New Release: FC Word Action

The current Faith Connection illustrated Bible Life from Word Action has the following article on what might be perceived as "unanswered prayer." What do you think?

PRAYING WITH CONFIDENCE
Addressing the issue of “Unanswered Prayer”)
14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.
When I was a young boy my parents bought a large set of books called Junior Classics. Among the many different types of children’s literature they contained were Grimm’s fairy tales, and magic stories like Aladdin and his wonderful lamp. I remember thinking how shrewd I would be if ever I got to make three wishes, or even just one. I would wish for a magic wand that would then give me all the wishes I could ever wish. There is a temptation, perhaps, to think of using prayer like that magic wand. We think we may lift some of the mighty promises of the Bible out of their contexts and wave them about and name and claim any and everything we can make ourselves believe is for our good and, of course, for God’s glory.

There are superficial similarities, I suppose, between wishing and praying. Both wishing and praying involve a desire for something presently unseen. . But there is a world of difference between magic and miracle.
True praying reaches beyond what we can immediately see, and taps into truly miraculous, life-changing power. The Bible makes it clear that we may come to God with our petitions and intercessions. We can, we should, tell the heavenly Father all that is in our hearts, and ask Him to hear and answer our prayers.

But what about the times we pray and claim the promises and nothing seems to happen? What about unanswered prayer? I think I want to put quotes around “unanswered prayer,” because I’m not sure there are very many prayers God does not answer. It is not a copout to say that “No!” is a legitimate answer.

Do you pray for God to help you find some little thing you have lost or misplaced? I do. Perhaps some schools of thought would see that as a pitifully naïve concept of dealing with the Sovereign of the Universe. I see it as taking literally the lesson Jesus taught us: to think of the Father as “Abba” or “loving Father.” Ideally, God’s children can keep a running conversation going with Him all through the day. But at the same time that simple trust must never cross the line to suppose that the Father bends his will and knowledge of what is truly best for individuals and for all humankind to suit the whim and fancy of self-centered, self-seeking wish lists.

Does this mean we cannot pray specific prayers for the things we want? How about prayers for healing from disease? How about financial or material needs? Can we pray to find work? Will these prayers be answered?

Jesus taught us it is all right to ask for provision, for forgiveness when we sin, for guidance, and for deliverance from evil. In the spirit of the Lord’s Prayer it is safe to say there is nothing we cannot make a matter of prayer. But what about those “unanswered” petitions and intercessions?

Paul solicited prayers for himself, and evidently believed other people’s praying for him made a difference. But even Paul did not always get what he asked for. In 2 Corinthians 12 Paul wrote that he asked the Lord three times to remove what he termed “a thorn in the flesh” and each time he was denied. The denial itself was an answer. It was a loving answer that came with the promise of sufficient grace.

Jesus himself prayed what could be called an unanswered prayer, if by answering we mean He received what He first asked for. But in that awful moment in Gethsemene Jesus provided the pattern for taking us through any and all seeming unanswered prayer as He prayed, “Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.”(Mark 14, Matthew 26)

Ultimately, whatever we pray, for whatever motive, must pass this ‘nevertheless’ subjection, trusting that the God we know and love will answer our sincere prayer in the way that is in keeping with our best and his glory. Effective prayer is centered in the heart of a loving God. The promises of God to answer prayer are linked to God’s good, effectual, and perfect will (see Romans 12:1-2) which only the God-committed know. Look at the context of the great promises through the scriptures. Without exception they are not merely blank checks for selfish exploitation, but invitations to partner with God in the Plan of redemption.


For example, John 15:7 promises If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you may ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. But, profound to say, the very next verse is John 15:8: Herein is the Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples. The promise is (1) in the context of abiding in the words and love of Jesus, and (2) in the prospect of bearing much fruit, which is to say, carrying out God’s best will for one’s life. (I like to emphasize that word much!)

Here in this passage I John 5:14 and 15 are followed by verses 16-17, which link the promise of answered prayer to interceding for brothers and sisters who have stumbled or even backslidden, with the clear intent of their restoration to grace. We are to pray (1) asking according to His will, and (2) asking for the restoration of those who have sinned.

Prayer is daring to ask for the miraculous. It is entering into partnership with God in releasing the powers of heaven into situations and relationships that would otherwise remain unchanged. Prayer is not the magic wand that gets us anything we think we need or want. With complete trust we can pray to the Father about everything in our lives, and let Him know our deepest desires. Some of our prayers will receive a gentle but firm “No!” But nothing must stop us from asking with the confidence that we are being tenderly heard. Nothing must stop us from making intercession for those we love, knowing it is God’s will for them to be saved. Nothing must stop us from lifting up our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Such praying with power, “praying through!”, is the most powerful force that has been trusted to God’s children. Use it well.

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-by Russell Metcalfe