Prayers That Are Answered

Prayers that are answered are specific prayers. Praying specifically to God will avoid the uncertainty, “Did God hear me? Will He answer?” Not really being sure if God answered, or not. Why are we afraid to ask for specific things from God?! I know that tendency; it is a problem in my prayer life, just as much as yours. You’re afraid that you’re demanding, or telling God what to do. Here is encouragement and what God says in His Word.

Having Prayers That Are Answered Will Explode Your Spiritual Life

Would you like to boost the energy of your spiritual life? Just start asking God for specific requests in line with His will, that are things He wants, too, and watch your spiritual life explode! 

My prayer life has been challenged and changed from this Series on prayer! Is anyone else besides me sad that this is the last post? This is the end of the Series on Prioritizing Your Spiritual Life. Every Tuesday and Thursday, for the past 5 weeks, (that went so fast!) I have been posting an excerpt from the work, entitled “Do You Pray?” by J. C. Ryle.

I first heard of J. C. Ryle many years ago, when my husband began reading this Series in small bite-size pieces to us during our family’s morning devotions. I fell in love with Ryle’s writing then and there. It was so challenging to my spiritual life. I grew so much at that time! It has been every bit as powerful reading it again now!

A Cold Spiritual Life Does Not Have Prayers That Are Answered

Have you been changed or has your prayer life? Let me know in the comments! Maybe you’re like me, and you have had your spiritual life changed, but you can’t really put your finger on exactly how. For me, it’s often a subtle thing. It’s like you take your spiritual temperature and realize, “Oh! I’m not well! I’m a little anemic!” It’s so easy to have your love for the Lord grow a little cold. It shows up most quickly in your prayer life.

If you’re coming into this Series at the end, or haven’t had time to read every post in order, I want to encourage you not to worry! Each part can be read separately, and even out of order, but I suppose it was meant to be read in order, so that’s fine, too! But, make sure to go back and read all the posts! I’m telling you, it will set your spiritual life on fire!

Read all the posts in this Series on Prioritizing Your Spiritual Life, “Do You Pray” by J. C. Ryle:

• Part 1: “Prayer is Helpful to Your Greatest Spiritual Growth”
• Part 2: “Do You Have a Powerful Prayer Life”
• Part 3: “Want to Know the Guaranteed Way to Reach God in True Prayer?”
• Part 4: “Do you Know the God Who Answers Prayer”
• Part 5:  “Want to Know How To Explode Your Spiritual Life?”
• Part 6:  “How to Immediately Turn If You Are a Backsliding Christian”
• Part 7:  “How to Have Terrific Happiness and Contentment”
• Part 8A: “How to End Prayerlessness for Spiritual Survival”
• Part 8B: “The First Steps How to Be Saved By Jesus”
• Part 9: “How to Have a Prayer Life That You and God Both Love”
• Part 10: “How Much Do You Want From God”

And now, “Asking, But Not Amiss”

Part 11, of “Do You Pray?”

by J. C. Ryle

Be Specific! Confess the Biblical Name of Your Sin

“I commend to you the importance of particularity in prayer.  We ought not to be content with great general petitions.  We ought to specify our wants before the throne of grace.  It should not be enough to confess we are sinners:  we should name the sins of which our conscience tells us we are most guilty.”

It should not be enough to ask for holiness; we should name the graces in which we feel most deficient.  It should not be enough to tell the Lord we are in trouble; we should describe our trouble and all its peculiarities.”

Examples of Prayers That Are Answered From The Bible

“This is what Jacob did when he feared his brother Esau.  He tells God exactly what it is that he fears (Genesis 32:11).  This is what Eliezer did, when he sought a wife for his master’s son.  He spreads before God precisely what he wants (Genesis 24:12).  This is what Paul did when he had a thorn in the flesh.  He besought the Lord (2 Corinthians 12:8).  This is true faith and confidence.  We should believe that nothing is too small to be named before God.”

Speak Up About What You Want If You Want Prayers That Are Answered

“What should we think of the patient who told his doctor he was ill, but never went into particulars?  What should we think of the wife who told her husband she was unhappy, but did not specify the cause?  What should we think of the child who told his father he was in trouble, but nothing more?

“Christ is the true bridegroom of the soul, the true physician of the heart, the real father of all his people.  Let us show that we feel this by being unreserved in our communications with him.  Let us hide no secrets from him.  Let us tell him all our hearts.”

Prayers That Are Answered Are Not Selfish

“I commend to you the importance of intercession in our prayers.  We are all selfish by nature, and our selfishness is very apt to stick to us, even when we are converted.  There is a tendency in us to think only of our own souls, our own spiritual conflicts, our own progress in religion, and to forget others.”

Prayers That Are Answered Bring Others Before The Throne of Grace

“Against this tendency we all have need to watch and strive, and not least in our prayers.  We should study to be of a public spirit.  We should stir ourselves up to name other names besides our own before the throne of grace.  We should try to bear in our hearts the whole world, the heathen, the Jews, the Roman Catholics, the body of true believers, the professing Protestant churches, the country in which we live, the congregation to which we belong, the household in which we sojourn, the friends and relations we are connected with.”

Prayers That Are Answered Are Loving

“For each and all of these we should plead.  This is the highest charity.  He loves me best who loves me in his prayers.  This is for our soul’s health.  It enlarges our sympathies and expands our hearts.  This is for the benefit of the church.  

The wheels of all machinery for extending the gospel are moved by prayer.  They do as much for the Lord’s cause who intercede like Moses on the mount, as they do who fight like Joshua in the thick of the battle.  This is to be like Christ.

Prayers That Are Answered Do The Work of Christ

He bears the names of his people, as their High Priest, before the Father.  Oh, the privilege of being like Jesus!  This is to be a true helper to ministers.  If I must choose a congregation, give me a people that pray.”

Thankful Prayers Are Answered

“I commend to you the importance of thankfulness in prayer.  I know well that asking God is one thing and praising God is another.  But I see so close a connection between prayer and praise in the Bible, that I dare not call that true prayer in which thankfulness has no part.”

Prayers That Are Answered Recognize God’s Infinite Mercy

“It is not for nothing that Paul says, ‘By prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God’ (Philippians 4:6).  ‘Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving’ (Colossians 4:2).  It is of mercy that we are not in hell.  It is of mercy that we have the hope of heaven.  It is of mercy that we live in a land of spiritual light.”

“Prayer is the spiritual pulse. By this the spiritual health may be tested.”

J.C. Ryle

“It is of mercy that we have been Called by the Spirit, and not left to reap the fruit of our own ways.  It is of mercy that we still live and have opportunities of glorifying God actively or passively.”

Prayers That Are Answered Remember God’s Blessing

“Surely the thoughts should crowd on our minds whenever we speak with God.  Surely we should never open our lips in prayer without blessing God for that free grace by which we live, and for that loving kindness which endureth forever.”

“Never was there an eminent saint who was not full of thankfulness.  St. Paul hardly ever writes an epistle without beginning with thankfulness.  Men like Whitefield in the last century, and Bickersteth in our time abounded in thankfulness.  Oh, reader, if we would be bright and shining lights in our day, we must cherish a spirit of praise.  Let our prayers be thankful prayers.”

“I commend to you the importance of watchfulness over your prayers.  Prayer is that point in religion at which you must be most of all on your guard.​”

Prayers That Are Answered Reveal the State of One’s Soul

“Here it is that true religion begins:  here it flourishes, and here it decays.  Tell me what a man’s prayers are, and I will soon tell you the state of his soul.”

Keep a Vigilant Eye on Your Prayer Life if You Want Prayers That Are Answered

“Prayer is the spiritual pulse.  By this the spiritual health may be tested.  Prayer is the spiritual weatherglass.  By this we may know whether it is fair or foul with our hearts.  Oh, let us keep an eye continually upon our private devotions.”

Christian Activity Does Not Make Up For Lack of Prayer

“Here is the pith and marrow of our practical Christianity.  Sermons and books and tracts, and committee meetings and the company of good men, are all good in their way, but they will never make up for the neglect of private prayer.”

“Tell me what a man’s prayers are, and I will soon tell you the state of his soul.”

J.C. Ryle

What In Your Life Is It That Hinders Prayers That Are Answered

“Mark well the places and society and companions that unhinge your hearts for the communion with God and make your prayers drive heavily.  There be on your guard.”

Can Your Friends and Entertainment Keep You From Prayers That Are Answered?

“Observe narrowly what friends and what employments leave your soul in the most spiritual frame, and most ready to speak with God.  To these cleave and stick fast.  If you will take care of your prayers, nothing shall go very wrong with your soul.”

“I offer these points for your private consideration.  I do it in all humility.  I know no one who needs to be reminded of them more than I do myself.  But I believe them to be God’s own truth, and I desire myself and all I love to feel them more.”

“I want the times we live in to be praying times.  I want the Christians of our day to be praying Christians.  I want the church to be a praying church.  My heart’s desire and prayer in sending forth this tract is to promote a spirit of prayerfulness.  I want those who never prayed yet, to arise and call upon God, and I want those who do pray, to see that they are not praying amiss.”

I recommend that you copy each of these posts, print them out, or bookmark them, so you can read a little or a lot at a time. Print them out, definitely, if you’re like me and like to underline, highlight or write in the margins about parts that the Lord causes to jump off the page!

May I suggest that you read this aloud with your husband and family (especially older children)! You could take time during your family devotions in the mornings or set aside time in the evening, on weekends, if you have more discretionary time then, or with moms with your kids right after lunch, or during your Morning Basket time. The little ones won’t get everything, but you’ll be surprised how much they will get.

Pray Biblically, Specifically and Believing Faithfully, and Watch The Lord Work!

Let it spur you on to a deeper spiritual life!

Apply what you read: There’s Tremendous Power in Prayer!!

Read all the posts in this Series on Prioritizing Your Spiritual Life, “Do You Pray” by J. C. Ryle:

• Part 1: “Prayer is Helpful to Your Greatest Spiritual Growth”
• Part 2: “Do You Have a Powerful Prayer Life”
• Part 3: “Want to Know the Guaranteed Way to Reach God in True Prayer?”
• Part 4: “Do you Know the God Who Answers Prayer”
• Part 5:  “Want to Know How To Explode Your Spiritual Life?”
• Part 6:  “How to Immediately Turn If You Are a Backsliding Christian”
• Part 7:  “How to Have Terrific Happiness and Contentment”
• Part 8A: “How to End Prayerlessness for Spiritual Survival”
• Part 8B: “The First Steps How to Be Saved By Jesus”
• Part 9: “How to Have a Prayer Life That You and God Both Love”
• Part 10: “How Much Do You Want From God”