Does He answer prayers?

He sure does!
Here in Croatia we work in two churches. The first church that Johnny started and then the new church plant just started 4 months ago. Anyhow, we have church at the first church on Sunday nights and Wednesdays and then church at the new one on Thursdays and Sunday mornings, so we stay busy between the two. Well the thing is is that we only have one set of chairs for the churches so we share. We take the chairs from the first church on Wednesday after the service and load them in the church van. Then on Thursday we leave to go to soul-winning before church at the second church and we unload the chairs and they stay at the second church until after the Sunday morning service, then we load them up to take back to the first church.
Okay are you confused? Good!

So yesterday we go ready for soul-winning and church and Johnny went out to start our diesel church can and it wouldn't turn over. The battery was totally dead and after trying it about 8 times or so it wouldn't even make noise. Anyhow, we are now 10 minutes late leaving.
So Johnny gets out family van and decides to jump it off, so he pulls the vans together and goes for the jumper cables in the church van. After searching like crazy we realize they are gone! Then we remember about a week ago when out KD dog was raising cain and we thought we saw someone at the van, well we did and they helped themselves to our jumper cables.

So now the family van is running and needs to be killed when our oldest son walks around it and decides to shut the door. What he didn't know is that the only set of keys we have were in the van and it was now locked. Okay get the picture: the church van wont start, and the family van is running with the keys locked inside and we are now searching the house like crazy for Johnnys keys that have been missiing for the last week.

Now we are 30 minutes late and we have had to call the church people to let them know the situatuin and that we would be there as soon as possible. We are in the house destroying it trying to find those lost keys when our oldest asks, "did you look in the church van?". Now we have looked everywhere, in every room in every possible place in the house and garage but we didn't look in the church van, sure enough that's where they were.

Praise the Lord we got the keys and killed the family van. We are now 45 minutes late and our soul-winning time is flying out the window.

The situation now stands like this: The church van where the 30 chairs are is dead, we have no jumper cables and we are 50 minutes late. We can take the family van but we can't take the chairs so we are faced with having church with nothing to sit on.

So we all jump in the family van, without the chairs and try to head to church when Johnny says, "Let's try it one more time.". So he gets out and we all start praying and I hear him tell God, "Now God, I know you want us to have church so we really need you to start this van.", and he puts the key in and tries to turn it over and do you know what happened??? It started! Without one problem or hesitation it started. We all screamed, I couldn't believe it, He did it, He answered our prayers.

We actually missed soul-winning but we made it for church with something nice to sit on, God sure is good.

Why then do we doubt that He will answer our prayers? Why are we so surprised when He does?

He hears them all and answers them one of 4 ways:

He may say Yes
He may answer our prayers with No
He may say Wait
He may answer in a way you didn't expect.

Here are some wonderful verses about prayer: It works!

(Psalms 4:3 KJV) But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

(Psalms 37:7 KJV) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

(Psalms 65:2 KJV) O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

(Psalms 66:18 KJV) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
(Psalms 66:19 KJV) But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

(Proverbs 28:9 KJV) He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

(Isaiah 65:24 KJV) And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

(Matthew 6:7 KJV) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

(Matthew 6:8 KJV) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

(Matthew 6:9 KJV) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

(Matthew 6:10 KJV) Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

(Matthew 6:11 KJV) Give us this day our daily bread.

(Matthew 7:7 KJV) Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

(Matthew 7:8 KJV) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

(Matthew 7:11 KJV) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

(Mark 11:24 KJV) Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

(John 14:13 KJV) And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

(John 14:14 KJV) If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

(Romans 8:26 KJV) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we
should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

(Romans 8:27 KJV) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

(2 Corinthians 12:8 KJV) For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

(2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

(Ephesians 3:20 KJV) Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

(Ephesians 6:18 KJV) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

(Philippians 4:6 KJV) Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

(Philippians 4:19 KJV) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

(1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV) Pray without ceasing.

(Hebrews 4:16 KJV) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

(James 1:5 KJV) If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

(James 1:6 KJV) But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

(James 1:7 KJV) For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

(James 1:8 KJV) A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

(1 John 5:14 KJV) And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

(1 John 5:15 KJV) And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Don't forget that He loves you and is concerned with every area of your life. It's His delight to do good for His children.

All Scripture is from the Holy KJV Bible, thanks to BibleVerseSite.com for the easy access to the Scriptures.