191. God will Answer
Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
The Lord God is so anxious to hear and answer our prayers and waiting for us to pray that He even answers before we call and hears before we speak. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him [Matthew 6:8].” This is certainly a motivation to pray, not a deterrent, for the Lord so much wants to answer prayer he is just waiting for us to ask. And then for greater encouragement Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer and says, “Pray then like this.”
The promise that the Lord will answer and will hear is a promise that encourages us to engage with God in an intimate relationship of Father and Child. Even before we call He will answer. This promise reveals to us that God Himself, the Holy Spirit living within, prompts us to pray what He wants prayed so that He can develop an even closer relationship with us. When God gives us the prayers to pray then we know it is God’s will, and if we know that our prayer is according to His will He hears us, as promised in I John 5:15.
How do we know what God’s will is and what he wants us to pray? We know His words and hear His voice when we read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Word of God. God reveals His will in the Word and the more we read and hear it the better we know the mind of Christ. We also know that we can pray the thoughts and intents of the Lord’s Prayer since Jesus told us to “pray like this.” It teaches us to pray for more of God and less of me in my life, and for forgiveness, provision, and protection. We can be sure that this is God’s will.
The Lord will lead us to ask for good things and for the Holy Spirit, and then we can be sure He hears and answers, according to His promise. And there are many times the Lord answers before we pray, at least, He has answered in His determination and purpose; then He prompts us to pray and waits for our prayer. It is as if God says, “Well, you finally asked for what I wanted to give you.”
Remember God’s promises: “Ask and it will be given;” “You have not because you ask not.” Imagine the Lord just sitting next to you anxiously waiting for you to call and speak. He can hardly wait, for He loves you so much.