Yesterday, this question came up in the second service and Ken responded that God always answers prayer as a loving Father who knows what is best for His children. He either answers "yes," "no," or "wait."
But there is a second part to this question he didn't have time to answer yesterday: When you receive a "yes," "no," or "wait," how do you know that answer is from God? To put it more practically, if you have been praying for a job and receive a job offer, how do you know that specific job offer is God's answer?
Here are a few questions to ask as you wade through whether or not the answer in front of you is God's answer.
1. Is it in line with Scripture? James 1:17 indicates that God's answers to prayer are consistent with His character. God will not contradict Himself. If a perceived answer to your prayer explicitly contradicts Scripture, you can know with certainty it is not God's answer to your prayer. If the issue in question does not contradict Scripture, you can move on to the next question.
2. What do wise, godly people say? Proverbs 13:10 indicates that there is wisdom in the counsel of others. If you are wondering whether or not God's answer to your prayer, it is never a bad idea to seek counsel from other godly, wise people who can help you think through whether or not an answer is from God.
3. Can I honor God in this? Above all, our lives are supposed to be lived in such a way that God can be honored (2 Corinthians 5:20; Matthew 5:14-16), because God delights in revealing Himself to the world. If the answer to your prayer (say, a job offer) does not contradict Scripture or the wise counsel of others, but does not give you the opportunity to shine a light on who God is and what God has done, it is wise to wait until an answer comes along that gives you that opportunity.
If you have prayed about something and have an answer before you that is in line with Scripture and wise godly counsel, and gives you the chance to honor God, the best option is to move forward thanking God for answering your prayers. Rest in God's sovereignty and know that He will always bless the heart that is seeking ways to honor Him. You may accept a job feeling as though it is the answer to your prayers only to find out two years later that another job is a better fit for you. But throughout that process you have lived obediently to God, sought wise counsel, and moved forward in a way that gave you the ability to honor God. You cannot go wrong with that!
As a related note: This is one of the reasons it is so important to pray specific prayers. "Lord bless my child" is a prayer worth praying. "Lord, provide a godly spouse for my child" is a specific prayer that gives you the double joy of allowing you to rejoice when God specifically answers your prayer. When your prayers are specific, you have a better chance of knowing when the answers are directly from God.
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