Answered Prayer, Right Away

God sometimes answered prayer immediately. If you missed the first post, you can scroll down or access it here. 

Here are a few more immediate answers to prayer:

Solomon built the Temple that his father David had envisioned. It was a beautiful, permanent house of worship, similar but much larger to the Tabernacle. For the dedication ceremony, Solomon planned orchestral music, choirs, processions, and for a finale, a large animal sacrifice for the Lord. Before the sacrifice, Solomon prayed a dedication on his knees. Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house (2 Chronicles 7:1). God blessed the Temple and Solomon’s dedication of it with His acceptance of the offering and His presence.

Isaiah prophesied about how God would bless Israel. This promise of God’s anticipating prayer is echoed in the New Testament. And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear (Isaías 65:24). Compare this verse with Matthew 6:8, where Jesus said, Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. This verse is for us, teaching us how to pray in faith.

Peter was thrown in jail, chained to guards, and imprisoned behind a network of gates and guards. An angel of the Lord freed Peter, and he walked out without being challenged. He arrived at John Mark’s house, where the brethren were praying for him to be freed. Peter knocked on the door. A young lady named Rhoda answered. And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison (Acts 12:14-17). It’s funny how they didn’t believe their prayers had been answered. They were surprised. Poor Peter, miraculously delivered from prison, is still outside, pounding on the door! (The complete story is in Acts 12:3-19. You can see my post on Rhoda here.) 

God doesn’t always choose to answer prayer with a “yes.” He also doesn’t always answer right away. Sometimes, it’s not His Divine timing. There are reasons He wants us to wait, just as there are reasons that God sometimes answers “no.” He always desires the best for us, and since He knows everything, we need to trust Him for the right answer.

Here are some prayer promises that will strengthen your faith: 

• Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee (Job 22:27a).
• The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles (Psalm 34:17).
• Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice (Psalm 55:17).
• The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them (Psalm 145:18-19).
• He will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee (Isaiah 30:19b).
• Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not (Jeremiah 33:3).
• And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22).
• And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it (John 14:13-14).
• If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7).
• Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16:23b-24).
• And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him (1 John 5:14-15).

 Be encouraged. God hears and answers prayer!