DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYERS

WE CAN COME TO GOD ANYTIME, ANYWHERE AND EXPECT TO RECEIVE AN ANSWER!

God's Word says, "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not". (Jeremiah 33:3)

BUT IF WE WANT AN ANSWER FROM GOD  WE MUST CALL UPON HIM!

Jesus said, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him"? (Luke 11:13)

"Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matt. 11:28)

"And him that cometh unto Me, I shall in no wise cast out." (John 6:37)

"Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matt. 7:7-8)

"Behold I stand at the door and knock. If any man hear My voice and open the door, I will come into him and will sup with him and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20)

"Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not." (Jer. 33:3)

"I will never leave thee nor forsake thee." (Heb. 13:5)

--JESUS CHRIST

The Bible is the authoritative, divinely inspired and perfect WORD OF GOD!  God's signature is on the original autographs, written by holy men as they were inspired by the Holy Spirit.

St. Peter emphasized, "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:20-21)

Martin Luther had not seen a Bible until he was more than 20 years old and his colleague Dr. Carlstadt had received his doctorate in theology from a prestigious Roman Catholic Seminary without ever reading the Bible!

For hundreds of years the Roman Catholic Church refused Christian laymen the right to read and study the Holy Scriptures. They claimed that it was too deep. “Only an educated priest or theologian could understand God's Word”, they pontificated! This of course, was a trick of the devil!

Satan knows how powerful God's Word is and so was using this deceptive tactic to keep people in bondage. Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free". (John 8:32)

No wonder Martin Luther stated, “The papacy is a general chase (hunting expedition) in which the Bishop of Rome is seeking to capture and bring to hell as many unsuspecting people as he can”.

SADLY, ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGIANS PUT THEIR OWN PRIVATE INTERPRETATION ON GOD'S WORD, AS DO THE MORMONS, JEHOVAH WITNESSES AND OTHER CULTS TODAY!

But St. Peter said, "No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation..." What did he mean?

Simply this: God interprets the Scripture, Himself.

The message He wants you to receive is not what a certain sect or denomination reads into the scripture, but what He (God) is communicating!

How does He interpret the scriptures? By using other scriptures which the Holy Spirit has anointed!  Scripture interprets scripture and God does not contradict His Word. When taken in context, you will find that there are NO contradictions in The Holy Bible!

The Holy Spirit and the Word of God agree totally, for the Holy Spirit anointed holy men to write the scripture, and God has no mental block or speech impediment!

HE SAID WHAT HE MEANT AND MEANT WHAT HE SAID. AND HE HONOURS HIS WORD TODAY WITH ALL POWER AND AUTHORITY!

Jesus Christ Himself is the Living Word of God while the Holy canon of scripture, the Bible, is the written Word of God. Therefore, if you will believe the Word of God and appropriate it for yourself, Jesus Christ will come out of the pages of this holy book and come into your heart. This offer from Christ is open to every person in the entire world, regardless of age, race or color.  This offer is worldwide and has no strings attached.

St. Paul said, "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar..." (Rom. 3:3-4)

There are more than 33,000 promises of blessings in the Bible and they all have to do with God's dealings with mankind! His promises are not for angelic beings, but for lost, sinful, sick and fallen man.  His promises are for you and me!

1) CHRIST’S INVITATION IS GENUINE!

Jesus invited, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". (Matt. 11:28)

The most beautiful word in any language is 'Come'. This is a word of invitation and when Jesus calls, we must always be ready to answer His call!

He said, "Come unto Me". He is the only one with solutions to our problems and answers to our questions!

While on a visit to the USA several years ago, the then Soviet Union's communist president Mikhail Gorbachev stated, "Only Jesus Christ had the solutions to every problem. I don't possess that skill".

When asked by US reporters, the reason for glasnost, perestroika and the new freedom of religion which was happening in his country, Gorbachev replied: "JESUS CHRIST"!

As startled reporters asked him to repeat his answer, he stated without hesitation: "JESUS CHRIST". Then, as if realizing what he had just said, Gorbachev quickly changed the subject.

Christ's invitation is to "all who labour and are heavy laden", and that takes us all in. Gorbachev was right: Only Jesus Christ has the solution to every problem!

HE PROMISES REST AND PEACE TO ALL THE WORLD, TO ANYONE WHO RESPONDS TO HIS INVITATION! AND WE ALL NEED A NEW MEETING WITH JESUS! NO ONE IN THIS WORLD IS EXEMPT FROM THE CARES, BURDENS, FRUSTRATIONS, TEMPTATIONS, PRESSURES, SICKNESSES AND OTHER PITFALLS OF SATAN, THE WORLD AND THE FLESH! PRAYER CAN CHANGE ALL THIS.

Testing, temptations and trials come to us all in various forms and fashions. The inability to pay our debts - due to unemployment, unreasonable taxation or sickness - is one of the biggest stress producers in this generation!

Our faith is sorely tried as we deal with things like family break-up among children, grandchildren, relatives and friends. But Christ Jesus has promised us total victory, a release from tension and an abiding peace as we look to Him alone and keep our trust in His Word.

Hear His Word again: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. (Matt. 11:28)

Notice - He didn't say Come to a certain religious body or embrace a certain philosophy, ideology or theology...but He said, "Come unto Me", and every person in this world is included in this offer.

Jesus didn't mention His mother Mary or His inner circle disciples Peter, James or John or His half-brother James who became the first authority as Pastor of the world's first Pentecostal Church (the church was born on the day of Pentecost and exhibited supernatural signs and wonders) in Jerusalem!

He didn't say come to the high priest or rabbi or pastor, evangelist, apostle or prophet! He said, "Come unto Me"!

THERE IS NOT A SINGLE ACCOUNT OF JESUS CHRIST EVER TURNING ANYONE AWAY. HE MET THE NEEDS OF EVERY PERSON WHO ASKED HIM FOR HELP!

And that is reassuring to know...especially when you are in need of a miracle healing or are in danger and must have an answer to your prayer.

MY OWN TESTIMONY

I can verify that God is a "God at hand and not a God afar off". (Jer. 23:23) I can confirm that God answers prayer!

In 1984, my team and I were conducting a crusade in Northern India, when a staggering miracle occurred.  I had planned to have a very large crusade in the South, where nearly all visiting evangelists go.

Previously I had been in the South and Central parts of India, but had not ventured into the North where the zealous, devout and often fanatical Brahmin Hindus have almost total power.  In fact, for the previous twenty years, the number of Christians had declined there each year!

Thousands of pastors were ready to embrace our ministry in the South, and we were expecting 100,000 persons on the opening night, with prospects of larger crowds as the crusade progressed.  And I was excited about going!

Then God changed my plans and I was challenged to go to North India, to a very intellectual city of Brahmin Hindus and Moslems.

The Hindus had just completed a ten day revival, in preparation for our coming...in order to rejuvenate the people in their beliefs. And warn them of the gospel!

On the first night of our crusade, 1/4 million Moslems were in the streets in a gigantic parade, to start 21 days of fasting in a celebration called Ramadan!

We started with 3,000 people on the opening night, backed by two Methodist churches and about 120 zealous young people, from across Asia, working with a group called "Christ is the Answer".

My message was entitled, "Jesus Christ the same Yesterday, Today and Forever"! I declared the gospel of Christ according to St. Peter: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved". (Acts 4:12)

Without fear of contradiction I presented the claims of Christ where He stated: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me". (John 14:6) "I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (John 10:9-10)

I quoted St. Paul: "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour: Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:3-6)

I DECLARED THAT HE WAS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD - BORN OF A VIRGIN - HIS SINLESS LIFE, MIRACLE MINISTRY, VICTORIOUS DEATH AND GLORIOUS RESURRECTION!

Less than 100 came forward for salvation in the first service, but God performed several miracles of healing in answer to my prayer!

The next evening there were 6,000 in attendance. Again I shared the Word of God. I chose for my text Acts 17:18-32 where St. Paul preached his famous Mars Hill message, "The Unknown God".

I said, "I entered your city last evening and beheld your temples and places of worship - I saw your images, idols and gods! Idols that are made of wood, stone, plaster of paris and plastic; gods that have eyes that see not, ears that hear not, mouths that cannot speak, hands that have never helped anyone and feet that are stationary"!

I continued, "They are dead and lifeless, and so ignorant that if I were to slap their faces, they wouldn't have enough sense to move out of the way or say ouch".

Then I presented Jesus Christ, the only true Saviour of the world and the Son of the Living God.

At precisely 9:00 PM as I was making the altar call, suddenly loud speakers began blaring out an opposing message - in the Hindi language - in the very same venue which we were using!

HINDU RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAD CALLED A MEETING AND DECIDED TO CONDUCT ANOTHER 10 DAY REVIVAL OF THEIR OWN, IN THE SAME PARK WE HAD PERMISSION TO USE.

THEY HAD ALREADY ALERTED THE POLICE THAT THERE WOULD BE A RIOT ON THE CRUSADE GROUNDS. AND 50 FANATICS WITH STONES & STICKS WERE ON THEIR WAY TO START AN UPROAR, STOP THE CRUSADE AND KILL ME, IF NECESSARY!

On those same grounds, two years previously, the Moslems had started a riot in a Christian crusade, in order to stop the meetings. Moslem fanatics had overturned a bus with 17 men, women and children, poured gasoline on it, setting it ablaze and killing them all!  Of course, everyone fled and the crusade was history!

More than thirty years earlier, a well-known American evangelist was conducting a successful crusade in North India. Fanatics began a riot and he had to leave.

The Indian government then declared him non-grata-persona. effectively barring him from the country since his crusades were dangerous and prone to violence and riots.  In this manner the bigots had stopped one of the world's greatest soul winners from preaching in that nation for more than 3 decades!

NOW THEY WERE PLANNING TO DO THIS TO ME, BUT GOD INTERVENED!

Just as the fanatics were entering the grounds, I was making the altar call. More than 500 people were so gripped by the message and by the Holy Spirit, that they rushed forward to accept Christ.

Then as I prayed a powerful prayer, rebuking the devil and calling upon God - in Jesus' Name - for miracles among the people, a 6 year old boy who was lame in one leg from birth was instantly healed!

His parents who were Brahmin Hindus rushed forward to testify, along with their healed son.  Upon hearing the commotion and the testimony, the fanatics asked, "Who is that man? Is he a prophet?"  Those around them in the crowd said, "Yes, he is a prophet from Canada".

THEY THEN DROPPED THEIR STONES AND STICKS SAYING, "WE'LL GIVE HIM ANOTHER DAY", AND PULLED DOWN THEIR LOUD SPEAKERS.

The next evening the crowd grew to 10,000 and I preached on "God's Love and the Blood of Jesus"!  The fanatics who had previously wanted to hurt me, now wanted to kiss my feet... And the revival continued with the crowd growing to approximately 40,000 persons.

And according to the last reports we have had, the Christian community was not only strengthened but also is growing! Thousands enrolled in the New Converts Class, by mail. And hundreds took special courses for Christian Ministry! To God be the glory!

At the time of this writing (December, 1992), we have just heard the sad news that another well known American evangelist has very recently been banned from India for the same reason. Hindu fanatics took over his crusade declaring that he was fabricating lying testimonies of people who claimed to be healed!

WE CAN COME TO GOD ANYTIME, ANYWHERE AND EXPECT TO RECEIVE AN ANSWER!

God's Word says, "Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not". (Jeremiah 33:3)

All of us have times of difficulty and trouble, and God is more willing to give than we are to ask.  In fact, Jesus said, "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full". (John 16:24)

THE INVITATION IS TO "COME UNTO HIM" AND "CALL UPON HIS NAME"!

We are invited to call upon Him in the day of trouble and He will deliver us and show us His mighty arm outstretched, in signs, wonders and miracles!

All we must do is call, and He will answer! It is humbling for us to acknowledge our weakness and need for help. It is humbling for us to request assistance from an outside force in this proud, efficient and materialistic world, in which we live.

BUT IF WE WANT AN ANSWER FROM GOD  WE MUST CALL UPON HIM!

Jesus said, "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him"? (Luke 11:13)

Again our Lord stated, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool". (Isaiah 1:18)

Jesus invited, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matt. 7:7-8)

The simplest thing in the world for anyone to do is to ask for something. And yet, it can be the most difficult! We must spend time in prayer, learn to pray.

TO ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS, WE MUST ACKNOWLEDGE OUR FAILINGS AND SINS. TO ASK GOD FOR GUIDANCE, WHICH ROAD TO TAKE OR FOR STRENGTH, WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WEAKNESS. AND TO ASK GOD FOR DIVINE HEALING, WE ADMIT THAT WE ARE SICK AND NEED HELP!

But Jesus made it so easy! He said, we must become like little children and ask with child-like faith and expectation.  And His promise is sure and guaranteed to work. He will keep His Word!

Jesus said, "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)

Again He stated, "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain:

"That whatsoever ye ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you." (John 15:16)

WITHOUT CHRIST, WE ARE HOPELESSLY LOST AND POWERLESS AGAINST SATAN

We must remember Who our Source is. Jesus Christ is our Redeemer and the Holy Spirit gives us the power to function by His grace. And the Word of God is Supreme, that God may be all in all!

Jesus promised, "But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto Me..." (Acts 1:8)  Again our Master stated, "Without Me, ye can do nothing"! (John 15:5)

And our Lord said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. I will be with you until the end of the world". (Heb. 13:5)

2) WE MUST ASK IN FAITH

When we approach God’s Throne of Grace, we must ask specifically for what we need or desire! We must be specific so that we can prioritize our request and focus on our needs, or the needs of others all over the world.  Prayer requests should be specific and well needed.

It is important to lay out our needs in a definite request, believing that He hears us and will keep His promise!

Faith is expecting an answer when you pray. Faith is trusting God so implicitly, that when you have met the conditions He has set forth in His GREAT DOCUMENT, the Bible, He will respond favorably!

The Bible says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". (Heb. 11:1)

Here is Moffat's translation of this verse:

"Faith means we are confident of what we hope for; convinced of what we do not see."

Faith is like the title deed to a property you own but have never seen. You know it is yours because it has been bequeathed to you in a will or it has been given to you as a gift - possibly in another part of the world, and you still haven't received it or seen it.

That is how faith works. You have God's promises regarding prayer and His desire to answer, but the things you prayed for haven't happened yet!

Keep on trusting, expecting and believing and the answer will come. Loved ones will come to Christ, sicknesses will he healed by God's power and your many prayer requests will be answered when you pray in the Name of Jesus!

The Bible says, "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass". (Psalms 37:5) Jesus showed us how faith works in Mark 11:22-24:

"And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."

In my opinion, Heb. 11:1 is a theologian's definition of faith. The layman's definition of faith is found in verse 6.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Heb. 1:6)

FAITH IS THREE THINGS

Faith is coming to God with your needs and making your requests known to Him.

By asking God for help you are exhibiting faith! This proves that you believe He is greater than yourself and your need!

You are in fact saying: "Lord you are bigger than I am and more powerful and that is why I am approaching you for help"!

You wouldn't come to God for help if you didn't believe He could help you!

Faith is believing that God exists!

Faith is believing that God is real, that He is eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit! And that He is omnipotent, omnipresent and eternal!

Faith is believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on the cross for our sins and arose from the dead for our justification.

Faith is believing in the God of the Bible!

The Bible says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen". (Heb. 11:1) Faith is a reality!

Faith is a fact and also action, because "faith without works is dead, being alone". (James 2:26)

Faith is now! And faith is a present day reality and faith gets the job done - Faith Works Miracles!

Faith is expecting a miracle when we pray!