God ALWAYS answers prayer: Either Yes, No, or Not Yet.
God is always able to answer, but He does so often in a way that we don’t expect.
"If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable." (Proverbs 28:9 NIV)
"Walk in obedience to all that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess." (Deuteronomy 5:33 NIV)
" If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesús, his Son, purifies us from all sin."(1Jo 1:6-7 NIV)
These three passages all depict doing a thing and then something happening as a result…The first is negative: turning a deaf ear to what God says in His Word results in a bad reaction to our prayers. The second claims that obedience to God results in prosperity and long life (for the Israelites as a whole). The third claims that Christians who truly fellowship (pray) and walk in the light (study God’s Word and obey it) will find themselves living in harmony with the brothers and sisters and will be useful to God.
"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people-- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1Ti 2:1-4 NIV)
We all want good things in our life, but this passage suggests that these things might come for us when we put God first, Others second and Ourselves last. J O Y!!
Pray: "Lord Jesus, ground us in prayer because when we are in prayer, You are the center of our attention. From our focus on you comes real J O Y."