God answers prayer

A very simple definition of prayer is communion or communication with God. In prayer we talk to God and he, in turn, talks to us.

The components of prayer is usually said to be captured in the acronym, ACTS: Adoration/Praise, Confession of sin, Thanksgiving/Gratitude and Supplications/Petitions.

The Bible teaches that God answers prayers. He always hearkens and responds to our supplications and petitions. But we need to note that God’s primary concern is to meet us at our very point of need. He knows what is best for us in a way that we do not. Therefore, he may answer our prayers or meet our needs in ways different from the particular ways we have applied for or put up in our prayers. This means that even though God always answers the prayers of his faithful people, His answers will not always be “Yes.” It can as well be “Wait,” if God perceives that you are not yet ripe for what you are asking; or an outright “No,” if He knows that what you ask for is not good for you or that He has something better for you than what you are asking for.

Furthermore, it needs to be said here that although prayer is simple enough for a child to understand, it is also so profound that we spend a lifetime plumbing its depths.

Supplication or petition is not to inform God of matters that He would otherwise be ignorant of, but a demonstration of our trust and dependence on Him. There is also no tension or inconsistency between the teaching of the scripture on God’s sovereign foreordination of all things (the concept of “What will be, will be”) and the efficacy of prayer. God foreordains both the means and the end. Our prayer is foreordained, as the means whereby He brings His sovereign will to pass. Thus, prayer may not really induce God to manipulate events or otherwise act on our behalf. But in prayer, we find confidence in an intimate relationship with a God who hears, cares, and is able to act.

Our confidence that God answers prayers is based on historical facts, as recorded in the Bible; experiences (both personal and others’ testimonies of) and trust in the promises of God. Some of the promises can be found in the following Bible passages: Psalm 9:12; Psa. 145:18; Matt. 7:7; James 1:5; 5:16; 1 Pet. 3:12; 1 John 5:14 .

•The Venerable Dr Princewill Onyinyechukwu Ireoba, FIMC, CMC. is the Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. princewillireoba@gmail.com, trinityfoundationibrucentre@gmail.com