John 15:7-11,
7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.
8 “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.
9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.
10 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”
I believe in Jesus. I believe the Bible is the word of God. So I believe Jesus said these words. According to these words, if my prayers are not answered, I am not abiding in Jesus, nor are His words abiding in me. As a result, I am bearing no fruit which is proof of being a disciple of Jesus, and God is not glorified.
The Lord’s words in John 15:7-11 have for years been a beacon of light for me. If my prayers are not answered, I know I have stumbled or taken a wrong turn somewhere, and am no longer abiding in Jesus. As soon as I realize this, I repent of my shortcomings, and if I have sinned, I repent of my sins and ask for help in my time of need. The Lord always forgives me. He will never turn from an honest and contrite heart.
All the promises of God are “Yes” in Christ Jesus, 2 Corinthians 1:20. So if our prayers are not answered, we might be the reason they are not answered.
This does not mean everybody can work miracles and heal the sick and raise the dead and have the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge and speak in tongues and discern spirits, etc. The Holy Spirit divides His gifts to each one as He wills.
There are many members of the body and each member needs the other members. And the members which seem to be weaker are necessary and the members which appear to be less honorable, we bestow more abundant honor. For God has composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. See 1 Corinthians 12:20-27.
If we walk by the Spirit we will not pray according to our own will, for we have laid our will aside to follow Jesus; we will pray according to the will of God, for the Spirit helps us, and we will receive whatever we ask.
Romans 8:26-27,
26 And in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
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