14 Conditions of Answered Prayer

14 CONDITIONS OF ANSWERED PRAYER
by the editor of www.georgemuller.org

The following are conditions of answered prayer that I have found through out the Bible:

1. HAVE THE GLORY OF GOD IN MIND

Ask yourself: “Is what I am praying for going to bring glory to God?” If it will not bring glory to God, God will not answer.

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).


2. GO TO GOD IN PRAYER THROUGH JESUS

God will not accept you unless you go to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). 

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. 2:5).


3. ASK IN JESUS NAME

Ask in the name and authority of His Son, the Lord Jesus, who alone is worthy.

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14).


4. ASK ACCORDING TO HIS WILL

Ask according and in submission to perfect His will by saying “Not my will, by thy will be done” (Luke 22:42).

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10).

“Now 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, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him" (1 John 5:14-15).


5. OBEDIENCE

If you live a life of disobedience and rebellion, God will not answer.

“And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22).


6. ABIDE IN CHRIST

If you abide in Christ, you will surely have the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16) and ask things pleasing to God.

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).


7. BELIEVE

We must believe that God is able to do what we ask Him. God does not like unbelief.

“So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them” (Mark 11:22-24). 

“Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23).

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6-8).

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him"  (Heb.11:6).


8. DON’T ASK AMISS (IN THE WRONG WAY & WITH WRONG MOTIVE)

If we ask for something that is not for our spiritual good and for the glory of God, God will not answer.

“You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:2-3).


9. DON’T HARBOR SIN

If we have unconfessed sin, God will not hear.

"If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me" (Psalm 66:18). 

"Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:1-2).

"When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood" (Isaiah 1:15).
 

10. FORGIVE OTHERS

Make sure you are not harboring unforgiveness towards someone before coming to God in prayer.

"And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses" (Mark 11:25-26).
 

11. ABIDE IN THE WORD OF GOD

If you abide in the Word of God, you will surely ask things that are in the will of God.

“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination" (Prov. 28:9).

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).


12. BE PERSISTANT

Persevere and be persistent in your prayers!

"And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened" (Luke 11:5-10).

"Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’ ” Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”" (Luke 18:1-8).

"Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.” But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.” But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour" (Matt.15:21-28).

 
13. DELIGHT IN GOD

Delight in Him! Let Him be your chief delight and the joy of your heart.

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4).


14. WAIT ON GOD

Wait on God! His timing is best!

"For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him" (Isaiah 64:4).

"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!" (Psalm 27:14).
 
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass" (Psalm 37:7).