Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God

Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: New Testament Studies

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2004-10-17

Synopsis: John Weaver examines why most prayers go unanswered, using the account of King Josiah in 2 Kings 22. He argues that the primary reason is a failure to hear and obey God's Word. After outlining six prerequisites for effective prayer (proper association, approach, attitude, asking, apprehension, and affection), he demonstrates from Scripture the principle of lex talionis: God hears those who hear Him. When we reject His law and live in disobedience, He refuses to hear our prayers. The message calls believers to humble obedience as the path to answered prayer.

[John Weaver] I want you to open your Bibles tonight, if you would please, to 2 Kings, Chapter 22. 2 Kings, Chapter 22. I'm going to be dealing with a subject tonight, which is entitled, Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers. On Wednesday night, I dealt with the sin that every Christian commits, and especially on Sunday. And last night, I dealt with the fact of committing the sins of the Jews, how that we're doing the same thing that those Jews did back in the early days when, of course, they rejected the kingship of Jesus Christ. So tonight, I hope that you'll see that all three of these messages tie together. Second Kings, Chapter 22, beginning with verse one, Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adiah of Vasca. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah, the son of Michal, and the scribe to the house of the Lord, saying, Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people. And let them deliver it in the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord. And let them give it to the doers of the work, which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, to buy timber, and hew stone, to repair the house."

[John Weaver] Now, verse 7,"'Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. And he'll tie the high priest, set it ashafe, and the scribe, I found the Book of Law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it in the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord. And Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. It came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikah the son of Shaphan, and Okbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah, a servant of the king, saying, Go ye and inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that

[John Weaver] is found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us. Because our fathers have not hearkened to the words of this book to do according to all that which is written concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Heicham, and Ochborn, Shaphan, and Asahiah went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shalem, the son of Tuchba, the son of Harhash, keeper of the wardrobe.

[John Weaver] Now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college, and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of this book, which the king of Judah hath read. Because they have forsaken me and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands. Therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall you say to him. Thus said the Lord God of Israel, as touching the words which thou hast heard. Because thine heart was tender, And thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord. But thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse. And as rent thy clothes and wept before me, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

[John Weaver] Behold, therefore, I will gather thee into thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace. And then I shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place." And they brought the keen word again. The subject is why God does not answer most prayers. I suppose that if I could answer the question, why God does not answer prayer in every specific instance, that I could become an extremely wealthy man. I'm sure that many people would pay good money, not only to get their prayers answered, but to find out why their prayers were not answered. Because if you could find out why your prayers are not answered, you might be able to adjust a few things and to have the prayers answered, etc. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that most people, when a prayer is not answered, they have no earthly idea.

[John Weaver] You have to understand that praying, of course, is a duty as well as a privilege. The Word of God tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5 and v. 17 to pray without ceasing. When you get to Luke 18 and v. 1, our Lord says men ought always to pray and not to faint. Now, since prayer is a command, it is a duty. But since prayer is to our Heavenly Father, and it involves a relationship with Him, it is also a privilege. So it's an opportunity, then, to commune with our Heavenly Father through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me just say this concerning prayer. Prayer is not an attempt to change the mind of God or to change the will of God. Prayer is nothing more than an instrument to accomplish and to bring to pass the will of God. You've got to remember that God has not only ordained the end, he's also ordained the means to reach that end as well. I don't know if you've ever thought about this or not, but as Christians, we must pray regardless of whether or not our prayers are ever answered.

[John Weaver] How can I say that? Because God commanded us to pray. And his command is that we pray. Whether our prayers are answered in one sense of the word is really irrelevant. God has given us a command and we should do that.

[John Weaver] Now, the truth of the matter is this. Your prayer life is not to be judged by how many prayers you have answered, but really and truly how well and how faithfully you pray.

[John Weaver] Now, stop and think about this. Before I show you from the scripture why most prayers are not answered, let me give you from the scripture several basic prerequisites for prayer. And I'm sure there are many other things, but I'm just going to give you something that I think is absolutely elementary and fundamental. What are they? Well, I'm going to give you at least six of them probably.

[John Weaver] First of all, there must be a proper association. If you're going to pray and pray effectually, there must be a proper association. What do I mean by that? Luke 11 and verse 2, Our Lord said, When you pray, you say, Our Father who is in heaven. By proper association, I mean this, that we are the children of God by faith through Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Now, it is true that God blesses the just and the unjust alike. That is certainly true. The Bible teaches that. But you must understand that there is also a covenantal bond that exists between God, our Heavenly Father, and His children. And that bond does not exist between God and the unregenerate. There's always going to be a more tender and more gracious response toward your own children than there is toward the children of strangers. I mean, let's be honest, if your own children were hungry and here's a stranger's children that are hungry and you have just enough to feed your own children, which child would you feed? Certainly you would feed your own. That's just simply what you and I would call human. I mean, that's what we would do. But there is still that bond that exists, although God is not human. God is God. There is that special bond that exists.

[John Weaver] For instance, look in your Bibles to the Book of Luke. Hold, if you would, 2 Kings, because certainly we're coming back there. But look in your Bibles to the Book of Luke, chapter 11, and our Lord is dwelling upon this fact, beginning there with verse 11. Luke 11 and verse 11. Our Lord says this, If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? Now, look what he says. If you, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?

[John Weaver] Now, what is God saying? If a son asks of the Father a piece of bread, is He going to give him a stone? No. If he asks an egg, Will he give him a scorpion? No. He's going to give him what he needs. And then he makes this statement. If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, then the answer is obvious. God, who is far above us and infinitely holy and not evil at one wit, certainly knows how to give good gifts to his children. In 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 16, The Word of God says this, Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God, even our Father, who hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace. But notice He says, even our Father. So our Lord taught us to pray our Father.

[John Weaver] So there must be that proper association. If we're going to pray acceptably unto God. Secondly, there must be a proper approach. Our Lord said it like this in John 14 verse 6. I'm the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh in the Father except by me. In Ephesians 2 in verse 18, he says for through him, that is through Jesus Christ, we have access to the Father in one spirit. The only way that we can approach the Father is through the Son in the Holy Spirit. I want you to stop and think about the Old Testament, how that tabernacle in the temple was divided not only into the holy place and the most holy place and the general area there where the offering was, Not in the most holy place, but where the people could congregate and maybe even see

[John Weaver] the animals slain there because. Very obviously, they were bringing those animals for sacrifice. What if one of those individuals just decided, well, since I brought my animal for sacrifice, I'm going to rush past these priests and I'm going to go into the holy of holies and see for myself what is in there. What would happen to someone who would have rushed headlong into the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament? Well, he would have been killed.

[John Weaver] I want you to watch something. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Hebrews, Chapter 10. Here, the Word of God gives us an understanding concerning that. Notice in Hebrews, Chapter 10, beginning there with verse 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter to the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Here is something they did not have in the Old Testament and could not have because the blood of rams and bulls and goats could make no one perfect. but now having therefore, brethren, boldness entered the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he had consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh." In other words, we may now come into the holiest of all, that is to our Heavenly Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not come based upon our good deeds. We don't come based upon our merits. We don't come based upon our works, the goodness of life. We don't come based upon the saints. We don't come based upon blood.

[John Weaver] If you come on any other terms and in any other way other than through Jesus Christ, your prayer is unacceptable unto God. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. You remember what the Bible said in 1st Timothy 2 in verse 5, where there's one God and one mediator between God and men, the man, Christ Jesus. So there must be a proper association. There must be a proper approach. You must come to the Father through the Son in the Spirit. But thirdly, there must be a proper attitude. When you pray, there must be a proper attitude. One cannot expect to receive anything from God or have any prayer answered if he comes with an unbelieving attitude. Do you remember the very first qualification that I should say that is given to us in Hebrews 11 and verse 6? But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that He is.

[John Weaver] and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. It's impossible unless you come with a proper attitude, and that proper attitude is one of faith. Do you remember the passage? Well, let me just show you. Look in your Bibles at James 1. Here's a very wonderful illustration of this fact. James 1, beginning there with verse 5. Look at this promise. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. Strange thing to say, if any of you lack wisdom, how many of us lack wisdom? All of us. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

[John Weaver] For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Now look what he says in verse 7. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. So unless you come in faith, believing, he says, let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord. In Matthew 21 and verse 22, our Lord said, and all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing you shall receive. In Mark 11, verse 24, he said, Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever you desire when you pray, believe that you shall receive them and you shall have them.

[John Weaver] You not only have to have a proper association and a proper approach, there must be a proper attitude. But then fourthly, there must be a proper asking. What am I talking about a proper asking? You remember when our Lord said in John chapter 14, verses 13 and 14, He said, if you ask anything in my name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. When you get to John 16, verse 26, he said, at that day you shall ask in my name.

[John Weaver] Now, do not think that our prayers are going to be answered just because we pray loudly, vigorously, and frequently. You can lay on your face before God all day and all night and still not receive anything of the Lord. There has to be a proper asking. You know what our Lord said in Matthew 6 and verse 7, but when you pray, use not vain repetitions as the heathen do, for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Our Lord said it's not the much speaking. It's not the vigor of your prayer. No, no, no. He said there has to be a proper asking. There has to be a proper merit, and that merit is found only in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Asking in the name of Christ refers to an absolute and total dependence upon the person and work and merits of Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] Let me give an illustration. Suppose I walked into one of the local banks here in town. And I picked up one of those drafts that they have laying around and I just filled it out for a million bucks and I handed it to the teller and I said, I'd like you to cash this, please. She says, wow, a million bucks. Yes, I'd like to have that in cash, please.

[John Weaver] She said, do you have that much money in this bank? I said, no, ma'am, I don't. Well, how much money do you have in this bank? Well, truthfully, ma'am, I don't even have an account here. Would you expect me to cash this check for you? And you don't even have an account here? I said, ma'am, I just said I'd like to have it. No, I don't have an account and no, I don't have any money. That's why I'd like to have the cash. Well, she said, sir, you're wasting my time.

[John Weaver] Please get out of here. Now, I went to a local bank. I asked in my name when I had absolutely nothing in that bank. But suppose I went to that bank and I carried a check signed by Michael Hawkins for one million dollars. And the woman looked at me and said, Oh, I know him. He's got plenty. How do you want this, sir? Now, the point I'm trying to make, and I doubt he has a million bucks in the bank, but the point I'm trying to make is this. I'm no longer asking in my name. I'm no longer asking in my merit. I'm asking in the name of another. So when I come and ask in the name of Jesus Christ, I'm not depending on anything that I've done, anything that I've said or anything that I have or anything that I might do. I'm totally, absolutely depending upon the person and merits of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you what I mean even further by a proper asking. I want you to turn in your Bibles to James chapter four. And I'm just telling you, I believe that this is what you and I would call absolutely elementary when it comes to praying. But if you look in John chapter James, chapter four, it is beginning there with verse one. Look at what James says. And James is certainly talking about prayer here. James four, verse one.

[John Weaver] For whence come wars and fighting among you? Come they not hence even of your lusts that warn your members?

[John Weaver] Now look what he says. You lust and have not. You kill and you desire to have and cannot obtain. You fight in war, yet you have not because you ask not. So our Lord says the first thing you need to learn to do is ask. That is, there has to be a proper asking. But notice what else he says in verse three. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your own lusts. So it's not only that we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, depending totally upon his person, his merits and his works, we cannot ask selfishly, lustfully and wickedly.

[John Weaver] Let me give you an illustration. There are very few times that I've been found speechless in my life. But here was one of them, and it took me a minute to compose myself and give an answer. But I was talking to a fellow one day who was a professing Christian. And he said, Brother Weaver, he said, I've been praying and asking the Lord. For something, and seemingly he just doesn't answer my prayer.

[John Weaver] He said, I can't understand that, he said, because I used to smoke. And I asked the Lord to take away the cigarettes and he did. He said I hadn't smoked in years. He said I used to drink and he said I asked him to take away the taste for alcohol. He said he did. He said I haven't had anything to drink for years. And he said, but it's just this one thing. It seems like I can't get the Lord to answer my prayer.

[John Weaver] I said, well, what is it? I thought maybe I could give him a scripture or something. Well, he said, I'm trying to get this woman to marry me. And I just kind of jokingly said, well, Maybe she doesn't love you, you know, kind of like that. Oh, no, no, no, no. He said, that's not it. She says she loves me. It's just the fact that her husband won't give her a divorce.

[John Weaver] When I finally regained my composure, I said, sir, Let me tell you why God's not answering that prayer, because it's completely, totally contrary to His Word. It's a violation of His law, and it's based upon your lust and your wickedness. It's amazing how ignorant some people can be over such a simple subject. There has to be not only a proper association. Yes, there has to be a proper approach. There has to be a proper attitude. There has to be a proper asking.

[John Weaver] And we cannot ask wickedly and selfishly and lustfully. But fifthly, may I point out, there must be a proper apprehension. Let me show you what I mean by that. Look in your Bibles to first John, chapter five, first John, chapter five. And let's begin reading there in verse 14. Here's what I mean by a proper apprehension. First John 5 verse 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. Watch. And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Now go back to verse 14. And this is the confidence that we have in Him that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us. By proper apprehension, I simply mean this. We must apprehend, we must understand, we must comprehend What is the will of God? And God says when we pray and when we ask according to His will, we know that He hears us.

[John Weaver] And when we know that He's heard us, we know that we shall have the petitions which we have desired of Him. Here is absolute assurance and confidence in prayer. When we pray according to the will of God, there is no doubt as to whether or not God has heard our prayers And we'll answer our prayers. Oh, but you say. How do I know what God's will is? Well, the answer is very simple.

[John Weaver] His will is revealed in His Word. So when we pray scripturally, when we pray according to the Word of God, we know. That he's heard us and we know that we're going to have those petitions that we've asked. You say, but wait a minute, Pastor. Sometimes I may not know His word on a particular subject. I may not know His will in a particular area. How can I pray then? Well, you remember our Lord taught us to pray.

[John Weaver] Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In other words, if you and I do not know exactly what the will of God is, we can lawfully and biblically pray, Lord, your will be done in this matter. Your name be honored and glorified. I may not know, but thou dost know. And if you look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8, there's another application that we can make to this. Look in Romans chapter 8, verses 26 and 27, because in this passage, we have someone who can pray with us and through us and in us and for us when we don't exactly know.

[John Weaver] In Romans 8, beginning there with verse 26, Scripture says, Likewise, the Spirit, that is the Holy Spirit, also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

[John Weaver] And I'll be honest with you. There have been times in my life. That I've been so broken and so burdened I didn't know which end was up. And all I could do was fall on my face and just groan and cry and weep before the Lord. You know what the Scripture says? The Holy Spirit. He knows our infirmities. When we don't know how we should pray as we ought, He's the one who makes intercession for us.

[John Weaver] with groanings which cannot be uttered. We cannot explain them. We cannot voice them. And then God, who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit. Why? Because it's the Holy Spirit who makes intercession for us according to the will of God. So there must be a proper apprehension. We must know what God's will is. And if we don't know what God's will is, we can honestly say, Father, I want your will done. I want your name honored and I want your name glorified. And sixthly, very quickly, there must be a proper affection. Now, if you look in your Bible to the book of Colossians chapter three, I'll explain that one very quickly. Colossians chapter three. Look at verse one. Here, the Scripture says that we're to set our affection on things above. where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." Notice,"...if you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth."

[John Weaver] That means simply this. If we truly, genuinely love the Lord, and if we want Him honored and glorified, we will value His will, His Word, and His way above everything else. Our Lord taught us to pray our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name. In other words, Lord, we want your name to be sanctified. We want your name to be reverence. We want your name to be glorified. We want that first and foremost in our lives. So there must be a proper affection toward our Lord.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just tell you. Very obviously, if we do not have a proper association or proper approach, a proper attitude, a proper asking, a proper apprehension and a proper affection, very seriously, our prayers are going to be affected one way or the other. My basic assumption tonight is this, that every one of you know what I just told you, or at least you should know. If you know all of this, Why are your prayers not answered? Why are most prayers not answered?

[John Weaver] Well, let's go back in our Bibles to 2 Kings, Chapter 22. 2 Kings, Chapter 22. Josiah, of course, was a young man who was grown up in the ways of the Lord. He began to reign when he was eight years of age, and he reigned 31 years in Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to look at verse 2. You talk about a testimony. Here it is. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left.

[John Weaver] Now, Josiah was evidently a good king and a godly man as far as what he knew and as far as what he understood. God said, based upon what he knew, he followed David, a man after God's own heart, and he did not turn from the left hand nor to the right hand. However, as we read 2 Kings chapter 22, we found a problem existed during the reign of Josiah. And that problem was the law of God had been lost. I have an entire message just upon this one point, the lost law, and I find it interesting that God's law was lost. Are you listening? In the house of God. That's where it's usually lost today, by the way, you remember, our Lord said that he was wounded in the house of his friends, the average church today. has no knowledge concerning the law of God, and as far as most of them are concerned, it's been abrogated, nullified, done away with, henceforth no longer has any value for anybody or for anything. The same law that was lost in the temple is lost today as well.

[John Weaver] But they're going to restore the temple. They're going to repair the temple. And so, as they're moving the debris about, guess what? All of a sudden, a copy of the law is found. Look at it in verse 8. And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. Now watch. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought the king word again and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house and have delivered it in the hand of them that do the work, that have no oversight of the house of God. And Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book, and Shaphan read it before the king." Now, I want you to watch what happens. And it came to pass when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hiltiah the priest, and Ahicham the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Macchiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah, a servant of the king, saying, Go ye and inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah concerning words of this book that is

[John Weaver] found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according to all that which is written concerning us." So Josiah is broken. Josiah is rightly Afraid, he humbles himself. He says, look, we are in trouble. You go find out from God what we must do. By the way, let me emphasize this. Look in verse 13. Look where he sent them. Go ye and inquire of the Lord for me.

[John Weaver] But then an interesting thing happens. Look in verse 14. So Hilkiah the priest And Ahicham and Achbor and Shaphan and Asahiah went in a hall to the prophetess, the wife of Shalom, the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhash, keeper of the wardrobe.

[John Weaver] Now, she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college and they communed with her. Now, let me ask you a question. Why did the priest and his entourage go to this woman? There could be several answers that we could give. Someone could say, well, the king's commandment required haste, and he was very earnest in wanting to get an answer to his question. And since she was already in Jerusalem, hey, they just went to her. And by the way, she was already well known because even her husband was a member of the royal court.

[John Weaver] That sounds pretty good on the surface. But may I remind you something? Did you know that Jeremiah the prophet and Zephaniah the prophet also prophesied during the reign of Josiah? Why did they not contact Jeremiah? Why did they not contact Zephaniah? Now, Jeremiah lived in Anathoth, and Anathoth is really not that far from Jerusalem, but it could be The Jeremiah could have been in some far-flung part of the kingdom. I understand that. That's a possibility. But you've also got to remember that Jeremiah was not known for his tact.

[John Weaver] He preached very boldly, very openly. And someone could say, well, Zephaniah, although he preached during that time, he may not have quite yet begun his ministry at this particular time because, after all, Josiah reigned 31 years. He could have been a little bit later. Well, let me just ask that you turn in your Bibles very quickly to 2 Chronicles 35, just to show you before you dismiss the fact that Jeremiah might not have known Josiah. Oh, no. Not only did Josiah know Jeremiah, Jeremiah knew Josiah as well, for in 2 Chronicles 35, verse 25, there is a lamentation that Jeremiah gave for King Josiah. Here it is, 2 Chronicles 35, verse 25, and Jeremiah lamented for Josiah. And all the singing men and the singing women spoke of Josiah and their lamentations of this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel. And behold, they are written in the lamentations." So Jeremiah knew Josiah. Josiah knew Jeremiah.

[John Weaver] My question is, why did they go to Hava? I believe the answer to that question is very singular and very revealing. I believe this demonstrates the depth to which the kingdom had sunk and the depth of the apostasy that had permeated the kingdom. Certainly, Jeremiah was a prophet at this time. Certainly, Zephaniah was a prophet at this time. But I want you to look back in verse 13. Look what the king said, Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me. Verse 14, So Hilkiah the priest and all of these men went into Huldah the prophetess. Now Josiah did not send them to Huldah. Josiah said, I want you to go and inquire of the Lord for me. Now wait a minute.

[John Weaver] Let's try to put this together. We had Hilkiah the high priest. We had Shaphan the scribe. And we've got Josiah the king.

[John Weaver] Now, let me just ask that you turn, first of all, to the book of Malachi chapter 2 and look at verse 7. And let me just try to tie this little thought together for you. Look at Malachi 2 and verse 7. Look what God says concerning the priest. Remember, Hilkiah was the high priest. In Malachi chapter 2 and verse 7, the Word of God says, For the priest's lips should keep knowledge.

[John Weaver] and they should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." Wow! The priest knowledge. The priesthood should keep knowledge. He should know the law. He is the messenger of God. Shaphan was the scribe. Chafan knew nothing about God's law. You compare that with Ezra, in Ezra 7 and verse 6, where the Bible says that Ezra was a ready scribe in the Lord Moses. And here, Hiltiah, the high priest, knew nothing about God's law. Here's Chafan, the scribe, who's supposed to translate and to copy. He knew nothing about God's law.

[John Weaver] And now you have Josiah, who is the king. And by the way, when you go back to Deuteronomy 17, the king was to have his own copy of God's law and to read therein and meditate every day. Isn't it interesting? The secret of the Lord was neither with Hiltiah the high priest, nor with Shaphan the scribe, nor with the king, nor with any other servants or ministers in the temple, and they went to Huldah." Huldah is mentioned here, the only instance in the Bible.

[John Weaver] We know nothing of her circumstances. Tradition says that she prophesied amongst the women of the court, being a court lady herself. Why did they go to hold? Well, not only do I believe it reveals the apostasy of the kingdom and the ignorance of those who were in authority. It also teaches us a very simple truth that God never leaves himself without witness because God is never going to leave sinners without excuse. Listen carefully. When those who should rule and those who should know and those who should exercise dominion refuse to do so, the power will always shift to someone who does and who will. Let me show you. Do you realize if the Father will not be the head of his home, that authority and that power doesn't disappear. If a father refuses to be the head of his home, next thing you know, mama's going to be the head of the home. If mama refuses to be the head of the home, guess what? The children will be the head. They'll run the parents.

[John Weaver] Do you realize all that is needed to have a matriarchal society? And I'm not going to preach on this tonight, but the Word of God tells you very obviously and openly and distinctly that when women rule, it is a judgment of God. All you have to do to have a matriarchal society is for the men to refuse to fulfill the role that God has ordained for them. All they have to do is refuse responsibility. Now, I'm not preaching on Hula tonight, but I'm trying to preach on why God does not answer most prayers.

[John Weaver] But in light of that, let me go on. I want you to look. In 2 Kings 22, beginning with verse 18, I'm going to show you this and then Lord willing, develop it. Let me just read this to you and see if it jumps out at you the way it did to me. And if it doesn't, I'll come back and point it out. Look in verse 18. So the word comes back to the king from all the. But to the king of Judah, which sent you to inquire the Lord, thus shall you send him. Thus said the Lord God of Israel as touching the words which thou hast heard, because thine heart was tender. Thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord. When thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, and they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast ripped my clothes and wept before me, I also have heard thee saith the Lord." Now, do you see that?

[John Weaver] Are you seeing what I've seen? Let me spell it out for you. Look in verse 19 again. In fact, you can look at the latter part of verse 18 as touching the words which thou hast heard.

[John Weaver] Now watch, because thine heart was tender and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants thereof, skip down now the last phrase, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Now here's what God said, Josiah, you heard me. Now I've heard you. Why was Josiah's prayer answered? Because he heard God. He listened to God's Word. He humbled himself. He knelt. He was broken. God said, Josiah, because you heard me, I want to hear you. By the way, you also have to turn things around, turn things upside down or consider the opposite. If God heard Josiah because Josiah heard God, that also means this. When we don't hear God, God does not hear us.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you. The principle is called the lex talionis, that is, the law of retribution. It's an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, a foot for foot, hand for hand, stripe for stripe, burning for burning. What God does is this. God always makes the punishment fit the crime. So what God is saying is this. When you hear me, I hear you. When you refuse to hear me, I refuse to hear you.

[John Weaver] Now, let me develop that thought. I want to show it to you. Look in your Bibles, the first Samuel, chapter two, and notice if you would, verse 30. First Samuel, chapter two, verse 30. Look what God says, first Samuel two, verse 30, I love this passage. 1 Samuel 2, verse 30, Wherefore, the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me forever. But now the Lord saith, Be it far from me, for them that honor me will I honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. What did God say? Those that honor me, I'm going to honor. Those who despise me, they shall be lightly esteemed.

[John Weaver] That is, they shall be despised themselves. Now I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea chapter 4. Here's a passage that most of us quote, but unhappily, we don't usually quote all of this verse. But I want you to look at it in Hosea chapter 4 and verse 6. Because God told Josiah, you heard me and I heard you. The opposite is also true. When we don't hear God, God doesn't hear us. Look at Hosea 4 and verse 6. Here's the passage most people can quote. Where Hosea wrote, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. That's usually where we stop right there. And we bemoan the fact that we are ignorant people. That is, we don't know God. We don't know His Word. We don't know the principles. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. That is true. But look at the rest of the verse. He says, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Why are they ignorant? Here's why. Because thou hast rejected knowledge. They refuse to hear God.

[John Weaver] Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me, seeing thou hast forgotten the law by God, I will also forget mine children. Now, wait a minute. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Why? Because they rejected knowledge. They wouldn't listen to God. They didn't want Him. They didn't want His Word. They didn't want His truth. They didn't want His principles. God said, since you've rejected My Word, I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to Me. Seeing you have forgotten My law, I will also forget My children.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you how this is the lex talionis. It's the punishment fitting the crime. What is God's law? Let me tell you what God's law is. It is an expression of His will. When God says thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill, that's God's will for us. Even in 1 Thessalonians, Paul said, for this is the will of God, even your sanctification that you should abstain from fornication. That's the will of God. What is God's law? It's an expression of His will What are our children?

[John Weaver] They are expressions of our will. We wanted them.

[John Weaver] Now, God says you forget the expression of My will, My law. I forget the expression of your will, your children. You want to know why our children are in such trouble in this country today? I'll tell you why. Because God's people have basically forgotten God's law. They've forgotten His Word. They've turned their backs upon Him And so in justice, he turns his back upon the children. The law is an expression of his will. This word is an expression of his will. You hear me, I'll hear you. Help me out. I know you can quote this. Think with me now. David said in Psalm 66 and verse 18, if I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. What is iniquity? What do you say? Iniquity is sin. It's rebellion. It's wickedness. Well, thank you. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 John 3 and verse 4. I can quote it, but I want you to see it.

[John Weaver] Look in 1 John 3 and verse 4. Since you know that iniquity is sin, and David said, if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. If you look in 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Word of God says this, whosoever committed sin transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law. You can't sin without transgressing God's law. Sin is the transgression of the law. What did David say? If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. What? If I regard, if I countenance, if I hold, if I love, if I embrace iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Why? Because we're not hearing God. We're not listening to Him. We're living lives in direct contradiction to His will and His word. How do you expect God to hear you and bless you when your life is totally contrary to God?

[John Weaver] Those of you who were here on Wednesday night will remember that I used a passage in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 22. You remember there where Samuel said to Saul, after Saul had sinned against God, he said, Have the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord. Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken is better than the fat of rams. Here in that verse, obedience and hearkening are synonymous And I pointed out on Wednesday night, no one ever really hears the Word of God until he heeds the Word of God. No one ever really hears it until he obeys it. And our Lord said to hearken is better than sacrifice, or to obey is better than sacrifice, and hearken is better than the fat of rams. And the fat of rams was a chief part of the sacrifice always given to God. So what is our Lord saying?

[John Weaver] If you don't hear Me, I don't hear you. Now, you can say, Brother Weaver, I think this is just much ado about nothing. I think I can embrace sin and keep rebellion and wickedness in my life, and the Lord will just hear me when I cry. Oh, well, look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 28. Proverbs chapter 28. And look if you would please at verse 9. I want you to explain this verse to me if you think that it really doesn't matter how you live. And whether or not your life is going to affect your prayer, look in Proverbs 28 in verse 9, look what God says. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination. You know what the word abomination is?

[John Weaver] It means it's a stitch in God's nostrils. God can't stand it. God said he that turneth away his ear from hearing his law, even his prayer, shall be an abomination. You don't hear God. God's not going to hear you. God says your prayer will be an abomination to me. Let me show you another one. Look in your Bibles to the book of Zechariah chapter 7. Right next to Malachi. Zechariah chapter 7.

[John Weaver] And let's begin reading there with verse 7. I want you to pay close attention to what God says. Zechariah 7, beginning there in verse 7. Look what God says. Should you not hear the words which the Lord had cried by the former prophets when Jerusalem was inhabited in prosperity and the cities thereof round about her when men inhabited the south and the plain? Now, look what he said. Should you not hear the words when everything was going well? Should you not have heard the words of the Lord? Watch verse 8. And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and show mercy and compassions every man to his brother, and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor, and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. Look!

[John Weaver] But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear." They don't want to hear God. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of Hosts had sent in His Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore came great wrath from the Lord of Hosts. Therefore, here it is, therefore it came to pass that as He cried, and they would not hear, so they cried, and I would not hear, said the Lord." God said, you wouldn't listen to me. Why should I listen to you? You don't hear my words. Why should I hear your words?

[John Weaver] I want you to turn to Mark, Chapter four, I'm going to try to tie this together for you just shortly, but let me try to answer another question very quickly. Has it ever bothered you? that Christians can attend church year after year, hear so much preaching, and yet know so little. Why in the world do professing Christian people stay babes in their Christian life? Why? Well, look in Mark 4, verse 24, and our Lord said, unto them, take heed what you hear." Now let me just stop. In Luke 8, in verse 18, in the same passage, the same parable of the sower, our Lord says, take heed how you hear. So you're not only to take heed what you hear, you're to take heed how you hear. But look what He says, verse 24, Mark 4, And He said unto them, take heed what you hear, with what measure you meet, it shall be measured to you. and to you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."

[John Weaver] Now, let me go back to verse 4. He said, take ye what you hear.

[John Weaver] Now look at this phrase. With what measure you meet, with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you.

[John Weaver] Now let me just stop there before I go to the rest of the verse. When our Lord said, with what measure you meet, it shall be measured to you, here's what He's saying. You're not going to read your Bible or study your Bible 10 minutes and get two hours worth of knowledge. No, you're going to get 10 minutes worth of knowledge. You're not going to read your Bible a month and get 10 years worth of knowledge. No, you're going to get a month's worth of knowledge. Whatever measure that you measure in seeking the truth of God, to that same degree, it's going to be measured back to you. But here's the kicker. Watch it. He said, and with what measure you meet it shall be measured to you and to you that care shall more be given.

[John Weaver] You know why most Christians reach a plateau and never go any further? Because they don't obey that which they've already heard. Why in the world should God give you any more truth if you won't obey the truth that He's already given you? To you that hear shall more be given. To you that obey, to you that apply shall more be given. If you're not going to obey, if you're not going to apply the Word of God, why should God even give you any more? It's the same principle. God says you don't hear My words. I want to hear your words. You want to know why most people's prayers are not answered? They don't listen to God. They don't hear His Word. They don't apply His law. They don't apply His principles in their lives.

[John Weaver] Most people only pray when they've got their backs up against the wall. Most people don't even know what it means to pray without ceasing. Most of our prayer is reduced to nothing but a thank you, Lord, for our food. Amen. A lot of times our prayer is so short and so sweet, it's over with before you know it. We don't study, we don't try to apply the Word of God, we don't hear God's Word. God said, if you're not going to listen to me, why should I listen to you? Do you understand? that failure to apply the Word of God, failure to obey the Word of God, leads to defeated, deformed, and devastated lives.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you one other passage. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 1, because I want you to see this same principle is applied to the unbelievers. The same principle. God says you won't listen to Me. I won't listen to you. It's a little extravagant. It's absolutely just. Look in Proverbs 1, beginning with verse 22. God says, How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?

[John Weaver] And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge. Turn you at My reproof. Behold, I will pour My Spirit upon you. I will make known My words unto you. Look. Turn. Repent. God says, because I have called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no man regarded. You have said it not all of my counsel and would have none of my reproof. You wouldn't listen to me. You wouldn't hear my words. Look what God says.

[John Weaver] I will also laugh at your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh, when your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. They shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. Why? For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.

[John Weaver] They would have none of my counsel. They despised all my reproof. Therefore, shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices. Are you beginning to see a principle? And that principle is this. If we don't hear God. God will not hear us. It's absolutely imperative that we hear and heed and obey and apply the Word of God. God said, Josiah, you heard my words. Your heart was tender. You humbled yourself. You sought me. Therefore, said God, I heard your prayer. If we want God to hear us, we must hear Him. And the only way we're going to hear Him is in this book, bringing our lives in greater conformity to the Word of God and being transformed to the image of Jesus Christ. If I regard iniquity in my heart, If I hold that which is contrary to God, as David said, the Lord will not hear me. If we want our prayers answered, we better live holy, godly, obedient lives and turn from every known sin and every bad attitude and every bad disposition and every wicked, ungodly way and say, Lord, May I be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and may my life be brought in greater conformity and

[John Weaver] obedience to the totality of your word. Let's pray. Father, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray that you would impress upon our hearts the absolute need for obedience. For application of thy word, for hearing thee, for obeying that which thou hast given us. Enable us, Father, to bring our lives in conformity to thee and to thy word. And give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray. Amen.

Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	10220413211
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-10-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 134: Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification - Volume 1 — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	84

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: The Problem of Unanswered Prayer

Weaver introduces the topic by noting that most people do not know why their prayers are unanswered, and that prayer is both a duty and a privilege commanded by God.

I want you to open your Bibles tonight, if you would please, to 2 Kings, chapter 22. 2 Kings, chapter 22. I'm going to be dealing with a subject tonight, which is entitled, "Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers." On Wednesday night, I dealt with the sin that every Christian commits, and especially on Sunday. And last night, I dealt with the fact of committing the sins of the Jews, how that we're doing the same thing that those Jews did back in the early days when, of course, they rejected the kingship of Jesus Christ. So tonight, I hope that you'll see that all three of these messages tie together. Second Kings, chapter 22, beginning with verse one: "Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem.

Six Prerequisites for Effective Prayer

Weaver lists six biblical requirements for prayer: proper association (being a child of God), proper approach (through Christ alone), proper attitude (faith), proper asking (in Jesus' name, not selfishly), proper apprehension (according to God's will), and proper affection (loving God above all).

Now, the truth of the matter is this. Your prayer life is not to be judged by how many prayers you have answered, but really and truly how well and how faithfully you pray. Now, stop and think about this. Before I show you from the scripture why most prayers are not answered, let me give you from the scripture several basic prerequisites for prayer. And I'm sure there are many other things, but I'm just going to give you something that I think is absolutely elementary and fundamental. What are they? Well, I'm going to give you at least six of them probably.

First of all, there must be a proper association. If you're going to pray and pray effectually, there must be a proper association. What do I mean by that? Luke 11 and verse 2, our Lord said, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven. By proper association, I mean this, that we are the children of God by faith through Jesus Christ.

Now, it is true that God blesses the just and the unjust alike. That is certainly true. The Bible teaches that. But you must understand that there is also a covenantal bond that exists between God, our Heavenly Father, and His children. And that bond does not exist between God and the unregenerate. There's always going to be a more tender and more gracious response toward your own children than there is toward the children of strangers. I mean, let's be honest, if your own children were hungry and here's a stranger's children that are hungry and you have just enough to feed your own children, which child would you feed? Certainly you would feed your own. That's just simply what you and I would call human. I mean, that's what we would do. But there is still that bond that exists, although God is not human. God is God. There is that special bond that exists.

For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Luke. Hold, if you would, 2 Kings, because certainly we're coming back there. But look in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 11, and our Lord is dwelling upon this fact, beginning there with verse 11. Luke 11 and verse 11. Our Lord says this:

Scripture Reading — Luke 11:11-13

"If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?"

Now, look what he says.

Scripture Reading — Luke 11:11-13

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

Now, what is God saying? If a son asks of the Father a piece of bread, is He going to give him a stone? No. If he asks an egg, will He give him a scorpion? No. He's going to give him what he needs. And then he makes this statement. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children," then the answer is obvious. God, who is far above us and infinitely holy and not evil at one whit, certainly knows how to give good gifts to His children. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 16, the Word of God says this: "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace." But notice He says, "even our Father." So our Lord taught us to pray "our Father."

So there must be that proper association if we're going to pray acceptably unto God. Secondly, there must be a proper approach. Our Lord said it like this in John 14 verse 6:

Scripture Reading — John 14:6

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

In Ephesians 2 and verse 18, he says, "For through him"—that is through Jesus Christ—"we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." The only way that we can approach the Father is through the Son in the Holy Spirit. I want you to stop and think about the Old Testament, how that tabernacle in the temple was divided not only into the holy place and the most holy place and the general area there where the offering was, not in the most holy place, but where the people could congregate and maybe even see

the animals slain there because, very obviously, they were bringing those animals for sacrifice. What if one of those individuals just decided, "Well, since I brought my animal for sacrifice, I'm going to rush past these priests and I'm going to go into the holy of holies and see for myself what is in there"? What would happen to someone who would have rushed headlong into the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament? Well, he would have been killed. I want you to watch something. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Hebrews, chapter 10. Here, the Word of God gives us an understanding concerning that. Notice in Hebrews, chapter 10, beginning there with verse 19:

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-20

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."

Here is something they did not have in the Old Testament and could not have because the blood of rams and bulls and goats could make no one perfect.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-20

"By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh."

In other words, we may now come into the holiest of all, that is to our Heavenly Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not come based upon our good deeds. We don't come based upon our merits. We don't come based upon our works, the goodness of life. We don't come based upon the saints. We don't come based upon blood.

If you come on any other terms and in any other way other than through Jesus Christ, your prayer is unacceptable unto God. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. You remember what the Bible said in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 5:

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:5

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

So there must be a proper association. There must be a proper approach. You must come to the Father through the Son in the Spirit. But thirdly, there must be a proper attitude. When you pray, there must be a proper attitude. One cannot expect to receive anything from God or have any prayer answered if he comes with an unbelieving attitude. Do you remember the very first qualification, I should say, that is given to us in Hebrews 11 and verse 6? "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,

and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." It's impossible unless you come with a proper attitude, and that proper attitude is one of faith. Do you remember the passage? Well, let me just show you. Look in your Bibles at James 1. Here's a very wonderful illustration of this fact. James 1, beginning there with verse 5. Look at this promise: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." Strange thing to say, "If any of you lack wisdom"—how many of us lack wisdom? All of us. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." Now look what he says in verse 7: "For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." So unless you come in faith, believing, he says, "Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." In Matthew 21 and verse 22, our Lord said,

Scripture Reading — Matthew 21:22

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

In Mark 11, verse 24, he said, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." You not only have to have a proper association and a proper approach, there must be a proper attitude. But then fourthly, there must be a proper asking. What am I talking about a proper asking? You remember when our Lord said in John chapter 14, verses 13 and 14, He said, "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." When you get to John 16, verse 26, he said, "At that day ye shall ask in my name."

Now, do not think that our prayers are going to be answered just because we pray loudly, vigorously, and frequently. You can lay on your face before God all day and all night and still not receive anything of the Lord. There has to be a proper asking. You know what our Lord said in Matthew 6 and verse 7: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Our Lord said it's not the much speaking. It's not the vigor of your prayer. No, no, no. He said there has to be a proper asking. There has to be a proper merit, and that merit is found only in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Asking in the name of Christ refers to an absolute and total dependence upon the person and work and merits of Jesus Christ.

Let me give an illustration. Suppose I walked into one of the local banks here in town. And I picked up one of those drafts that they have laying around and I just filled it out for a million bucks and I handed it to the teller and I said, "I'd like you to cash this, please." She says, "Wow, a million bucks." "Yes, I'd like to have that in cash, please." She said, "Do you have that much money in this bank?" I said, "No, ma'am, I don't." "Well, how much money do you have in this bank?" "Well, truthfully, ma'am, I don't even have an account here." "Would you expect me to cash this check for you? And you don't even have an account here?" I said, "Ma'am, I just said I'd like to have it. No, I don't have an account and no, I don't have any money. That's why I'd like to have the cash." Well, she said, "Sir, you're wasting my time.

Please get out of here." Now, I went to a local bank. I asked in my name when I had absolutely nothing in that bank. But suppose I went to that bank and I carried a check signed by Michael Hawkins for one million dollars. And the woman looked at me and said, "Oh, I know him. He's got plenty. How do you want this, sir?" Now, the point I'm trying to make—and I doubt he has a million bucks in the bank—but the point I'm trying to make is this. I'm no longer asking in my name. I'm no longer asking in my merit. I'm asking in the name of another. So when I come and ask in the name of Jesus Christ, I'm not depending on anything that I've done, anything that I've said or anything that I have or anything that I might do. I'm totally, absolutely depending upon the person and merits of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.

Now, let me show you what I mean even further by a proper asking. I want you to turn in your Bibles to James chapter four. And I'm just telling you, I believe that this is what you and I would call absolutely elementary when it comes to praying. But if you look in James, chapter four, it is beginning there with verse one. Look at what James says. And James is certainly talking about prayer here. James four, verse one.

"From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?" Now look what he says. "Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not." So our Lord says the first thing you need to learn to do is ask. That is, there has to be a proper asking. But notice what else he says in verse three: "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." So it's not only that we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, depending totally upon His person, His merits and His works, we cannot ask selfishly, lustfully and wickedly. Let me give you an illustration. There are very few times that I've been found speechless in my life. But here was one of them, and it took me a minute to compose myself and give an answer. But I was talking to a fellow one day who was a professing Christian. And he said, "Brother Weaver," he said, "I've been praying and asking the Lord for something, and seemingly he just doesn't answer my prayer."

He said, "I can't understand that," he said, "because I used to smoke. And I asked the Lord to take away the cigarettes and he did. He said I hadn't smoked in years. He said I used to drink and he said I asked him to take away the taste for alcohol. He said he did. He said I haven't had anything to drink for years. And he said, but it's just this one thing. It seems like I can't get the Lord to answer my prayer."

I said, "Well, what is it?" I thought maybe I could give him a scripture or something. Well, he said, "I'm trying to get this woman to marry me." And I just kind of jokingly said, "Well, maybe she doesn't love you," you know, kind of like that. "Oh, no, no, no, no." He said, "That's not it. She says she loves me. It's just the fact that her husband won't give her a divorce."

When I finally regained my composure, I said, "Sir, let me tell you why God's not answering that prayer, because it's completely, totally contrary to His Word. It's a violation of His law, and it's based upon your lust and your wickedness." It's amazing how ignorant some people can be over such a simple subject. There has to be not only a proper association. Yes, there has to be a proper approach. There has to be a proper attitude. There has to be a proper asking. And we cannot ask wickedly and selfishly and lustfully. But fifthly, may I point out, there must be a proper apprehension. Let me show you what I mean by that. Look in your Bibles to 1 John, chapter five. 1 John, chapter five. And let's begin reading there in verse 14. Here's what I mean by a proper apprehension. 1 John 5 verse 14:

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:14-15

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us."

Watch.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:14-15

"And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

Now go back to verse 14:

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:14-15

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us."

By proper apprehension, I simply mean this. We must apprehend, we must understand, we must comprehend what is the will of God. And God says when we pray and when we ask according to His will, we know that He hears us.

And when we know that He's heard us, we know that we shall have the petitions which we have desired of Him. Here is absolute assurance and confidence in prayer. When we pray according to the will of God, there is no doubt as to whether or not God has heard our prayers and will answer our prayers. Oh, but you say, "How do I know what God's will is?" Well, the answer is very simple. His will is revealed in His Word. So when we pray scripturally, when we pray according to the Word of God, we know that He's heard us and we know that we're going to have those petitions that we've asked. You say, "But wait a minute, Pastor. Sometimes I may not know His word on a particular subject. I may not know His will in a particular area. How can I pray then?" Well, you remember our Lord taught us to pray.

"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." In other words, if you and I do not know exactly what the will of God is, we can lawfully and biblically pray, "Lord, your will be done in this matter. Your name be honored and glorified. I may not know, but thou dost know." And if you look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8, there's another application that we can make to this. Look in Romans chapter 8, verses 26 and 27, because in this passage, we have someone who can pray with us and through us and in us and for us when we don't exactly know. In Romans 8, beginning there with verse 26, Scripture says: "Likewise the Spirit"—that is the Holy Spirit—"also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."

And I'll be honest with you. There have been times in my life that I've been so broken and so burdened I didn't know which end was up. And all I could do was fall on my face and just groan and cry and weep before the Lord. You know what the Scripture says? The Holy Spirit. He knows our infirmities. When we don't know how we should pray as we ought, He's the one who makes intercession for us.

with groanings which cannot be uttered. We cannot explain them. We cannot voice them. And then God, who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit. Why? Because it's the Holy Spirit who makes intercession for us according to the will of God. So there must be a proper apprehension. We must know what God's will is. And if we don't know what God's will is, we can honestly say, "Father, I want your will done. I want your name honored and I want your name glorified." And sixthly, very quickly, there must be a proper affection. Now, if you look in your Bible to the book of Colossians chapter three, I'll explain that one very quickly. Colossians chapter three. Look at verse one. Here, the Scripture says that we're to set our affection on things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Notice, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

That means simply this. If we truly, genuinely love the Lord, and if we want Him honored and glorified, we will value His will, His Word, and His way above everything else. Our Lord taught us to pray "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." In other words, "Lord, we want your name to be sanctified. We want your name to be reverenced. We want your name to be glorified. We want that first and foremost in our lives." So there must be a proper affection toward our Lord.

The Example of Josiah: Hearing God's Word

Weaver reads 2 Kings 22, highlighting how Josiah humbled himself upon hearing the lost book of the law, and God responded by hearing his prayer.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 22:1-20

"Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying, Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house."

Now, verse 7: "Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that

is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.

Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again." The subject is why God does not answer most prayers. I suppose that if I could answer the question, why God does not answer prayer in every specific instance, that I could become an extremely wealthy man. I'm sure that many people would pay good money, not only to get their prayers answered, but to find out why their prayers were not answered. Because if you could find out why your prayers are not answered, you might be able to adjust a few things and to have the prayers answered, etc. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that most people, when a prayer is not answered, they have no earthly idea.

The Principle of Lex Talionis in Prayer

Weaver explains that God operates on the principle of retribution: 'You heard me, now I hear you.' Conversely, when we refuse to hear God, He refuses to hear us.

Are you seeing what I've seen? Let me spell it out for you. Look in verse 19 again. In fact, you can look at the latter part of verse 18: "As touching the words which thou hast heard."

Now watch: "Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof"—skip down now the last phrase—"I also have heard thee, saith the Lord." Now here's what God said: "Josiah, you heard me. Now I've heard you." Why was Josiah's prayer answered? Because he heard God. He listened to God's Word. He humbled himself. He knelt. He was broken. God said, "Josiah, because you heard me, I want to hear you." By the way, you also have to turn things around, turn things upside down or consider the opposite. If God heard Josiah because Josiah heard God, that also means this. When we don't hear God, God does not hear us.

Now, let me show you. The principle is called the lex talionis, that is, the law of retribution. It's an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, a foot for foot, hand for hand, stripe for stripe, burning for burning. What God does is this. God always makes the punishment fit the crime. So what God is saying is this. When you hear me, I hear you. When you refuse to hear me, I refuse to hear you.

Scriptural Proof of the Principle

Weaver cites multiple passages (1 Samuel 2:30, Hosea 4:6, Proverbs 28:9, Zechariah 7, Mark 4:24, Proverbs 1) showing that God rejects those who reject His word, and that unanswered prayer is often a consequence of disobedience.

Now, let me develop that thought. I want to show it to you. Look in your Bibles, the first Samuel, chapter two, and notice if you would, verse 30. First Samuel, chapter two, verse 30. Look what God says. 1 Samuel 2, verse 30: "Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." What did God say? Those that honor me, I'm going to honor. Those who despise me, they shall be lightly esteemed.

That is, they shall be despised themselves. Now I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea chapter 4. Here's a passage that most of us quote, but unhappily, we don't usually quote all of this verse. But I want you to look at it in Hosea chapter 4 and verse 6. Because God told Josiah, "You heard me and I heard you." The opposite is also true. When we don't hear God, God doesn't hear us. Look at Hosea 4 and verse 6. Here's the passage most people can quote, where Hosea wrote: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." That's usually where we stop right there. And we bemoan the fact that we are ignorant people. That is, we don't know God. We don't know His Word. We don't know the principles. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." That is true. But look at the rest of the verse. He says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Why are they ignorant? Here's why. "Because thou hast rejected knowledge." They refuse to hear God.

"Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Now, wait a minute. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Why? Because they rejected knowledge. They wouldn't listen to God. They didn't want Him. They didn't want His Word. They didn't want His truth. They didn't want His principles. God said, "Since you've rejected My Word, I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to Me. Seeing you have forgotten My law, I will also forget thy children."

Now, let me show you how this is the lex talionis. It's the punishment fitting the crime. What is God's law? Let me tell you what God's law is. It is an expression of His will. When God says, "Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill," that's God's will for us. Even in 1 Thessalonians, Paul said, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." That's the will of God. What is God's law? It's an expression of His will. What are our children?

They are expressions of our will. We wanted them. Now, God says you forget the expression of My will, My law. I forget the expression of your will, your children. You want to know why our children are in such trouble in this country today? I'll tell you why. Because God's people have basically forgotten God's law. They've forgotten His Word. They've turned their backs upon Him. And so in justice, He turns His back upon the children. The law is an expression of His will. This Word is an expression of His will. You hear me, I'll hear you. Help me out. I know you can quote this. Think with me now. David said in Psalm 66 and verse 18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. What is iniquity? What do you say? Iniquity is sin. It's rebellion. It's wickedness. Well, thank you. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 John 3 and verse 4. I can quote it, but I want you to see it.

Look in 1 John 3 and verse 4. Since you know that iniquity is sin, and David said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." If you look in 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Word of God says this: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." You can't sin without transgressing God's law. Sin is the transgression of the law. What did David say? "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." What? If I regard, if I countenance, if I hold, if I love, if I embrace iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Why? Because we're not hearing God. We're not listening to Him. We're living lives in direct contradiction to His will and His word. How do you expect God to hear you and bless you when your life is totally contrary to God?

Those of you who were here on Wednesday night will remember that I used a passage in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 22. You remember there where Samuel said to Saul, after Saul had sinned against God, he said, "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Here in that verse, obedience and hearkening are synonymous. And I pointed out on Wednesday night, no one ever really hears the Word of God until he heeds the Word of God. No one ever really hears it until he obeys it. And our Lord said, "To hearken is better than sacrifice," or "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." And the fat of rams was a chief part of the sacrifice always given to God. So what is our Lord saying?

If you don't hear Me, I don't hear you. Now, you can say, "Brother Weaver, I think this is just much ado about nothing. I think I can embrace sin and keep rebellion and wickedness in my life, and the Lord will just hear me when I cry." Oh, well, look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 28. Proverbs chapter 28. And look if you would please at verse 9. I want you to explain this verse to me if you think that it really doesn't matter how you live and whether or not your life is going to affect your prayer. Look in Proverbs 28 in verse 9, look what God says: "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." You know what the word abomination is?

It means it's a stench in God's nostrils. God can't stand it. God said, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." You don't hear God. God's not going to hear you. God says your prayer will be an abomination to me. Let me show you another one. Look in your Bibles to the book of Zechariah chapter 7. Right next to Malachi. Zechariah chapter 7.

And let's begin reading there with verse 7. I want you to pay close attention to what God says. Zechariah 7, beginning there in verse 7. Look what God says: "Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?" Now, look what he said. Should you not hear the words when everything was going well? Should you not have heard the words of the Lord? Watch verse 8: "And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart." Look!

"But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear." They don't want to hear God. "Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord." God said, "You wouldn't listen to me. Why should I listen to you? You don't hear my words. Why should I hear your words?" I want you to turn to Mark, chapter four. I'm going to try to tie this together for you just shortly, but let me try to answer another question very quickly. Has it ever bothered you that Christians can attend church year after year, hear so much preaching, and yet know so little? Why in the world do professing Christian people stay babes in their Christian life? Why? Well, look in Mark 4, verse 24, and our Lord said unto them, "Take heed what ye hear." Now let me just stop. In Luke 8, in verse 18, in the same passage, the same parable of the sower, our Lord says, "Take heed how ye hear." So you're not only to take heed what you hear, you're to take heed how you hear. But look what He says, verse 24, Mark 4: "And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."

Now, let me go back to verse 24. He said, "Take heed what ye hear." Now look at this phrase: "With what measure ye mete, with what measure ye measure, it shall be measured to you." Now let me just stop there before I go to the rest of the verse. When our Lord said, "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you," here's what He's saying. You're not going to read your Bible or study your Bible 10 minutes and get two hours worth of knowledge. No, you're going to get 10 minutes worth of knowledge. You're not going to read your Bible a month and get 10 years worth of knowledge. No, you're going to get a month's worth of knowledge. Whatever measure that you measure in seeking the truth of God, to that same degree, it's going to be measured back to you. But here's the kicker. Watch it. He said, "And with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given."

You know why most Christians reach a plateau and never go any further? Because they don't obey that which they've already heard. Why in the world should God give you any more truth if you won't obey the truth that He's already given you? "To you that hear shall more be given." To you that obey, to you that apply shall more be given. If you're not going to obey, if you're not going to apply the Word of God, why should God even give you any more? It's the same principle. God says you don't hear My words. I won't hear your words. You want to know why most people's prayers are not answered? They don't listen to God. They don't hear His Word. They don't apply His law. They don't apply His principles in their lives.

Most people only pray when they've got their backs up against the wall. Most people don't even know what it means to pray without ceasing. Most of our prayer is reduced to nothing but a "thank you, Lord, for our food. Amen." A lot of times our prayer is so short and so sweet, it's over with before you know it. We don't study, we don't try to apply the Word of God, we don't hear God's Word. God said, "If you're not going to listen to me, why should I listen to you?" Do you understand that failure to apply the Word of God, failure to obey the Word of God, leads to defeated, deformed, and devastated lives.

Now, let me show you one other passage. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 1, because I want you to see this same principle is applied to the unbelievers. The same principle. God says you won't listen to Me. I won't listen to you. It's not extravagant. It's absolutely just. Look in Proverbs 1, beginning with verse 22. God says, "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?

And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." Look. Turn. Repent. God says, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof." You wouldn't listen to me. You wouldn't hear my words. Look what God says.

Application: Obedience as the Key to Answered Prayer

Weaver concludes that most prayers are unanswered because people do not listen to God or apply His Word. He calls for holy, obedient lives as the condition for God hearing our prayers.

"I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord." "They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." Are you beginning to see a principle? And that principle is this. If we don't hear God, God will not hear us. It's absolutely imperative that we hear and heed and obey and apply the Word of God. God said, "Josiah, you heard my words. Your heart was tender. You humbled yourself. You sought me. Therefore," said God, "I heard your prayer." If we want God to hear us, we must hear Him. And the only way we're going to hear Him is in this book, bringing our lives in greater conformity to the Word of God and being transformed to the image of Jesus Christ. "If I regard iniquity in my heart," if I hold that which is contrary to God, as David said, "the Lord will not hear me." If we want our prayers answered, we better live holy, godly, obedient lives and turn from every known sin and every bad attitude and every bad disposition and every wicked, ungodly way and say, "Lord, may I be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and may my life be brought in greater conformity and

obedience to the totality of your word." Let's pray. Father, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray that you would impress upon our hearts the absolute need for obedience, for application of thy word, for hearing thee, for obeying that which thou hast given us. Enable us, Father, to bring our lives in conformity to thee and to thy word. And give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray. Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

The Necessity of Hearing and Obeying God's Word

Summary: The central theme is that God answers prayer when we first hear and obey Him. Josiah's example shows that a tender heart toward God's Word leads to God hearing our prayers.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'Josiah, you heard me. Now I've heard you.' He emphasizes that failure to hear God results in God not hearing us.

Lex Talionis (Law of Retribution) in Divine Response

Summary: God applies the principle of 'eye for eye' in prayer: He honors those who honor Him and despises those who despise Him. This is seen in multiple scriptures.

Evidence: Weaver cites 1 Samuel 2:30, Hosea 4:6, Zechariah 7:13, and Proverbs 1:24-31 to show that God's response mirrors our treatment of His Word.

Prerequisites for Acceptable Prayer

Summary: Weaver outlines six conditions for prayer: proper association (being God's child), approach (through Christ), attitude (faith), asking (in Jesus' name, not selfishly), apprehension (according to God's will), and affection (love for God).

Evidence: He explains each prerequisite with scripture, such as Luke 11:2 for association, John 14:6 for approach, Hebrews 11:6 for attitude, James 4:3 for asking, 1 John 5:14 for apprehension, and Colossians 3:1-2 for affection.

The Lost Law and Spiritual Apostasy

Summary: The loss of God's law in the temple during Josiah's reign symbolizes the spiritual decline where even religious leaders are ignorant of God's Word, leading to unanswered prayer.

Evidence: Weaver notes that the law was lost 'in the house of God' and that Hilkiah the priest and Shaphan the scribe knew nothing of it, reflecting modern ignorance of God's law.

The Consequence of Regarding Iniquity

Summary: David's statement in Psalm 66:18, 'If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me,' is linked to 1 John 3:4, showing that sin is transgression of the law, and embracing sin blocks prayer.

Evidence: Weaver explains that regarding iniquity means holding onto sin, which is rebellion against God's law, and thus God will not hear.

The Measure of Hearing Determines Spiritual Growth

Summary: From Mark 4:24, Weaver teaches that the measure we use in hearing and obeying God's Word determines what we receive; failure to obey stunts spiritual growth and leads to unanswered prayer.

Evidence: He says, 'Why in the world should God give you any more truth if you won't obey the truth that He's already given you?'

Key Arguments

God answers prayer based on our hearing of His Word

Summary: Weaver argues from 2 Kings 22 that Josiah's prayer was answered because he heard God's Word with a tender heart, establishing the principle that God hears those who hear Him.

Evidence: He quotes God's message to Josiah: 'Because thine heart was tender... I also have heard thee' (2 Kings 22:19).

Unanswered prayer is often a result of disobedience

Summary: Weaver contends that most prayers are not answered because people do not listen to God or obey His law, citing Proverbs 28:9 and Zechariah 7:13.

Evidence: He states, 'He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination' (Proverbs 28:9).

Prayer is not about changing God's will but aligning with it

Summary: Weaver clarifies that prayer is an instrument to accomplish God's will, not to change His mind, and must be according to His will as revealed in Scripture.

Evidence: He says, 'Prayer is not an attempt to change the mind of God... Prayer is nothing more than an instrument to accomplish and to bring to pass the will of God.'

Faith is essential for effective prayer

Summary: Weaver emphasizes that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that doubting leads to receiving nothing from the Lord, based on Hebrews 11:6 and James 1:6-7.

Evidence: He quotes James 1:7: 'For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.'

Selfish asking nullifies prayer

Summary: Weaver argues that asking amiss, to consume it on one's lusts, is a reason prayers are not answered, as seen in James 4:3.

Evidence: He gives an illustration of a man praying for another man's wife, calling it 'completely, totally contrary to His Word.'

The Holy Spirit intercedes when we don't know God's will

Summary: Weaver explains that when we are uncertain of God's will, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings, ensuring our prayers align with God's will (Romans 8:26-27).

Evidence: He says, 'The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.'

Spiritual leaders' ignorance reflects apostasy

Summary: Weaver points out that the high priest and scribe in Josiah's time were ignorant of God's law, showing the depth of apostasy, and that God will raise up others when leaders fail.

Evidence: He notes, 'Hilkiah, the high priest, knew nothing about God's law. Here's Shaphan, the scribe... He knew nothing about God's law.'

Obedience is better than sacrifice

Summary: Weaver uses 1 Samuel 15:22 to show that hearkening (obeying) is better than sacrifice, meaning that hearing God's Word is demonstrated by obedience, not mere religious acts.

Evidence: He states, 'No one ever really hears the Word of God until he heeds the Word of God.'

Scripture References

2 Kings 22:1-20

Context: The account of Josiah finding the book of the law and humbling himself, leading to God hearing his prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Context: Command to pray without ceasing, establishing prayer as a duty.

Luke 18:1

Context: Jesus' teaching that men ought always to pray and not faint.

Luke 11:2

Context: Jesus teaching the disciples to pray 'Our Father,' indicating proper association as children of God.

Luke 11:11-13

Context: Illustration of a father giving good gifts, showing God's special care for His children.

John 14:6

Context: Jesus as the only way to the Father, emphasizing proper approach in prayer.

Ephesians 2:18

Context: Access to the Father through Christ by the Spirit.

Hebrews 10:19-20

Context: Boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, a new and living way.

1 Timothy 2:5

Context: One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 11:6

Context: Without faith it is impossible to please God; must believe He is and rewards seekers.

James 1:5-7

Context: Asking for wisdom in faith without wavering; the doubter should not expect to receive.

Matthew 21:22

Context: All things asked in prayer, believing, will be received.

Mark 11:24

Context: Believing that you receive when you pray, and you will have them.

John 14:13-14

Context: Asking anything in Jesus' name, He will do it.

John 16:26

Context: In that day you will ask in My name.

Matthew 6:7

Context: Do not use vain repetitions like the heathen; not heard for much speaking.

James 4:1-3

Context: You ask and receive not because you ask amiss, to consume on your lusts.

1 John 5:14-15

Context: Confidence that if we ask according to His will, He hears us and we have the petitions.

Romans 8:26-27

Context: The Spirit helps our infirmities, interceding for us according to God's will.

Colossians 3:1-2

Context: Set your affection on things above, not on earth, as proper affection in prayer.

Historical References

King Josiah

Context: Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign and reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. He did right in the sight of the Lord and humbled himself when the book of the law was found.

Hilkiah the high priest

Context: Hilkiah found the book of the law in the house of the Lord and gave it to Shaphan. Despite being high priest, he was ignorant of God's law.

Shaphan the scribe

Context: Shaphan read the book of the law before King Josiah. As a scribe, he should have known the law but was ignorant.

Huldah the prophetess

Context: Huldah was a prophetess in Jerusalem during Josiah's reign. The king's messengers went to her to inquire of the Lord, bypassing Jeremiah and Zephaniah.

Jeremiah the prophet

Context: Jeremiah also prophesied during Josiah's reign and later lamented for Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:25). He was not consulted by the king's messengers.

Zephaniah the prophet

Context: Zephaniah prophesied during Josiah's reign but may not have begun his ministry at the time of this event.

Ezra the scribe

Context: Ezra is mentioned as a ready scribe in the law of Moses (Ezra 7:6), contrasting with Shaphan's ignorance.

King David

Context: Josiah walked in all the way of David his father, not turning aside. David is referenced as a man after God's own heart.

Saul (King)

Context: Saul's disobedience is referenced in 1 Samuel 15:22, where Samuel says to obey is better than sacrifice.

Samuel the prophet

Context: Samuel rebuked Saul for disobedience, emphasizing that hearkening is better than sacrifice.

Important Quotes

Prayer is not an attempt to change the mind of God or to change the will of God. Prayer is nothing more than an instrument to accomplish and to bring to pass the will of God.

Significance: This quote defines Weaver's theological view of prayer as aligning with God's sovereign will, not manipulating it.

Your prayer life is not to be judged by how many prayers you have answered, but really and truly how well and how faithfully you pray.

Significance: Emphasizes that obedience in praying is more important than visible results, shifting focus from outcome to faithfulness.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Significance: Used to illustrate the special covenantal bond between God and His children, ensuring He hears their prayers.

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

Significance: A key proof text that rejecting God's Word makes one's prayer detestable to God, central to the sermon's thesis.

Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord.

Significance: Directly states the lex talionis principle: God mirrors our response to His Word in His response to our prayers.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Significance: David's confession that harboring sin blocks prayer, linked to the definition of sin as lawlessness.

Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

Significance: Explains that spiritual growth and answered prayer are proportional to our diligence in hearing and obeying God's Word.

Discussion Questions

How does the account of Josiah illustrate the principle that God hears those who hear Him?

Context: Weaver uses Josiah's response to the book of the law as the primary example of hearing God leading to answered prayer.

In what ways might we be 'regarding iniquity' in our hearts, and how does that affect our prayer life?

Context: Weaver connects Psalm 66:18 with 1 John 3:4 to show that embracing sin is rebellion against God's law and blocks prayer.

Why is it important to pray according to God's will, and how can we know His will?

Context: Weaver discusses 1 John 5:14-15 and the role of Scripture and the Holy Spirit in discerning God's will.

What does it mean to ask 'in Jesus' name,' and how does that differ from selfish asking?

Context: Weaver uses the bank check illustration to explain total dependence on Christ's merits versus asking based on our own desires.

How does the principle of lex talionis (eye for eye) apply to our relationship with God in prayer?

Context: Weaver argues that God's response to our prayers mirrors our response to His Word, citing multiple scriptures.

Why do many Christians remain spiritual babes, and how does this relate to unanswered prayer?

Context: Weaver explains from Mark 4:24 that failure to obey what we've heard prevents further revelation and stunts growth.

What role does faith play in effective prayer, and what happens when we doubt?

Context: Weaver cites Hebrews 11:6 and James 1:6-7 to show that faith is essential and doubt leads to receiving nothing.

How can we cultivate a 'proper affection' for God that prioritizes His will above our own?

Context: Weaver references Colossians 3:1-2 and the Lord's Prayer to emphasize setting our affection on things above.

Applications

Hear and obey God's Word to have prayers answered

Summary: Weaver urges believers to listen to God through Scripture and obey it, as Josiah did, so that God will hear their prayers.

Evidence: He states, 'If we want God to hear us, we must hear Him. And the only way we're going to hear Him is in this book.'

Examine your heart for unconfessed sin

Summary: Weaver calls for turning from every known sin and bad attitude, as regarding iniquity blocks prayer.

Evidence: He says, 'If we want our prayers answered, we better live holy, godly, obedient lives and turn from every known sin.'

Pray according to God's revealed will

Summary: Weaver encourages praying scripturally and, when uncertain, praying 'Thy will be done,' trusting the Spirit's intercession.

Evidence: He explains, 'When we pray scripturally, when we pray according to the Word of God, we know that He's heard us.'

Approach God through Christ alone

Summary: Weaver emphasizes that prayer must be in Jesus' name, depending entirely on His merits, not our own.

Evidence: He illustrates with the bank check analogy: 'I'm totally, absolutely depending upon the person and merits of Jesus Christ.'

Cultivate a tender heart toward God's Word

Summary: Weaver points to Josiah's humility and brokenness as the model for receiving God's Word and having prayers answered.

Evidence: He notes, 'Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself... I also have heard thee.'

Be faithful in prayer regardless of visible answers

Summary: Weaver teaches that prayer is a duty commanded by God, and our prayer life should be judged by faithfulness, not results.

Evidence: He says, 'Your prayer life is not to be judged by how many prayers you have answered, but really and truly how well and how faithfully you pray.'

Avoid selfish and lustful asking

Summary: Weaver warns against praying for things that violate God's law or are motivated by selfish desires, as seen in James 4:3.

Evidence: He gives the example of the man praying for another man's wife, calling it 'completely, totally contrary to His Word.'

Apply the truth you already know

Summary: Weaver challenges believers to obey what they have already learned from Scripture, as further revelation depends on obedience.

Evidence: He asks, 'Why in the world should God give you any more truth if you won't obey the truth that He's already given you?'

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:18:13Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T16:14:52Z

Clean Transcript

Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to open your Bibles tonight, if you would please, to 2 Kings, chapter 22. 2 Kings, chapter 22. I'm going to be dealing with a subject tonight, which is entitled, "Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers." On Wednesday night, I dealt with the sin that every Christian commits, and especially on Sunday. And last night, I dealt with the fact of committing the sins of the Jews, how that we're doing the same thing that those Jews did back in the early days when, of course, they rejected the kingship of Jesus Christ. So tonight, I hope that you'll see that all three of these messages tie together. Second Kings, chapter 22, beginning with verse one: "Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem.
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And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying, Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house."
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Now, verse 7: "Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully. And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it. And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that
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is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe;
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(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. And she said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.
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Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again." The subject is why God does not answer most prayers. I suppose that if I could answer the question, why God does not answer prayer in every specific instance, that I could become an extremely wealthy man. I'm sure that many people would pay good money, not only to get their prayers answered, but to find out why their prayers were not answered. Because if you could find out why your prayers are not answered, you might be able to adjust a few things and to have the prayers answered, etc. So I'm just simply pointing out the fact that most people, when a prayer is not answered, they have no earthly idea.
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You have to understand that praying, of course, is a duty as well as a privilege. The Word of God tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 17 to pray without ceasing. When you get to Luke 18 and verse 1, our Lord says men ought always to pray, and not to faint. Now, since prayer is a command, it is a duty. But since prayer is to our Heavenly Father, and it involves a relationship with Him, it is also a privilege. So it's an opportunity, then, to commune with our Heavenly Father through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me just say this concerning prayer. Prayer is not an attempt to change the mind of God or to change the will of God. Prayer is nothing more than an instrument to accomplish and to bring to pass the will of God. You've got to remember that God has not only ordained the end, He's also ordained the means to reach that end as well. I don't know if you've ever thought about this or not, but as Christians, we must pray regardless of whether or not our prayers are ever answered.
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How can I say that? Because God commanded us to pray. And His command is that we pray. Whether our prayers are answered in one sense of the word is really irrelevant. God has given us a command and we should do that.
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Now, the truth of the matter is this. Your prayer life is not to be judged by how many prayers you have answered, but really and truly how well and how faithfully you pray.
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Now, stop and think about this. Before I show you from the scripture why most prayers are not answered, let me give you from the scripture several basic prerequisites for prayer. And I'm sure there are many other things, but I'm just going to give you something that I think is absolutely elementary and fundamental. What are they? Well, I'm going to give you at least six of them probably.
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First of all, there must be a proper association. If you're going to pray and pray effectually, there must be a proper association. What do I mean by that? Luke 11 and verse 2, our Lord said, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven. By proper association, I mean this, that we are the children of God by faith through Jesus Christ.
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Now, it is true that God blesses the just and the unjust alike. That is certainly true. The Bible teaches that. But you must understand that there is also a covenantal bond that exists between God, our Heavenly Father, and His children. And that bond does not exist between God and the unregenerate. There's always going to be a more tender and more gracious response toward your own children than there is toward the children of strangers. I mean, let's be honest, if your own children were hungry and here's a stranger's children that are hungry and you have just enough to feed your own children, which child would you feed? Certainly you would feed your own. That's just simply what you and I would call human. I mean, that's what we would do. But there is still that bond that exists, although God is not human. God is God. There is that special bond that exists.
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For instance, look in your Bibles to the book of Luke. Hold, if you would, 2 Kings, because certainly we're coming back there. But look in your Bibles to the book of Luke, chapter 11, and our Lord is dwelling upon this fact, beginning there with verse 11. Luke 11 and verse 11. Our Lord says this: "If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?" Now, look what he says. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
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Now, what is God saying? If a son asks of the Father a piece of bread, is He going to give him a stone? No. If he asks an egg, will He give him a scorpion? No. He's going to give him what he needs. And then he makes this statement. "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children," then the answer is obvious. God, who is far above us and infinitely holy and not evil at one whit, certainly knows how to give good gifts to His children. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 16, the Word of God says this: "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace." But notice He says, "even our Father." So our Lord taught us to pray "our Father."
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So there must be that proper association if we're going to pray acceptably unto God. Secondly, there must be a proper approach. Our Lord said it like this in John 14 verse 6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." In Ephesians 2 and verse 18, he says, "For through him"—that is through Jesus Christ—"we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." The only way that we can approach the Father is through the Son in the Holy Spirit. I want you to stop and think about the Old Testament, how that tabernacle in the temple was divided not only into the holy place and the most holy place and the general area there where the offering was, not in the most holy place, but where the people could congregate and maybe even see
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the animals slain there because, very obviously, they were bringing those animals for sacrifice. What if one of those individuals just decided, "Well, since I brought my animal for sacrifice, I'm going to rush past these priests and I'm going to go into the holy of holies and see for myself what is in there"? What would happen to someone who would have rushed headlong into the Holy of Holies in the Old Testament? Well, he would have been killed.
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I want you to watch something. Turn in your Bibles, if you would, to the book of Hebrews, chapter 10. Here, the Word of God gives us an understanding concerning that. Notice in Hebrews, chapter 10, beginning there with verse 19: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." Here is something they did not have in the Old Testament and could not have because the blood of rams and bulls and goats could make no one perfect. "By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh." In other words, we may now come into the holiest of all, that is to our Heavenly Father, through the Lord Jesus Christ. We do not come based upon our good deeds. We don't come based upon our merits. We don't come based upon our works, the goodness of life. We don't come based upon the saints. We don't come based upon blood.
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If you come on any other terms and in any other way other than through Jesus Christ, your prayer is unacceptable unto God. Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. You remember what the Bible said in 1 Timothy 2 and verse 5: "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." So there must be a proper association. There must be a proper approach. You must come to the Father through the Son in the Spirit. But thirdly, there must be a proper attitude. When you pray, there must be a proper attitude. One cannot expect to receive anything from God or have any prayer answered if he comes with an unbelieving attitude. Do you remember the very first qualification, I should say, that is given to us in Hebrews 11 and verse 6? "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
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and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." It's impossible unless you come with a proper attitude, and that proper attitude is one of faith. Do you remember the passage? Well, let me just show you. Look in your Bibles at James 1. Here's a very wonderful illustration of this fact. James 1, beginning there with verse 5. Look at this promise: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God." Strange thing to say, "If any of you lack wisdom"—how many of us lack wisdom? All of us. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.
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For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." Now look what he says in verse 7: "For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." So unless you come in faith, believing, he says, "Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." In Matthew 21 and verse 22, our Lord said, "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." In Mark 11, verse 24, he said, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."
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You not only have to have a proper association and a proper approach, there must be a proper attitude. But then fourthly, there must be a proper asking. What am I talking about a proper asking? You remember when our Lord said in John chapter 14, verses 13 and 14, He said, "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." When you get to John 16, verse 26, he said, "At that day ye shall ask in my name."
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Now, do not think that our prayers are going to be answered just because we pray loudly, vigorously, and frequently. You can lay on your face before God all day and all night and still not receive anything of the Lord. There has to be a proper asking. You know what our Lord said in Matthew 6 and verse 7: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking." Our Lord said it's not the much speaking. It's not the vigor of your prayer. No, no, no. He said there has to be a proper asking. There has to be a proper merit, and that merit is found only in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Asking in the name of Christ refers to an absolute and total dependence upon the person and work and merits of Jesus Christ.
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Let me give an illustration. Suppose I walked into one of the local banks here in town. And I picked up one of those drafts that they have laying around and I just filled it out for a million bucks and I handed it to the teller and I said, "I'd like you to cash this, please." She says, "Wow, a million bucks." "Yes, I'd like to have that in cash, please."
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She said, "Do you have that much money in this bank?" I said, "No, ma'am, I don't." "Well, how much money do you have in this bank?" "Well, truthfully, ma'am, I don't even have an account here." "Would you expect me to cash this check for you? And you don't even have an account here?" I said, "Ma'am, I just said I'd like to have it. No, I don't have an account and no, I don't have any money. That's why I'd like to have the cash." Well, she said, "Sir, you're wasting my time.
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Please get out of here." Now, I went to a local bank. I asked in my name when I had absolutely nothing in that bank. But suppose I went to that bank and I carried a check signed by Michael Hawkins for one million dollars. And the woman looked at me and said, "Oh, I know him. He's got plenty. How do you want this, sir?" Now, the point I'm trying to make—and I doubt he has a million bucks in the bank—but the point I'm trying to make is this. I'm no longer asking in my name. I'm no longer asking in my merit. I'm asking in the name of another. So when I come and ask in the name of Jesus Christ, I'm not depending on anything that I've done, anything that I've said or anything that I have or anything that I might do. I'm totally, absolutely depending upon the person and merits of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.
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Now, let me show you what I mean even further by a proper asking. I want you to turn in your Bibles to James chapter four. And I'm just telling you, I believe that this is what you and I would call absolutely elementary when it comes to praying. But if you look in James, chapter four, it is beginning there with verse one. Look at what James says. And James is certainly talking about prayer here. James four, verse one.
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"From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?"
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Now look what he says. "Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not." So our Lord says the first thing you need to learn to do is ask. That is, there has to be a proper asking. But notice what else he says in verse three: "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." So it's not only that we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, depending totally upon His person, His merits and His works, we cannot ask selfishly, lustfully and wickedly.
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Let me give you an illustration. There are very few times that I've been found speechless in my life. But here was one of them, and it took me a minute to compose myself and give an answer. But I was talking to a fellow one day who was a professing Christian. And he said, "Brother Weaver," he said, "I've been praying and asking the Lord for something, and seemingly he just doesn't answer my prayer."
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He said, "I can't understand that," he said, "because I used to smoke. And I asked the Lord to take away the cigarettes and he did. He said I hadn't smoked in years. He said I used to drink and he said I asked him to take away the taste for alcohol. He said he did. He said I haven't had anything to drink for years. And he said, but it's just this one thing. It seems like I can't get the Lord to answer my prayer."
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I said, "Well, what is it?" I thought maybe I could give him a scripture or something. Well, he said, "I'm trying to get this woman to marry me." And I just kind of jokingly said, "Well, maybe she doesn't love you," you know, kind of like that. "Oh, no, no, no, no." He said, "That's not it. She says she loves me. It's just the fact that her husband won't give her a divorce."
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When I finally regained my composure, I said, "Sir, let me tell you why God's not answering that prayer, because it's completely, totally contrary to His Word. It's a violation of His law, and it's based upon your lust and your wickedness." It's amazing how ignorant some people can be over such a simple subject. There has to be not only a proper association. Yes, there has to be a proper approach. There has to be a proper attitude. There has to be a proper asking.
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And we cannot ask wickedly and selfishly and lustfully. But fifthly, may I point out, there must be a proper apprehension. Let me show you what I mean by that. Look in your Bibles to 1 John, chapter five. 1 John, chapter five. And let's begin reading there in verse 14. Here's what I mean by a proper apprehension. 1 John 5 verse 14: "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us." Watch. "And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." Now go back to verse 14: "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us." By proper apprehension, I simply mean this. We must apprehend, we must understand, we must comprehend what is the will of God. And God says when we pray and when we ask according to His will, we know that He hears us.
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And when we know that He's heard us, we know that we shall have the petitions which we have desired of Him. Here is absolute assurance and confidence in prayer. When we pray according to the will of God, there is no doubt as to whether or not God has heard our prayers and will answer our prayers. Oh, but you say, "How do I know what God's will is?" Well, the answer is very simple.
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His will is revealed in His Word. So when we pray scripturally, when we pray according to the Word of God, we know that He's heard us and we know that we're going to have those petitions that we've asked. You say, "But wait a minute, Pastor. Sometimes I may not know His word on a particular subject. I may not know His will in a particular area. How can I pray then?" Well, you remember our Lord taught us to pray.
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"Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." In other words, if you and I do not know exactly what the will of God is, we can lawfully and biblically pray, "Lord, your will be done in this matter. Your name be honored and glorified. I may not know, but thou dost know." And if you look in your Bibles to Romans chapter 8, there's another application that we can make to this. Look in Romans chapter 8, verses 26 and 27, because in this passage, we have someone who can pray with us and through us and in us and for us when we don't exactly know.
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In Romans 8, beginning there with verse 26, Scripture says: "Likewise the Spirit"—that is the Holy Spirit—"also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."
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And I'll be honest with you. There have been times in my life that I've been so broken and so burdened I didn't know which end was up. And all I could do was fall on my face and just groan and cry and weep before the Lord. You know what the Scripture says? The Holy Spirit. He knows our infirmities. When we don't know how we should pray as we ought, He's the one who makes intercession for us.
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with groanings which cannot be uttered. We cannot explain them. We cannot voice them. And then God, who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit. Why? Because it's the Holy Spirit who makes intercession for us according to the will of God. So there must be a proper apprehension. We must know what God's will is. And if we don't know what God's will is, we can honestly say, "Father, I want your will done. I want your name honored and I want your name glorified." And sixthly, very quickly, there must be a proper affection. Now, if you look in your Bible to the book of Colossians chapter three, I'll explain that one very quickly. Colossians chapter three. Look at verse one. Here, the Scripture says that we're to set our affection on things above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Notice, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."
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That means simply this. If we truly, genuinely love the Lord, and if we want Him honored and glorified, we will value His will, His Word, and His way above everything else. Our Lord taught us to pray "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." In other words, "Lord, we want your name to be sanctified. We want your name to be reverenced. We want your name to be glorified. We want that first and foremost in our lives." So there must be a proper affection toward our Lord.
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Now, let me just tell you. Very obviously, if we do not have a proper association or proper approach, a proper attitude, a proper asking, a proper apprehension and a proper affection, very seriously, our prayers are going to be affected one way or the other. My basic assumption tonight is this, that every one of you know what I just told you, or at least you should know. If you know all of this, why are your prayers not answered? Why are most prayers not answered?
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Well, let's go back in our Bibles to 2 Kings, chapter 22. 2 Kings, chapter 22. Josiah, of course, was a young man who was grown up in the ways of the Lord. He began to reign when he was eight years of age, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem.
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Now I want you to look at verse 2. You talk about a testimony. Here it is. "And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left."
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Now, Josiah was evidently a good king and a godly man as far as what he knew and as far as what he understood. God said, based upon what he knew, he followed David, a man after God's own heart, and he did not turn from the left hand nor to the right hand. However, as we read 2 Kings chapter 22, we found a problem existed during the reign of Josiah. And that problem was the law of God had been lost. I have an entire message just upon this one point, the lost law, and I find it interesting that God's law was lost—are you listening?—in the house of God. That's where it's usually lost today, by the way. You remember, our Lord said that he was wounded in the house of his friends. The average church today has no knowledge concerning the law of God, and as far as most of them are concerned, it's been abrogated, nullified, done away with, henceforth no longer has any value for anybody or for anything. The same law that was lost in the temple is lost today as well.
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But they're going to restore the temple. They're going to repair the temple. And so, as they're moving the debris about, guess what? All of a sudden, a copy of the law is found. Look at it in verse 8: "And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it." Now watch. "And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord. And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king." Now, I want you to watch what happens. "And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is
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found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us." So Josiah is broken. Josiah is rightly afraid. He humbles himself. He says, "Look, we are in trouble. You go find out from God what we must do." By the way, let me emphasize this. Look in verse 13. Look where he sent them. "Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me."
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But then an interesting thing happens. Look in verse 14: "So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asaiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe;
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(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her." Now, let me ask you a question. Why did the priest and his entourage go to this woman? There could be several answers that we could give. Someone could say, "Well, the king's commandment required haste, and he was very earnest in wanting to get an answer to his question. And since she was already in Jerusalem, hey, they just went to her." And by the way, she was already well known because even her husband was a member of the royal court.
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That sounds pretty good on the surface. But may I remind you something? Did you know that Jeremiah the prophet and Zephaniah the prophet also prophesied during the reign of Josiah? Why did they not contact Jeremiah? Why did they not contact Zephaniah? Now, Jeremiah lived in Anathoth, and Anathoth is really not that far from Jerusalem, but it could be that Jeremiah could have been in some far-flung part of the kingdom. I understand that. That's a possibility. But you've also got to remember that Jeremiah was not known for his tact.
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He preached very boldly, very openly. And someone could say, "Well, Zephaniah, although he preached during that time, he may not have quite yet begun his ministry at this particular time because, after all, Josiah reigned 31 years. He could have been a little bit later." Well, let me just ask that you turn in your Bibles very quickly to 2 Chronicles 35, just to show you before you dismiss the fact that Jeremiah might not have known Josiah. Oh, no. Not only did Josiah know Jeremiah, Jeremiah knew Josiah as well, for in 2 Chronicles 35, verse 25, there is a lamentation that Jeremiah gave for King Josiah. Here it is, 2 Chronicles 35, verse 25: "And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in the lamentations." So Jeremiah knew Josiah. Josiah knew Jeremiah.
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My question is, why did they go to Huldah? I believe the answer to that question is very singular and very revealing. I believe this demonstrates the depth to which the kingdom had sunk and the depth of the apostasy that had permeated the kingdom. Certainly, Jeremiah was a prophet at this time. Certainly, Zephaniah was a prophet at this time. But I want you to look back in verse 13. Look what the king said: "Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me." Verse 14: "So Hilkiah the priest, and all of these men went unto Huldah the prophetess." Now Josiah did not send them to Huldah. Josiah said, "I want you to go and enquire of the Lord for me." Now wait a minute.
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Let's try to put this together. We had Hilkiah the high priest. We had Shaphan the scribe. And we've got Josiah the king.
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Now, let me just ask that you turn, first of all, to the book of Malachi chapter 2 and look at verse 7. And let me just try to tie this little thought together for you. Look at Malachi 2 and verse 7. Look what God says concerning the priest. Remember, Hilkiah was the high priest. In Malachi chapter 2 and verse 7, the Word of God says: "For the priest's lips should keep knowledge,
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and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts." Wow! The priest should keep knowledge. He should know the law. He is the messenger of God. Shaphan was the scribe. Shaphan knew nothing about God's law. You compare that with Ezra, in Ezra 7 and verse 6, where the Bible says that Ezra was a ready scribe in the law of Moses. And here, Hilkiah, the high priest, knew nothing about God's law. Here's Shaphan, the scribe, who's supposed to translate and to copy. He knew nothing about God's law.
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And now you have Josiah, who is the king. And by the way, when you go back to Deuteronomy 17, the king was to have his own copy of God's law and to read therein and meditate every day. Isn't it interesting? The secret of the Lord was neither with Hilkiah the high priest, nor with Shaphan the scribe, nor with the king, nor with any other servants or ministers in the temple, and they went to Huldah. Huldah is mentioned here, the only instance in the Bible.
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We know nothing of her circumstances. Tradition says that she prophesied amongst the women of the court, being a court lady herself. Why did they go to Huldah? Well, not only do I believe it reveals the apostasy of the kingdom and the ignorance of those who were in authority, it also teaches us a very simple truth that God never leaves himself without witness because God is never going to leave sinners without excuse. Listen carefully. When those who should rule and those who should know and those who should exercise dominion refuse to do so, the power will always shift to someone who does and who will. Let me show you. Do you realize if the father will not be the head of his home, that authority and that power doesn't disappear. If a father refuses to be the head of his home, next thing you know, mama's going to be the head of the home. If mama refuses to be the head of the home, guess what? The children will be the head. They'll run the parents.
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Do you realize all that is needed to have a matriarchal society? And I'm not going to preach on this tonight, but the Word of God tells you very obviously and openly and distinctly that when women rule, it is a judgment of God. All you have to do to have a matriarchal society is for the men to refuse to fulfill the role that God has ordained for them. All they have to do is refuse responsibility. Now, I'm not preaching on Huldah tonight, but I'm trying to preach on why God does not answer most prayers.
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But in light of that, let me go on. I want you to look. In 2 Kings 22, beginning with verse 18, I'm going to show you this and then, Lord willing, develop it. Let me just read this to you and see if it jumps out at you the way it did to me. And if it doesn't, I'll come back and point it out. Look in verse 18. So the word comes back to the king from Huldah. "But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord." Now, do you see that?
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Are you seeing what I've seen? Let me spell it out for you. Look in verse 19 again. In fact, you can look at the latter part of verse 18: "As touching the words which thou hast heard."
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Now watch: "Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof"—skip down now the last phrase—"I also have heard thee, saith the Lord." Now here's what God said: "Josiah, you heard me. Now I've heard you." Why was Josiah's prayer answered? Because he heard God. He listened to God's Word. He humbled himself. He knelt. He was broken. God said, "Josiah, because you heard me, I want to hear you." By the way, you also have to turn things around, turn things upside down or consider the opposite. If God heard Josiah because Josiah heard God, that also means this. When we don't hear God, God does not hear us.
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Now, let me show you. The principle is called the lex talionis, that is, the law of retribution. It's an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, a foot for foot, hand for hand, stripe for stripe, burning for burning. What God does is this. God always makes the punishment fit the crime. So what God is saying is this. When you hear me, I hear you. When you refuse to hear me, I refuse to hear you.
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Now, let me develop that thought. I want to show it to you. Look in your Bibles, the first Samuel, chapter two, and notice if you would, verse 30. First Samuel, chapter two, verse 30. Look what God says. 1 Samuel 2, verse 30: "Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed." What did God say? Those that honor me, I'm going to honor. Those who despise me, they shall be lightly esteemed.
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That is, they shall be despised themselves. Now I want you to look in your Bibles to the book of Hosea chapter 4. Here's a passage that most of us quote, but unhappily, we don't usually quote all of this verse. But I want you to look at it in Hosea chapter 4 and verse 6. Because God told Josiah, "You heard me and I heard you." The opposite is also true. When we don't hear God, God doesn't hear us. Look at Hosea 4 and verse 6. Here's the passage most people can quote, where Hosea wrote: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." That's usually where we stop right there. And we bemoan the fact that we are ignorant people. That is, we don't know God. We don't know His Word. We don't know the principles. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." That is true. But look at the rest of the verse. He says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Why are they ignorant? Here's why. "Because thou hast rejected knowledge." They refuse to hear God.
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"Because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." Now, wait a minute. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Why? Because they rejected knowledge. They wouldn't listen to God. They didn't want Him. They didn't want His Word. They didn't want His truth. They didn't want His principles. God said, "Since you've rejected My Word, I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to Me. Seeing you have forgotten My law, I will also forget thy children."
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Now, let me show you how this is the lex talionis. It's the punishment fitting the crime. What is God's law? Let me tell you what God's law is. It is an expression of His will. When God says, "Thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill," that's God's will for us. Even in 1 Thessalonians, Paul said, "For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication." That's the will of God. What is God's law? It's an expression of His will. What are our children?
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They are expressions of our will. We wanted them.
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Now, God says you forget the expression of My will, My law. I forget the expression of your will, your children. You want to know why our children are in such trouble in this country today? I'll tell you why. Because God's people have basically forgotten God's law. They've forgotten His Word. They've turned their backs upon Him. And so in justice, He turns His back upon the children. The law is an expression of His will. This Word is an expression of His will. You hear me, I'll hear you. Help me out. I know you can quote this. Think with me now. David said in Psalm 66 and verse 18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. What is iniquity? What do you say? Iniquity is sin. It's rebellion. It's wickedness. Well, thank you. Look in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 John 3 and verse 4. I can quote it, but I want you to see it.
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Look in 1 John 3 and verse 4. Since you know that iniquity is sin, and David said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." If you look in 1 John 3 and verse 4, the Word of God says this: "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." You can't sin without transgressing God's law. Sin is the transgression of the law. What did David say? "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." What? If I regard, if I countenance, if I hold, if I love, if I embrace iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Why? Because we're not hearing God. We're not listening to Him. We're living lives in direct contradiction to His will and His word. How do you expect God to hear you and bless you when your life is totally contrary to God?
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Those of you who were here on Wednesday night will remember that I used a passage in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 22. You remember there where Samuel said to Saul, after Saul had sinned against God, he said, "Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." Here in that verse, obedience and hearkening are synonymous. And I pointed out on Wednesday night, no one ever really hears the Word of God until he heeds the Word of God. No one ever really hears it until he obeys it. And our Lord said, "To hearken is better than sacrifice," or "to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." And the fat of rams was a chief part of the sacrifice always given to God. So what is our Lord saying?
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If you don't hear Me, I don't hear you. Now, you can say, "Brother Weaver, I think this is just much ado about nothing. I think I can embrace sin and keep rebellion and wickedness in my life, and the Lord will just hear me when I cry." Oh, well, look in your Bibles to the book of Proverbs chapter 28. Proverbs chapter 28. And look if you would please at verse 9. I want you to explain this verse to me if you think that it really doesn't matter how you live and whether or not your life is going to affect your prayer. Look in Proverbs 28 in verse 9, look what God says: "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." You know what the word abomination is?
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It means it's a stench in God's nostrils. God can't stand it. God said, "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." You don't hear God. God's not going to hear you. God says your prayer will be an abomination to me. Let me show you another one. Look in your Bibles to the book of Zechariah chapter 7. Right next to Malachi. Zechariah chapter 7.
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And let's begin reading there with verse 7. I want you to pay close attention to what God says. Zechariah 7, beginning there in verse 7. Look what God says: "Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?" Now, look what he said. Should you not hear the words when everything was going well? Should you not have heard the words of the Lord? Watch verse 8: "And the word of the Lord came unto Zechariah, saying, Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart." Look!
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"But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear." They don't want to hear God. "Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts. Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord." God said, "You wouldn't listen to me. Why should I listen to you? You don't hear my words. Why should I hear your words?"
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I want you to turn to Mark, chapter four. I'm going to try to tie this together for you just shortly, but let me try to answer another question very quickly. Has it ever bothered you that Christians can attend church year after year, hear so much preaching, and yet know so little? Why in the world do professing Christian people stay babes in their Christian life? Why? Well, look in Mark 4, verse 24, and our Lord said unto them, "Take heed what ye hear." Now let me just stop. In Luke 8, in verse 18, in the same passage, the same parable of the sower, our Lord says, "Take heed how ye hear." So you're not only to take heed what you hear, you're to take heed how you hear. But look what He says, verse 24, Mark 4: "And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."
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Now, let me go back to verse 24. He said, "Take heed what ye hear."
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Now look at this phrase: "With what measure ye mete, with what measure ye measure, it shall be measured to you."
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Now let me just stop there before I go to the rest of the verse. When our Lord said, "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you," here's what He's saying. You're not going to read your Bible or study your Bible 10 minutes and get two hours worth of knowledge. No, you're going to get 10 minutes worth of knowledge. You're not going to read your Bible a month and get 10 years worth of knowledge. No, you're going to get a month's worth of knowledge. Whatever measure that you measure in seeking the truth of God, to that same degree, it's going to be measured back to you. But here's the kicker. Watch it. He said, "And with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given."
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You know why most Christians reach a plateau and never go any further? Because they don't obey that which they've already heard. Why in the world should God give you any more truth if you won't obey the truth that He's already given you? "To you that hear shall more be given." To you that obey, to you that apply shall more be given. If you're not going to obey, if you're not going to apply the Word of God, why should God even give you any more? It's the same principle. God says you don't hear My words. I won't hear your words. You want to know why most people's prayers are not answered? They don't listen to God. They don't hear His Word. They don't apply His law. They don't apply His principles in their lives.
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Most people only pray when they've got their backs up against the wall. Most people don't even know what it means to pray without ceasing. Most of our prayer is reduced to nothing but a "thank you, Lord, for our food. Amen." A lot of times our prayer is so short and so sweet, it's over with before you know it. We don't study, we don't try to apply the Word of God, we don't hear God's Word. God said, "If you're not going to listen to me, why should I listen to you?" Do you understand that failure to apply the Word of God, failure to obey the Word of God, leads to defeated, deformed, and devastated lives.
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Now, let me show you one other passage. Look in your Bibles to Proverbs chapter 1, because I want you to see this same principle is applied to the unbelievers. The same principle. God says you won't listen to Me. I won't listen to you. It's not extravagant. It's absolutely just. Look in Proverbs 1, beginning with verse 22. God says, "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?
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And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you." Look. Turn. Repent. God says, "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof." You wouldn't listen to me. You wouldn't hear my words. Look what God says.
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"I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord."
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"They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices." Are you beginning to see a principle? And that principle is this. If we don't hear God, God will not hear us. It's absolutely imperative that we hear and heed and obey and apply the Word of God. God said, "Josiah, you heard my words. Your heart was tender. You humbled yourself. You sought me. Therefore," said God, "I heard your prayer." If we want God to hear us, we must hear Him. And the only way we're going to hear Him is in this book, bringing our lives in greater conformity to the Word of God and being transformed to the image of Jesus Christ. "If I regard iniquity in my heart," if I hold that which is contrary to God, as David said, "the Lord will not hear me." If we want our prayers answered, we better live holy, godly, obedient lives and turn from every known sin and every bad attitude and every bad disposition and every wicked, ungodly way and say, "Lord, may I be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and may my life be brought in greater conformity and
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obedience to the totality of your word." Let's pray. Father, in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray that you would impress upon our hearts the absolute need for obedience, for application of thy word, for hearing thee, for obeying that which thou hast given us. Enable us, Father, to bring our lives in conformity to thee and to thy word. And give us grace that we may serve thee acceptably with reverence and godly fear. In thy name we pray. Amen.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T03:18:13Z

Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

John Weaver examines why most prayers go unanswered, using the account of King Josiah in 2 Kings 22. He argues that the primary reason is a failure to hear and obey God's Word. After outlining six prerequisites for effective prayer (proper association, approach, attitude, asking, apprehension, and affection), he demonstrates from Scripture the principle of lex talionis: God hears those who hear Him. When we reject His law and live in disobedience, He refuses to hear our prayers. The message calls believers to humble obedience as the path to answered prayer.

Introduction: The Problem of Unanswered Prayer

Weaver introduces the topic by noting that most people do not know why their prayers are unanswered, and that prayer is both a duty and a privilege commanded by God.

Six Prerequisites for Effective Prayer

Scripture Reading — Luke 11:11-13

"If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?"

Now, look what he says.

Scripture Reading — Luke 11:11-13

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"

So there must be that proper association if we're going to pray acceptably unto God. Secondly, there must be a proper approach. Our Lord said it like this in John 14 verse 6:

Scripture Reading — John 14:6

"I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-20

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus."

Here is something they did not have in the Old Testament and could not have because the blood of rams and bulls and goats could make no one perfect.

Scripture Reading — Hebrews 10:19-20

"By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh."

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:5

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

Scripture Reading — Matthew 21:22

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:14-15

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us."

Watch.

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:14-15

"And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."

Now go back to verse 14:

Scripture Reading — 1 John 5:14-15

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us."

The Example of Josiah: Hearing God's Word

Weaver reads 2 Kings 22, highlighting how Josiah humbled himself upon hearing the lost book of the law, and God responded by hearing his prayer.

Scripture Reading — 2 Kings 22:1-20

"Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left. And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the scribe, to the house of the Lord, saying, Go up to Hilkiah the high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the house of the Lord, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the people: And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the work, that have the oversight of the house of the Lord: and let them give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the Lord, to repair the breaches of the house, unto carpenters, and builders, and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house."

The Principle of Lex Talionis in Prayer

Weaver explains that God operates on the principle of retribution: 'You heard me, now I hear you.' Conversely, when we refuse to hear God, He refuses to hear us.

Are you seeing what I've seen? Let me spell it out for you. Look in verse 19 again. In fact, you can look at the latter part of verse 18: "As touching the words which thou hast heard."

Scriptural Proof of the Principle

Application: Obedience as the Key to Answered Prayer

Weaver concludes that most prayers are unanswered because people do not listen to God or apply His Word. He calls for holy, obedient lives as the condition for God hearing our prayers.

Why God Does Not Answer Most Prayers

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	10220413211
Subject	New Testament Studies
Course	Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification: Walking With God
Genre	Sermon
Date	2004-10-17
Dictation Name
Book	Book 134: Romans: Law, Obedience, and Sanctification - Volume 1 — Chapter 3
Source Timed Segments	84

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: The Problem of Unanswered Prayer: Weaver introduces the topic by noting that most people do not know why their prayers are unanswered, and that prayer is both a duty and a privilege commanded by God.
Six Prerequisites for Effective Prayer: Weaver lists six biblical requirements for prayer: proper association (being a child of God), proper approach (through Christ alone), proper attitude (faith), proper asking (in Jesus' name, not selfishly), proper apprehension (according to God's will), and proper affection (loving God above all).
The Example of Josiah: Hearing God's Word: Weaver reads 2 Kings 22, highlighting how Josiah humbled himself upon hearing the lost book of the law, and God responded by hearing his prayer.
The Principle of Lex Talionis in Prayer: Weaver explains that God operates on the principle of retribution: 'You heard me, now I hear you.' Conversely, when we refuse to hear God, He refuses to hear us.
Scriptural Proof of the Principle: Weaver cites multiple passages (1 Samuel 2:30, Hosea 4:6, Proverbs 28:9, Zechariah 7, Mark 4:24, Proverbs 1) showing that God rejects those who reject His word, and that unanswered prayer is often a consequence of disobedience.
Application: Obedience as the Key to Answered Prayer: Weaver concludes that most prayers are unanswered because people do not listen to God or apply His Word. He calls for holy, obedient lives as the condition for God hearing our prayers.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

God answers prayer based on our hearing of His Word

Weaver argues from 2 Kings 22 that Josiah's prayer was answered because he heard God's Word with a tender heart, establishing the principle that God hears those who hear Him.

He quotes God's message to Josiah: 'Because thine heart was tender... I also have heard thee' (2 Kings 22:19).

Unanswered prayer is often a result of disobedience

Weaver contends that most prayers are not answered because people do not listen to God or obey His law, citing Proverbs 28:9 and Zechariah 7:13.

He states, 'He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination' (Proverbs 28:9).

Prayer is not about changing God's will but aligning with it

Weaver clarifies that prayer is an instrument to accomplish God's will, not to change His mind, and must be according to His will as revealed in Scripture.

He says, 'Prayer is not an attempt to change the mind of God... Prayer is nothing more than an instrument to accomplish and to bring to pass the will of God.'

Faith is essential for effective prayer

Weaver emphasizes that without faith it is impossible to please God, and that doubting leads to receiving nothing from the Lord, based on Hebrews 11:6 and James 1:6-7.

He quotes James 1:7: 'For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.'

Selfish asking nullifies prayer

Weaver argues that asking amiss, to consume it on one's lusts, is a reason prayers are not answered, as seen in James 4:3.

He gives an illustration of a man praying for another man's wife, calling it 'completely, totally contrary to His Word.'

The Holy Spirit intercedes when we don't know God's will

Weaver explains that when we are uncertain of God's will, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings, ensuring our prayers align with God's will (Romans 8:26-27).

He says, 'The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.'

Spiritual leaders' ignorance reflects apostasy

Weaver points out that the high priest and scribe in Josiah's time were ignorant of God's law, showing the depth of apostasy, and that God will raise up others when leaders fail.

He notes, 'Hilkiah, the high priest, knew nothing about God's law. Here's Shaphan, the scribe... He knew nothing about God's law.'

Obedience is better than sacrifice

Weaver uses 1 Samuel 15:22 to show that hearkening (obeying) is better than sacrifice, meaning that hearing God's Word is demonstrated by obedience, not mere religious acts.

He states, 'No one ever really hears the Word of God until he heeds the Word of God.'

Scripture References

2 Kings 22:1-20: The account of Josiah finding the book of the law and humbling himself, leading to God hearing his prayer.
1 Thessalonians 5:17: Command to pray without ceasing, establishing prayer as a duty.
Luke 18:1: Jesus' teaching that men ought always to pray and not faint.
Luke 11:2: Jesus teaching the disciples to pray 'Our Father,' indicating proper association as children of God.
Luke 11:11-13: Illustration of a father giving good gifts, showing God's special care for His children.
John 14:6: Jesus as the only way to the Father, emphasizing proper approach in prayer.
Ephesians 2:18: Access to the Father through Christ by the Spirit.
Hebrews 10:19-20: Boldness to enter the holiest by the blood of Jesus, a new and living way.
1 Timothy 2:5: One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 11:6: Without faith it is impossible to please God; must believe He is and rewards seekers.
James 1:5-7: Asking for wisdom in faith without wavering; the doubter should not expect to receive.
Matthew 21:22: All things asked in prayer, believing, will be received.
Mark 11:24: Believing that you receive when you pray, and you will have them.
John 14:13-14: Asking anything in Jesus' name, He will do it.
John 16:26: In that day you will ask in My name.
Matthew 6:7: Do not use vain repetitions like the heathen; not heard for much speaking.
James 4:1-3: You ask and receive not because you ask amiss, to consume on your lusts.
1 John 5:14-15: Confidence that if we ask according to His will, He hears us and we have the petitions.
Romans 8:26-27: The Spirit helps our infirmities, interceding for us according to God's will.
Colossians 3:1-2: Set your affection on things above, not on earth, as proper affection in prayer.

Historical References

King Josiah: Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign and reigned 31 years in Jerusalem. He did right in the sight of the Lord and humbled himself when the book of the law was found.
Hilkiah the high priest: Hilkiah found the book of the law in the house of the Lord and gave it to Shaphan. Despite being high priest, he was ignorant of God's law.
Shaphan the scribe: Shaphan read the book of the law before King Josiah. As a scribe, he should have known the law but was ignorant.
Huldah the prophetess: Huldah was a prophetess in Jerusalem during Josiah's reign. The king's messengers went to her to inquire of the Lord, bypassing Jeremiah and Zephaniah.
Jeremiah the prophet: Jeremiah also prophesied during Josiah's reign and later lamented for Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:25). He was not consulted by the king's messengers.
Zephaniah the prophet: Zephaniah prophesied during Josiah's reign but may not have begun his ministry at the time of this event.
Ezra the scribe: Ezra is mentioned as a ready scribe in the law of Moses (Ezra 7:6), contrasting with Shaphan's ignorance.
King David: Josiah walked in all the way of David his father, not turning aside. David is referenced as a man after God's own heart.
Saul (King): Saul's disobedience is referenced in 1 Samuel 15:22, where Samuel says to obey is better than sacrifice.
Samuel the prophet: Samuel rebuked Saul for disobedience, emphasizing that hearkening is better than sacrifice.

Important Quotes

Prayer is not an attempt to change the mind of God or to change the will of God. Prayer is nothing more than an instrument to accomplish and to bring to pass the will of God.

This quote defines Weaver's theological view of prayer as aligning with God's sovereign will, not manipulating it.

Your prayer life is not to be judged by how many prayers you have answered, but really and truly how well and how faithfully you pray.

Emphasizes that obedience in praying is more important than visible results, shifting focus from outcome to faithfulness.

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Used to illustrate the special covenantal bond between God and His children, ensuring He hears their prayers.

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

A key proof text that rejecting God's Word makes one's prayer detestable to God, central to the sermon's thesis.

Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord.

Directly states the lex talionis principle: God mirrors our response to His Word in His response to our prayers.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

David's confession that harboring sin blocks prayer, linked to the definition of sin as lawlessness.

Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

Explains that spiritual growth and answered prayer are proportional to our diligence in hearing and obeying God's Word.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the account of Josiah illustrate the principle that God hears those who hear Him?

[Context]

Weaver uses Josiah's response to the book of the law as the primary example of hearing God leading to answered prayer.

[Question]

In what ways might we be 'regarding iniquity' in our hearts, and how does that affect our prayer life?

[Context]

Weaver connects Psalm 66:18 with 1 John 3:4 to show that embracing sin is rebellion against God's law and blocks prayer.

[Question]

Why is it important to pray according to God's will, and how can we know His will?

[Context]

Weaver discusses 1 John 5:14-15 and the role of Scripture and the Holy Spirit in discerning God's will.

[Question]

What does it mean to ask 'in Jesus' name,' and how does that differ from selfish asking?

[Context]

Weaver uses the bank check illustration to explain total dependence on Christ's merits versus asking based on our own desires.

[Question]

How does the principle of lex talionis (eye for eye) apply to our relationship with God in prayer?

[Context]

Weaver argues that God's response to our prayers mirrors our response to His Word, citing multiple scriptures.

[Question]

Why do many Christians remain spiritual babes, and how does this relate to unanswered prayer?

[Context]

Weaver explains from Mark 4:24 that failure to obey what we've heard prevents further revelation and stunts growth.

[Question]

What role does faith play in effective prayer, and what happens when we doubt?

[Context]

Weaver cites Hebrews 11:6 and James 1:6-7 to show that faith is essential and doubt leads to receiving nothing.

[Question]

How can we cultivate a 'proper affection' for God that prioritizes His will above our own?

[Context]

Weaver references Colossians 3:1-2 and the Lord's Prayer to emphasize setting our affection on things above.

Applications

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