When I was taught about prayer, I was taught to talk. We were to bring praise, confession of our sins, thanksgiving, and requests to God. But no one ever told me to watch for answers. When I read Psalm five, I realized that God wanted us to be attentive to His response to our prayers. Verse three says, “In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation" (Psalms 5:3 NIV). The English Standard Version of the Bible translates the last line: “In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.” God promises to answer our prayers. It makes sense that we should pay attention, that we should watch and wait in expectation.
Jesus said to His disciples, “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22). 1 John 5:14-15 says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” God makes a commitment to answer prayer. But how do you watch? How do you listen for answers?
Part of watching for God's responses to prayer is making sure clutter is removed from your life. One of the things that may get in the way of seeing God's responses to your prayers is unconfessed sin. The Bible says, “If we say we have not sinned, we make [God] a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:10 ESV). If you are living apart from the will of God, you're keeping Him at a distance. How can you listen to God and watch for His action when you are pushing Him away? Another obstacle to seeing God's responses to your prayers is unforgiveness. In Jesus' discussion about prayer, He taught his disciples to say, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). It is not uncommon to be blinded by bitterness or preoccupied with a wrong that has been done to you. When you hold on to the sins of others, it is difficult to see God's action in your life. Jesus urged forgiveness. Just as God let go of our sin because of Jesus' death for us, we are called to let go of the sins against us. God doesn't ask us to condone wrongdoing or hurt. He simply bids us to let Him take care of it. Forgiveness clears our souls of clutter and lets us be attentive to His gracious action in our lives.
How do you watch for God's responses? First, be attentive to God's Word. Psalm 119:130 says, "The unfolding of your words gives light." When you're looking for the answers to your prayers, look at the Bible. Find a spot that might deal with what you're asking, or be attentive as you read a book of the Bible or some devotional material. Let God do the talking. Be quiet and let Him have His say.
Next, take some time. A pastor I know told me that his prayer time consists of 20 percent talking and 80 percent listening--just taking time to see what God will bring. I've learned that as I've faced major decisions. I need time to keep watch. I need to give God room to answer. I like the word "unfolding" in the verse from Psalm 119 above. Day by day you can watch to see God's answers unfold. In my opinion, this is an exciting part of prayer. It's wonderful to watch and see how God will respond to prayer. When you make a commitment to watch, you become extra attentive to what's happening around you. You truly wait in expectation for God to respond.
Finally, talk. Take what you've seen in God's Word and what you've heard and noticed around you, and talk it over with a prayer partner, with your husband or wife, or a with Christian friend. When you talk with another believer, you gain perspective and accountability. You allow someone else to evaluate your conclusions according to God's Word. Sometimes you receive clarity and encouragement when you're doubting what is, in reality, a very clear answer from God. Talk helps give you clarity. Psalm 91 says, "When he calls me, I will answer him"(vs.15). God promises answers. We are called to watch.
(Excerpted from
by Michael W. Newman)
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