When Prayers are Not Answered
Brass Covered Clouds
Many people all over the world pray. For many of those who pray, nothing ever happens. The normal cloud and open skies seems locked up. Like a solid brass ceiling to shield human cries from the divine. People in every religion and of every tribe no matter how cosmopolitan or rural, pray. Traditional worshippers pray to gods of the harvest, the elements (sun, moon, stars, rain, oceans) and images of wood and stone. I once met a pagan in Edinburgh City Centre who told me she prays to mother earth. Muslims pray through their Prophet Mohammed to Allah. Buddhists monks chant their mantra, Taoists pray to their ancestors. Hindus seek for peace and happiness in meditation. I had a Baha’i friend explain the Baha’i Temple to me. “Our temple is open to all. We believe people of all faiths should find their way to the divine. Be you Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, Taoist, just pray here”. There are no lack of objects and personalities to pray to. As an African, when you turn back home to your cultural roots, you will find mythical creatures to whom prayers have been addressed. Almost everyone in the world prays.
“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us: And if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we desired of him.” I John 5:14–15
Christians of every sect also pray. Catholics, Protestants, Pentecostals, ‘white garment’ church members, and non-denominational Christians pray. Some prayers are quiet, others are melodious chants, others are hoarse shrieks; some are high pitched crying or even rousing bedlam. The Bible says prayers to God through Jesus will be answered. I have a poignant question:
What happens when prayers go unanswered?
Sick people are not made well, miracles do not happen, depression does not lift, difficult circumstances are not turned around, and evil is not reversed. Faith becomes doubt and meaninglessness rends the air. Communities are not transformed, systems are not reformed, cities are not changed and nations cry. The entire earth groans.
There are reasons why prayers go unanswered. We should admit this is altogether a mystery, but with experience, we can glean some insights:
Prayers that deny Personal Responsibility
God never does it all. There is a part for man to play. The divine world is wired for partnership with human agency. Whatever prayers incite men to abdicate their responsibility and cede their participation to chance, inhibits the groundswell by which sometimes God wants to answer prayers. In many cases, people pray against the very thing God is using to shape their character. Imagine a man praying to be more patient when God sends them a difficult employee. His actions with that employee is the answer to his prayer. Think about someone asking God to bless them, when they do not work:
“Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10–12
At a higher level, we can become the answer to prayers. We do this as we give, support, build, raise up the broken, and care for the hurting. Imagine for a moment, that someone, somewhere, is seeking our audience so we can meet their need. We become at that time the answer to their prayer as we yield ourselves to help. We are called to build bridges, fix broken families, bring about change of hearts. Many of the things some people pray about will be activated and answered though human vessels. When men pray and act in any community, true power is released. Are you ready to be the answer to someone’s prayer? Are you ready to get inspired for God to work through you? You will need to write that exam, perform that surgery, make the business plan, create the business and follow through with your work. God does not do it all. His providence avails you a heart, a mind, a brain. He understands your capacity to deploy these for your profit. Heaven may help those who cannot help themselves, but God’s preferred way is to work the answer through you. Are you prepared to be the answer to your prayers and others?
All Roads will not Lead to God
There are many religions in the world and many ways to pray, but not every road is the right one. Jesus taught His disciples the order of prayer and who to pray to. He said to pray like this:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors … Matthew 6:9–13
When we pray here is the hierarchy:
1. God.
2. Earth.
3. Man.
The top priority of prayer is the acknowledgement and worship of God, the Father. The second order is to make earth line up to the standards of heaven. The third order is to pray for our needs.
Some prayers may not be answered as they place human need above God and His Kingdom. Such prayers bear no consideration for God’s agenda on the earth. These are not in tandem with God’s divine order. God is a merciful father and may pour out mercy and compassion. However, the accurate way to pray is what Jesus taught.
There are many gods and many religions, there and multitudes of faiths and even false Christs. The Bible teaches how spirituality outside of Christ is stoked by deceitful spirits and demons.
“But the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” I timothy 4:1
Not all religions will lead you to the one, true God. World religions, inclusive religions, personal religions and humanist philosophies are now cool. Everyone is spiritual these days. The Bible assures that prayers directed outside of Christ, are mere wishes and will not be answered. The worship of gods made of wood and stone, the worship of the sun, the seas and created earth is idolatry. God cannot answer prayers that men originate from these sources.
Our Sins Inhibit Us
It is not enough to know the lingo of prayer. Are you qualified to pray? Is it in your place to lift your voice to ask anything of the most Holy God when you do not align to him? Can you stand His fire of cleansing and the stringent covenants by which He releases grace to man?
“But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. Malachi 2:2–3
God is merciful and He is gracious to forgive every sin. We as humans, are already aware of our frailties. We know the Bible says God does not regard the prayer of sinners. This knowledge inhibits many from praying.
Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:1–2
We stop cold of any expectations, because our consciences judge us. God is asking us to put away the sins we fall for easily. God understands the destructive power of seduction, the type that took out the first Adam. He does not want us to fall after the same example. Are you asking God for justice when your own hands are not clean? Are you hoping God can work for you when you do not live in obedience to him? Many of God’s promises are conditional on obedience. Prayers stay unanswered when there is unconfessed sin in us, our families, communities, Church and Nation. Before you pray, come clean.
Praying to Feed our Lusts.
Everyone on earth is attracted to one fancy or the other. The shoe, the designer bag, the new iPhone, the car, the house, the club membership, the hunk, the babe. We all have our vices, some more sinister than others. When our prayer is for God to give us the means to acquire the objects of our lust, receiving that answer will be the death of us. God holds back the answer to some of these prayers to protect us from the harmful effect of our lusts.
“You crave what you do not have. You kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask. And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures”. James 4:2–3
Prayer is not designed to cater to our guilty pleasures. Some pray at a whim to put down those who belittle us, so we can gain advantage over them. When we seek God to give us more, so we can be better than the Joneses, it seems pecuniary gain is our chief objective at prayer. When influence among men is what we covet, we ask God to place us over other people. Will God, do it? The essence of prayer is not to have God guarantee our fancies, God as a loving father cares. His chief aim is make you become the best version of yourself and prayer should lead you there.
God’s Sovereignty
God is a mighty king and he has a program for the earth. Jesus speaks of this program to His disciples as He was leaving earth. It is not for you to know times and seasons which the father has put in His own control, He said to them. There is heavenly calendar for the earth, the return of Christ, the end of all flesh, the judgement seat of Christ, a new heaven and a new earth. When we pray against these things, we come against the sovereignty of God and those prayers are null and void. Let’s read it here:
“So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.” Acts 1:6–7
In a personal context, God may have ordained or permitted many of the bitter experiences that shape us. Some of these experiences may be negative and full of intractable pain. Experiences such as broken engagements, divorce, death, loss of jobs, being passed over for promotions, removals and feuds test the best of us. Sometimes when we pray that God will change these things, He does not. In His sovereignty, He permits these things to change us instead.
Set your Heart to Pray!
Time will fail me to share of covenants, and ancestral curses of demonic forces, of that old serpent. He beguiled our ancestor Eve and tested our Lord and Christ, after He had prayed and fasted 40 long days. Your spiritual activity is not everything. Your normal life turning spiritual, is rather what God is asking of you. “Men ought always to pray and not faint”. Again in another place, the Bible says to “pray without ceasing”. Prayer then, is not about answers which we can see, alone. Prayer is about becoming the man or woman of fellowship with the divine. In here is the answer to the prayers that we seek, that we see with God’s eyes over the earth and co-partner in making the earth a better place. We pray the vision of our mighty God is birthed and His plan for the earth is actualised. Through our declarations, our culture and innovation, we become the agency of the creator upon His earth.
“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” Ephesians 6:18
Written by Moses Ida-Michaels © 2018.
Moses Ida — Michaels is an IT Entrepreneur, Pastor and Inspirational Leader. He has served at The Parliament, This Present House, The Waterbrook and currently Co — Pastors The Tribe Lagos.
He wants to lead everyone he meets to the Father’s heart.
