The problem of unanswered prayer is one that perplexes many religious people. If God promises to answer prayer, and He does, then why does it seem that God often refuses to answer the earnest prayer of sincere people? Why does God seem to be unwilling to intervene in the circumstances of this world?

Everyone who prays must remember God is not a genie who promises to grant every wish. God places restrictions on the kinds of prayers He will answer and on the kind of people whose prayers He will answer. God answers the prayers of His children. God never promises to answer the prayer of every person in the world. The Bible does not contain one single promise that God will answer the prayers of the unsaved. God promises to answer the prayers of only those who have by faith received Jesus as their Savior. Those who have not received Jesus cannot expect God to hear their prayers because they are not members of the family and kingdom of God. Americans have no right to expect the Chinese government to protect them or provide for the stability of the United States. Likewise, those who are not the children of God and citizens of the Kingdom of God have no right to expect Him to give them what He has promised to His people.

The Bible also warns that Christians living in sin will not have their prayers answered. (Psalm 66:18) Christians who are refusing to repent of known sin cannot claim God’s promise of answered prayer. Instead, the promise of answered prayer is dependent on the Christian being in a right relationship with God.

God promises to answer the prayers of His children if those prayers are not selfish and are seeking His will. God does not always answer in expected ways, but He does answer the proper prayers of His people. Consider the following Biblical accounts of answered prayer. When King Hezekiah prayed for protection from the armies of Assyria, God wiped out the Assyrian army in one night. (2 Kings 19:15-20, 35-37) When Solomon prayed for wisdom, God gave it to him in great abundance. (2 Chronicles 1:7-12; 1 Kings 3:16-28) When the Corinthian church prayed for Paul, God delivered him. (2 Corinthians 1:10-11) Other examples of answered prayer could be given from the lives of Abraham, Isaac, the Israelites, Moses, Job, David, Isaiah, Elisha, Elijah, Daniel, Nehemiah, Paul and Peter. The Bible shows that God hears and answers the prayer of His people. The personal testimony of thousands of Christians shows that God still answers prayer. Specific examples can be found in the life stories of George Mueller, Charles Spurgeon, Hudson Taylor, Adoniram Judson, William Carey and Elizabeth Elliott. Faithful Christians living today can give personal testimony of God answering their prayers.

The problem of unanswered prayer is not a problem with God or with His faithfulness. Unanswered prayer is the problem of sinful people. Prayer for wrong things, prayer from wrong motives and prayer from those who are not right with God will not be answered. The children of God who truly delight in the Lord will have the desires of their heart. (Psalm 37:4)