The Prayer That God Always Answers

Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

The title of this lesson is “The Prayer That God Always Answers” I want you to keep that title in your mind as we go through this today.

Vain Repetitions and Much Speaking

There are many religions out there today that think that God hears them for their much speaking. Catholicism is the first one that might come to mind when you think about vain repetitions. They do something called praying the rosary. They have a string of beads and each bead represents a different prayer. They move their hand along that string, holding a different bead after a prayer is completed.

Here is an example of a rosary prayer:

Prayer	Times Prayed	Where It’s Said
Sign of the Cross	1	At the beginning (not on a bead)
Apostles’ Creed	1	On the crucifix
Our Father	6	Once before each decade (5), plus one at the start
Hail Mary	53	10 in each of the 5 decades (50), plus 3 at the start
Glory Be	6	After each decade (5), plus one after the 3 Hail Marys
Fatima Prayer (optional)	5	After each decade (optional)
Hail, Holy Queen	1	At the end
Final Prayer(s) (optional)	1 or more	Often includes a closing prayer to God or Mary

HAIL MARY, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Last time I checked, Mary is not the Savior of the world. Jesus Christ is our only Savior and praying to Mary over 50 times will do absolutely nothing. This is vain repetition that Jesus is warning us to not do. It’s empty and meaningless.

And it’s not just Catholicism. Eastern Orthodoxy, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and many other religions have repeated prayers, mantras, and chants. And they think they will be heard for their much speaking.

Matthew 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye…

Jesus is saying you don’t have to use those vain repetitions to be heard by God. He already knows what your needs are before you ask him. And because God already knows what your needs are, this is how you should pray.

Matthew 6:9-13 …Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

This is a model prayer that God Himself gave to us to help us have better communication with him.
The truth is there are many people that do not know how to pray. It’s common to ask someone to pray and they simply don’t know what to say. If that is you today, I want to encourage you that you’re not alone because even some of the disciples weren’t sure how to pray…

Luke 11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

So it’s a good thing to have a desire to be able to pray effectively in a way that is pleasing to God. The disciples had this desire and we should as well. The fact is that prayer is easy. It’s simply talking with God the same way you would talk to anyone. But before we look more at the example that Jesus gave us, I want to define what prayer should NOT be.

Prayers That Are Never Answered

There are many people that question is God hearing my prayers? Is He even listening? Why are my prayers not being answered? The truth is if you are praying for the wrong things or if you are living outside of God’s will, then those prayers will never be answered in the way that you want them answered.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

If you come to church but refuse to listen to God’s Word, and then you only pray when you want things in your life, that prayer is hated and despised by God.

Isaiah 1:15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.

Did you know that if you are making many prayers to Mary, to Saints, to other gods, and you have not fully trusted IN Jesus Christ, your hands are full of blood. Your iniquities and your sins are still yours to pay. God is not listening.

Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

When you choose to live in rebellion against God’s Word and against his commands, don’t expect for your prayers to be heard. So what are some things that people pray for that God will never listen to or answer?

1. Praying For Things That Satisfy Your Flesh

If someone prays for God to help them get their next drug fix, God is not listening to that prayer.

If someone prays for God to help them get money for cigarettes or alcohol, God is not listening. God wants us to be sober and have a sound mind. Cigarettes and alcohol don’t help you have a sound mind, you might think they do, but that is a deception from the Devil. God does not help you get those things.

If someone asks God for success in making money illegally or through criminal activity, and there are people that think God is going to help them. God is not listening to that prayer.

If someone prays to win the lottery. God is not listening.

Proverbs 28:22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

And if someone prays for those things and they receive them shortly after, I promise you; 100% guaranteed that God did not help you get those things.

James 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

Galatians 6:7-8 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Someone might pray to be in a relationship with a particular person. That person could be already married, and if you are praying for God to make a way for you to be with that married person, God is not listening to your prayer. That prayer is an abomination, and every prayer like that which goes against God’s design, his laws, and his commands, is hated by God.

And by the way, all those fleshly desires that you have can be fulfilled through Jesus Christ, when you do things according to His will.

2. Praying For Bad Things to Happen to Someone

Another prayer that will not be answered by God is when you pray for something bad to happen to an individual. Maybe they hurt you badly in your life, or maybe you are bitter against them, or envious of what they have. If you pray for harm to come upon them, God is not listening to that prayer.

Luke 9:51-56 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

The Jews and the Samaritans hated each other. And because of how these Samaritans treated Jesus and his disciples, James and John wanted them dead. They wanted fire to come down from heaven and consume them. Jesus said ” Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.”

That should be a warning to us. We should not be praying evil or death upon anyone. God wants all men to be saved.

Imagine if someone here at church maybe did something that you didn’t like (And that will happen, it’s impossible to go through life without some sort of conflict because we don’t always walk in the Spirit. We walk in our flesh more often than we should) then you go home and pray that they will die and go to hell. That’s evil. God does not listen to that prayer.

Romans 12:17-21 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. (Who does vengeance belong to? It Belongs to God) 20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Example that Jesus Gave Us

So those are some examples of prayers that God does not answer. But I want to turn back to our example that Jesus gave us.

Matthew 6:9-13 …Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Hallowed means to be consecrated or set apart. God’s name is above all names. It’s Holy and should be honored greatly) 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

There is something different about this prayer that is the number one key to having your prayers answered. Prayers that are not heard or answered by God always revolve around what we want. The things that our flesh desires. But Jesus shows us to pray for what God wants in our life.

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done…” We are supposed to be praying for God’s will to be done. It’s important to understand God’s Will so we can pray for things that align with His desire for us. I promise you when you pray for God’s will to be done, that prayer will always be answered 100% of the time. Can you know God’s will for your life? Yes, you can and it’s found right here in His Word. If you do not read the Bible you will not know or understand God’s will.

Ephesians 5:15-18 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

God’s Word is vast and His will has so much depth, but I want to narrow it down to 3 points for you.
These are the first things we need to get right in our life if we want our prayers to be answered by God.

1. God’s Will for us is to Believe on Jesus Christ.

John 6:38-40 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

When you believe on Jesus Christ you become a child of God and God listens to His children…

2. God’s Will for us is to Obey His Commandments

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?

Notice that all these things that God requires of us; Fearing Him, walking in His ways, loving Him, serving Him with everything we have, keeping his commandments, all of those things are for our good. They help us both physically and spiritually.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

This is a command from God that we can’t ignore, It’s His will and desire for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be spread to everyone.

1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

And remember his commands and His will for us is for our Good. So preaching the gospel will help you more than you can imagine.

So if you feel like your prayers are not being answered, (that happens to all of us at times) you first need to make sure you are following these three points regarding God’s will. If you’re not doing even one of these things you are outside of the will of God. If you have not believed in Jesus Christ, you are outside of God’s will. If you are not obeying His commandments you are outside of His will. If you are not telling people about Jesus Christ you are outside of His will. So we need to get these things right.

When we are living the way God wants us to live we can have confidence that if we ask anything according to His will, He will hear us.

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

So how do we make sure our prayers are always answered? We align our will with God’s will. God does not align to our will, we align with Him. “God, I want what you want for my life”. For example, you’re going to have to make many choices throughout your life. Career decisions, relationships, health, finances, ministry, sometimes it’s not clear what the right decision is to make, but when you pray the way Jesus teaches us to pray, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” “Give us what we need according to your will”, we know He will always answer.

Sometimes His answer is Yes, sometimes He answers No, sometimes you have to wait, but He will answer and it will always be for our good and for His glory.

I want to share a quick testimony how God answered prayer in my life. Several years ago I met Josh through amazing circumstances. It was really a miracle how God allowed us to cross paths. Josh invited me to go soul winning with him in Detroit Michigan. I saw how Josh and other Christians gave the gospel and I witnessed many people believe on Jesus Christ. I wanted to do the same thing, but I’ve always been a shy person growing up. I have always been an introvert. But I had a great desire to be able to lead people to the Lord Jesus Christ. I prayed that God would help me become an effective soul winner and from the moment that I prayed that prayer, I 100% knew that God would answer that prayer.

Fast forward several years, here we are in west Louisville. God by his grace and mercy has allowed me to lead many people to Christ and He continues to help me be more effective at convincing people through the Holy Spirit to listen to the gospel.

That’s just one example of God answering prayer and many of us here could give you hundreds or more examples of God answering prayer throughout our lives.

Psalm 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

Closing Thoughts

If you find yourself wondering “Is God going to answer my prayer”? I want to give you four questions that can help you examine your heart and align your request with God’s will, so you can pray with confidence.

1. What are you praying for?

Are you praying for something that glorifies God, builds up others, or helps you grow spiritually? Or are you praying for something selfish, sinful, or superficial?
God does not answer prayers that are rooted in lust, covetousness, or greed. But when you pray for things that align with God’s desires—like wisdom, spiritual growth, or opportunities to serve—He listens.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

2. Why are you praying for it?

God not only sees what you pray for, but also why you want it. Are you praying for a job, relationship, or opportunity to serve others and glorify God—or to elevate yourself or be seen of men.

Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.

3. When are you praying?

Very often people only like to pray when they are in trouble. Prayer is not an emergency exit. We are supposed to have daily communication with our Father in Heaven. Don’t get me wrong, we should pray to God when we are in trouble, just don’t wait for that to be your only reason to pray.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Psalm 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

4. How are you praying?

Are your prayers vain repetitions or prideful demands? Or are they offered with humility, faith, and a heart that truly wants what God wants?

When you can answer all four of these questions and ensure they align with God’s Will, then you can be confident that your prayer will have an answer. Just wait on the Lord, and rejoice in the answer that He gives you. Give Him all the honor praise and Glory.

1 John 5:13-15 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.