DOES GOD ANSWERS SINNERS PRAYERS?

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Permalink Reply by Larry M. on August 12, 2011 at 2:02am

God answers all our prayers but according to His will, grace and mercy. Sin is one of the factor that hinders our prayers and desires fullfilment.

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. Isaiah 1:15
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 1 Peter 3:7
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. 1 Peter 3:12

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Permalink Reply by David Samuel Milumba on August 14, 2011 at 5:07am

 I totally agree with sister Bev. God loves his people, his creation thats why he sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to die for us. God hates sin in us, our rebellion, our going it alone and this creates a barrier between him and us. But he listen to those who are faithful and obedient to him as it says in Reve 22:14. It is very important to listen and act and not just to listen.

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on August 12, 2011 at 4:45am

Raul,

Are you speaking a prayer from a believer vs a unbeliever?  (we've all sinned and fallen short)

I have heard that the first prayer He hears is the prayer of repentance. So if you are speaking of a sinner being a unbeliever, I would say the answer is  "no".

 

Blessings,

Rita

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on August 12, 2011 at 6:32am

Raul,

 

If we think of prayer at its base form which is a form of communication, the answer is yes He hears, but He is not obligated to respond to the prayer fo the unbeliever, except the prayer of repentance unto salvation. He responds to the believer based on two truths. 1) We are His children and 2) He has made promises in His Word that require Him to respond to us, His children.

 

Though He is not obligated to respond, He does communicate with unbelievers. Some examples are 1)God came to Abimelech in a dream (Gen 20:3). 2) Sodom and Gomorrah was visited by angels with a message. 3) Jesus (God in the flesh) answered questions from unbelievers. 4) Cornelius was praying and God responded to Him by sending for Peter. 5) HIs Word is a form of communication.

 

We also know that God is omniscient and omnipresent. This means He is everywhere and knows all. When the person calls out to God in a moment of despair seeking to get out of a situation, like a car accident that is about to happen, God hears and knows what they say ... He can do no other because of who He is. The question is really about response over knowledge of the request.

 

I would like to pose a different question. "What keeps God from responding to people's prayers?" (Believer and unbeliever)

 

Lord Bless,

LT

 

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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on August 12, 2011 at 2:26pm

Raul,

 

I believe we are basically in agreement. For clarity let me ask a question a different way. Do you believe that God is unaware of the prayer of an unbeliever or is He aware of their prayer when it is prayed?

 

Note: I differentiated between hearing and responding. They are two separate things.

 

Lord Bless,

LT

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Permalink Reply by Ralph on August 16, 2011 at 6:46pm

I appreciate your words very much.

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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on August 16, 2011 at 4:39pm

I think it bears considering when and why God obligates himself to answer prayer. I personally believe that God operates entirely upon principle. He does not arbitrarily decide to answer or refuse the prayers of people. I do not believe God cares what building we worship in, nor what label we associate under nearly as much as he cares about the attitude and intentions of our hearts. 

 

The Church is God's instrument in the world to spread the Gospel. But that does not mean that every church is spreading the Gospel nor is every church doing it with the attitude and intention that God requires. I have been in churches with large crosses and beautiful decorations depicting the glory of G, but where prayer* is an afterthought and discipleship is nearly non-existent. [*real throne of God beseeching, honest and spirit filled prayer, not just rote repetitions].

 

In the same way, many people claim to be Christians but their attitudes and actions may speak otherwise, and may demonstrate hardened hearts. I don't think that God works through us until he works in us. I believe that God's first purpose is to work in us before he works for us; so the prayers that I can say confidently that He will answer are prayers of humility and contrition. 

 

I believe this is best demonstrated in the case of Naaman the Syrian General (Pagan warrior and enemy of Israel) who requested Elisha the Prophet to heal him. Although he came with arrogance at first, he humbled his heart and was healed; while Elisha's servant Gehazi appeared to be a man of God but turned out to be self-righteous and haughty, taking payment for Elisha's healing which Elisha rejected. Gehazi therefore received the leprosy which Naaman was healed of. (the entire story is covered in 2 Kings chapter 5).

 

So, what seems reasonable to me to ask is: what does God obligate himself to answer and to whom? It seems to me that Jesus challenged the Religious establishment with this very notion on several occasions, particularly in Luke 4:23-29. He gave them no reason to believe that God will answer prayer nor accept those with haughty and self-righteous hearts, regardless of their label, ancestry, education or position. 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by ScribeD on August 13, 2011 at 12:06am

I prayed quite a few prayers before being a believer, that God has answered after I put my faith in Christ. Sometimes it makes me realize what a sense of humor God has.

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on August 14, 2011 at 5:47am

I agree with you, LT. 

God can hear but why would He answer the prayers of one who doesn't believe in Him, is not one of His?

Thanks for the verse reference, Bev.

In my post, I was using *American speak* (Rita speak) where hear/listen are interchangeable.

Blessings,

Rita

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Permalink Reply by Carla on August 14, 2011 at 8:26pm

Hi Raul..  I would have to say that He must..  otherwise none of us would be saved..

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Permalink Reply by Dillon Hunt on August 15, 2011 at 9:46pm

 

thats all he has got to work with.  Sinners, saved or lost.  we are all inviolations of the law, somewhere.

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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on August 16, 2011 at 4:30am

Dillon,

Although we do sin, we aren't under the law any longer. Christ took care of that at the cross. As we grow in Christ, we should be turning away from the things that we shouldn't do. However, during the age of grace, God isn't imputing our sin against us.....not if we are born again.

That isn't so we can continue to sin, but to show the goodness of God.

 

Blessings,

Rita

 

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