Scriptural Examples of Answered and “Unanswered” Prayers

Jan 5, 2012 by desiringvirtue

On Tuesday I wrote about “When Prayer Goes Unanswered.” I gave two scripture references as I talked about the Lord sometimes choosing to grant our requests and sometimes choosing not to. One is from the life of Elijah and the other is from the life of David. Today I wanted to take a closer look at these two passages and the application of them to our prayer lives.

Elijah’s Answered Prayer:

“So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention. (1 Kings 18:20-29 ESV)

“And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.” And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there. And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” (1 Kings 18:36-41 ESV)

This, of course is an incredible example of the Lord working through the prayer of his child to bring glory to his name. The miraculous fire from heaven was a testimony to the people watching at the time, and to us of the Lord’s ability to hear and to answer prayer.

This is the same God that we pray to today. Whatever circumstance you find yourself in, the Lord is the one with the power to answer your deepest needs. If he can bring fire down from heaven at Elijah’s request, he can certainly heal a physical affliction, save your family member, or line up a job opportunity for you.

David’s “Unanswered” Prayer:

“And the LORD afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick. David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.” (2 Samuel 12:15-17 ESV)

“On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.” He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:18-22; 2 Samuel 12:23 ESV)

In this example we see David pleading with the Lord to save the life of his child. This child, who had been conceived through David’s sin, was now dying as a result of that sin. It was the Lord’s will to judge David through the death of his child and as we later find out, God did not intend to waver from his plan. But David does not know this (he is limited in his understanding) and so he continues to pray for the life of his child until his death.

How does David respond when his child dies? Does he refuse to worship the Lord again or to trust him with his prayers in the future? No, he does the exact opposite. Instead of running from the Lord, he runs to him, to the house of the Lord to worship.

This must be our response as well when the Lord refuses to answer our prayers. We must realize that in his wisdom he has chosen something else for us, something that has been perfectly planned out from eternity past for our good and his glory. Rather than running from the Lord, we must run to him in the joyful knowledge that he loves us, cares for us, and desires the best for us, even if it means rejecting our request(s).