforgiveness with God, simply because of their hard-hearted refusal to submit to His will. Pride is a twofold killer because it will destroy not only your own life, but any relationship with God as well. Without humble repentance, destruction will follow.

“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18

“When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.” Proverbs 11:2

“Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.” Proverbs 18:12

Unrepented sin, or even the refusal to reconcile with others that you have wronged in the church, is a stumbling block to obtaining forgiveness from God. God doesn’t forgive everybody, which is why there is an eternal Lake of Fire. God does not grant these people their desires, quite the contrary. He will punish them instead.

“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” Ephesians 5:6

“For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:” Colossians 3:6

Most dads aren’t going to listen to a rebellious son, and God doesn’t listen to everybody either; only those who choose to obey His will. 

Proverbs 1 ²⁸ Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: ²⁹ For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: ³⁰ They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

³¹ Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

To receive things from God requires that we abide in His teachings. Abide means to accept and act in accordance with. Some synonyms are to comply, obey, follow and adhere. If we desire our prayers to be answered, we must delight in obeying His will.

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” Psalms 37:4

To abide in Jesus is to humbly submit to His will rather than our own. The Apostle John wanted Gaius to prosper because he knew he was walking according to the truth. 

3 John 1 ¹ The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. ² Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

³ For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. ⁴ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Once again, our study verse…

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7

The word “shall” is used to express what is inevitable. If we obey the Word of God, we can receive the things that we ask of God. He answers the prayers of those who please Him. On the other hand, disobedience is going to bring about a very different response. God rewards His faithful children, but He will also punish the rebellious. God can grant your heart’s desires, but you must first become pleasing in His sight. 

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1 John 3:22

Jesus pleases the Heavenly Father perfectly, and anyone who professes to follow Him must do the same if they desire answered prayer.

“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17

“And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” John 8:29

“Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.” 1 Thessalonians 4:1

A Christian is called to submit and to obey the teachings of scripture. This is the proof that we truly love Jesus from our hearts. Many women claim to love their own husbands, but without subservience and obedience it’s just a farce. 

John 14 ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. ²⁴ He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

When you are truly abiding in God’s Word, the end result will be a complete transformation from a sinner into a Saint. It happened in the life of the Apostle Paul, and can happen to anyone who chooses to lovingly submit and obey the will of God.

John 8 ³¹ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ³³ They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³⁴ Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. ³⁵ And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. ³⁶ If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

To receive things from God requires a faithful and obedient heart, and our submission to His will carries great favor in His sight. When we abide in His Word, He is more than willing to shower us with blessings; provide for all of our needs; and reward His loyal and obedient children with….

……. Answered Prayer

Let’s think about these things for right now.  We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious goups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️

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