Discovery Pathway Classes - Baptism and Spirit-Filled LivingSample

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 During these past few weeks, you have learned a lot about prayer. Let’s revisit the topic of prayer and discuss an aspect of prayer that is very important. Today, we will focus on how God answers prayers. First, it is essential to realize that God always hears and answers your prayers. Although we all wish God would always do exactly as we wish, God does not always follow our plan. As a loving father, God has four answers that He may give you when you pray. When you request something from God, he may answer in four general ways: no, slow, grow, and go. If the answer is no, it is often because your request is not God’s best for you. It is not aligned with His will. An example of this would be if someone asked God to provide them with something sinful, or something that would lead them toward sinful activities. The answer to this request would be “ No .” In other times and situations, God will answer your prayer by asking you to take it “ Slow .” This often means that your timing is wrong. Your timing does not match His perfect timing. An example might be when someone prays for a job opportunity right away. God is in control of the timing, and he may ask them to proceed slowly for reasons unknown to them at the time. Another way that God may respond to a prayer request is “ Grow .” If this is the case, God often wants you to undergo spiritual growth before the request is granted. An example of this could be Kingdom service. If a person feels called to be a missionary, God often sets up a time of preparation for them before they go to the mission field. He does this because he loves them and wants to prepare them to succeed. The final way that God can answer prayers is with a “ Go ” response. When God says “Go,” your request, timing, and spiritual condition are all in line with His will. He will grant the request because it is the best response possible. As we present our requests to God, we must remember that we are not in charge. When we ask Jesus to be the Lord of our life, we ask him to take the lead, to be our king! A servant does not tell the king what to do. A child does not direct the parent in what decision to make. That would be ridiculous. A king directs the servants. A parent directs the children. We can grow in trust as we invite God to answer our prayers in the way He knows is best. Remember, God is working everything “ for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose ” (Romans 8:28b). As you read the four passages today that describe or provide an example for each response, ask God to show you his response to your current prayer requests. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Write down anything he communicates to you about your current prayer requests.