Prayers in the Bible that God Answered
A while ago, one of my friends told me her oldest son had stopped going to church. He didn’t believe in God anymore. When she asked him why he stopped believing, he answered: ‘God doesn’t answer my prayers’.
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My heart broke for this young boy. Somehow, he felt God had abandoned him and never answered his requests.
Of course, we don’t know what he actually prayed for. Maybe it wasn’t in God’s will, maybe it just wasn’t the right time, or maybe he did receive the answer… just not the one he was hoping for.
How many times have you heard someone say these exact words – ‘God doesn’t answer my prayers’? Or maybe you’ve even caught yourself on occasions where you were the one thinking these words.
I’m sure all of us at some stage on our walk with God have wondered whether or not He forgot about our requests.
I’ve had prayers answered more than 2 years later. Sometimes I thought maybe He had different plans. Turned out the timing was just wrong – my timing that is. God is never too late, nor too early. His timing is perfect. His plans are perfect.
And although God reveals a lot to us in His Word, sometimes we have to wait for the answer. Sometimes He just wants us to have faith that He’s still there, listening, and working on the answer.
Let’s have a look at some examples of prayers in the Bible that God answered.
5 Examples of Prayers in the Bible that God Answered
1. Prayer for Fertility
One of the most known stories about infertility in the Bible is most likely Hannah’s story. She was one of two wives of Elkanah (1 Samuel 1:1), and the one without children. Her heart broke more and more with every passing year that she was childless.
One day, Eli the priest found her praying – although he thought she was drunken (1 Samuel 1:13). When he approached her, she spoke to him about how she poured out her soul to the Lord. He answered: ‘Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him’ (1 Samuel 1:17 KJV).
That moment, Hannah’s prayer was answered and God gave her a son: Samuel. She said: ‘For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him’ (1 Samuel 1:27 KJV).
Other well known Bible women who prayed for a baby and had their prayers answered were Sarah, Rebecca, and Rachel.
Related Articles Including Hannah:
2. Prayer for Wisdom
An example of an answered prayer for wisdom can be found in the story of Solomon. He was young when he ascended the throne. His prayer to God was a simple request for an understanding heart to be able to judge the people righteously (1 Kings 3:9).
Because he didn’t request long life, riches, or any other worldly desire, but had the interest of the people at heart first, God gave him wisdom AND all other things too.
3. Prayer for Understanding/Insight
When the king Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and none of the wise men were able to tell him the dream nor interpret it, he ordered all of them to be killed. This included Daniel and his friends.
But Daniel requested time from the king, which was granted him, and together with his friends, Daniel prayed to receive the interpretation.
That same night, Daniel received a vision and he immediately gave thanks to the Lord for answering his request (Daniel 2:18-20).
Related Article: How to Pray Like Daniel in 10 Easy Steps
4. Prayer for the Holy Spirit
After Jesus had ascended to heaven, the disciples and many other people came together and ‘continued with one accord in prayer and supplication’ to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14 KJV).
In the next chapter, we read that the room was filled with a ‘rushing mighty wind’ and ‘there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them’ and they received the Holy Spirit.
5. Prayer for Healing
There are quite a few prayers for healing that were answered in the Bible. Paul’s prayer to heal Publius who ‘lay sick of a fever and of a bloody flux’ is one of them (Acts 28:8 KJV). The Lord granted his request and the man was healed that very moment.
Elijah also cried and prayed unto the Lord to revive the widow’s son who had died. God heard his prayer and the boy’s soul returned to him (1 Kings 17:17-22 KJV).
These are just 5 examples of prayers in the Bible God answered, I’m sure you’d be surprised at the amount of answered prayers you can find in the Word of God. Maybe this could be a great new challenge? To highlight all answered prayers in your Bible.
Next time you feel like God is making you wait for your answered prayer, remember these answered prayers from the Bible, or have a look at some Scriptures you can pray during your season of waiting. Alternatively, you can also check out some real-life examples of prayers that were answered by God.
No matter how long the wait and no matter how tempting it is to believe that God will never answer your prayer, please remember these words:
‘The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous’ (Proverbs 15:29 KJV), so then ‘this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him’ (1 John 5:14-15 KJV).
Amen!