When God Doesn’t Hear…Isaiah 59:1-2

"Listen! The Lord's arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.…2 It's your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away… and will not listen anymore."

People often complain that God doesn't hear their prayers, especially when God does not respond in the way they would like. But He can hear, all right! …Psalm 94:9…9 Ishe deaf-the one who made your ears? Is he blind-the one who formed your eyes?…Psalm 139:2…2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away."He that planted the ear, shall he not hear?" He even hears our thoughts. "Thou knowest . . . my thought afar off".

It is not that God cannot hear, but it just may be that we have not met the conditions for answered prayer so that He will hear. Probably the most important of these conditions is obedience to His Word.

John 15:7

7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

Psalm 66:18

18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,the Lord would not have listened.

James 4:3

3 And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong-you want only what will give you pleasure.

There are other conditions, of course. …James 1:6…6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.…John 14:13

13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.

1 John 5:14-15

14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

Even if we do meet all the conditions, however, He may not answer immediately or in the way we prefer, and He might even answer no. After all, He knows better than we just what is best for us, and He will see that

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[a] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

But, first of all, we need to check our lives in relation to His Word. Then

1 John 3:21-22

21 Dear friends, if we don't feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. 22 And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him.

, "if our heart condemn us not . . . whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments" (1 John 3:21-22). HMM