One of the big questions of God’s people: Why doesn’t God answer my prayers? God wants to answer the prayers of His people. Throughout His Word He has promised to answer prayers, but every promise that God makes has a condition. Living outside Eden as we do, we must honor the conditions of those promises if we expect them to be fulfilled.

In Eden, Adam and Eve didn’t live by promise; they didn’t have to. Everything was automatically taken care of for them. However, outside Eden, it’s a must that we live by promise, always remembering that every promise the Lord makes in His Holy Word is conditional. When Christians ignore or are unaware of the conditions, they wonder why their prayers aren’t answered.

Salvation’s Conditions

The promise of salvation hinges on accepting Jesus into the heart; the promise of eternal life depends on holy living after a person is saved. Anyone trying to reach Heaven some other way, Jesus calls a thief and a robber. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber (John 10:1).

To receive salvation you must repent of your sins, believe in the divine blood of Jesus that washes away those sins, ask Jesus into your heart. Then through the power of the Holy Ghost and the divine blood of Jesus you can live sin-free.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17). Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

The Lord Is Real to Me

When it comes to answered prayer, unfortunately for many Christians it’s a hit, skip, miss thing. They haven’t decided that when they live holy before God He hears every prayer they pray. The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous (Proverbs:15:29).

I know God hears every prayer I pray, but I have a standing order with the Lord that He will never answer a prayer for me, or for anyone else I pray for, unless it’s His divine will. I always pray through the divine blood of Jesus. I fast through the divine blood. I study the Word through His divine blood, and that’s the reason God gives me so much, why my life is one of excitement and contentment. I let the Lord be real to me.

Are You Happy?

I was born to be happy. I was joyful as a child. In the morning I came out of the bed awake and ready for action, ready to wake up everyone else in the family. It was a brand-new day. You who drag around looking so pitiful in the morning should hide every mirror so you don’t accidentally look in and frighten yourself to death. Why aren’t you happy?

People can be more happy about going to a restaurant than they are about going to Heaven. Everyone ought to be glad just to go to church. David said, I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord (Psalm 122:1).

God Promises to Answer Prayer

Why doesn’t God answer your prayers when He has made so many promises to do so? And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22). Is it God’s fault that you don’t have answered prayers? Would you dare blame God for not answering your prayers? How many worthless prayers have you prayed in your spiritual lifetime?

Never pray worthless prayers. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers (I Peter 3:12). Make sure you are directed by the Holy Spirit in prayer. Turn your supplication over to God; place it under the blood and leave it in the hands of God. Now it’s up to the Lord to do whatever He wants to do with that prayer.

Are You on the Highway of Holiness?

The Lord said, And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear (Isaiah 65:24). What a definite promise that is, a promise made before Calvary! Before you even ask the Lord, He will answer; but some of you won’t accept that wonderful promise. Why? You simply do not live on the highway of holiness. If you want your prayers to be answered, you must be holy. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it (Isaiah 35:8). No unclean person will walk on this holy highway. The unclean cannot expect God to answer their prayers. God hears holy prayers.

God Wants You to Prosper

How do you ask God for something? Do you ask God’s way with a spirit of humility that carries no grudges, no sin? Not until you live the sinless life will you be ready for God to prosper you and answer your prayers. You must be in the Lord’s arms before you are prospered with the blessings of Canaan land.

The Lord wants to bless you. He wills you to prosper, but He also wants you to be humble about it, to tithe and give unto Him in love offerings. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10). God, I say again, has conditions on His blessings, but some people want God to bless them no matter what they do; and they refuse to tithe. I’ve seen people who tithed when they didn’t earn much money, but when the money started coming in, they decided it was too much for them to tithe, and they failed God.

The Tenth Is Holy to the Lord

When you don’t tithe and give to God, you’re on your own. The promises of God are not yours to rely on, and you are hindered. The tenth shall be holy unto the Lord (Leviticus 27:32). Without tithing and giving to Him, you are not truly living for God. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again (Luke 6:38). Tithing is God’s way; He gives open window blessings to those who tithe and give unto Him. The tenth belongs to Him; you pay tithes, ten percent of your earnings and other money you may receive; but you give what you choose in love offerings to God. Tithing brings about the only promise in the Word of God that mentions God opening the windows of Heaven and pouring out blessings.

Some people, not taking into account the conditions God puts on His promises, wonder why they are not blessed. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord (Isaiah 1:18). You need to reason with God, need to get prayers answered. If you are not blessed, there is a reason. For example, not tithing ties the hands of God.

Ask in All Faith

I grew up in a home of answered prayer. So many prayers were answered that it brought great expectation for all prayers. My mother could get prayers through; my dad could get prayers through, my two oldest sisters could get prayers through. Many, many prayers were answered, physically, spiritually and financially. Obeying God in all things and living free from all sin, my parents and two sisters believed in being holy, holy, holy as they walked in the steps of Jesus. They believed if they asked the Lord, it would be given to them, if they would seek they would find just as the Bible tells us. If they knocked the door would be opened. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened (Matthew 7:7,8).

Why Would You Beg?

This promise of asking and receiving was given by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, the greatest sermon ever preached. How simple: Ask, not beg. Some of you are beggars, and it hinders you. The Lord waits for you to realize that you are a son or daughter of God and that He doesn’t want you to beg.

Why would you beg? Because you don’t really trust Him to answer; you’re not close enough to God to have complete confidence in Him. You don’t have Heaven’s trust in the God of Heaven. Face it.

Seek with Your Whole Heart

God has moved on me to preach why He doesn’t answer your prayers, to remind you that He made answered prayer so simple: Seek, find; knock and it will be opened. Everyone who seeketh findeth. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). Seek God with your whole heart because you love Him and want more and more of Him; have no selfish reason for seeking Him. Open the door of your heart and let the Lord guide you; be yielded to the Holy Spirit night and day and depend on Him to direct you in what to pray for.

Check Your Faith and Love

The Holy Spirit moves on me to let me know what to pray for. If I start to pray for something that isn’t God’s will, He will let me know. For me to continue to pray for that something would be wasted prayer and so I stop. Then again and again the Lord moves on me letting me know that my prayer has been heard. To keep saying prayers that have already been heard would also be wasted prayer.

Prayer full of doubt is wasted prayer. God doesn’t work with your doubts and fears, but with your faith and love. Faith and love both are gifts from God. When you don’t get prayers answered, check your faith and love. If you are getting answered prayers, you have good faith and good love.

Covered by the Blood

In my home, I never expected anything else but answered prayer for the whole family. If one got sick, we knew God would heal that one. Although I wasn’t living for God, I still believed in His love for us. Mama and Dad said God would do it; my sisters believed God would take care of anyone in the family, so we were covered by the blood of Jesus to receive. My parents were close to God, my two oldest sisters were close to God and that made all the difference in the world.

Jesus Wants to Be Real to You

In prayer you represent yourself; that means you must be close to God. You can’t be haphazard about prayer by not trusting what the Word of God says, not spending time with the Lord and not expecting God to hear. If your mind is on something other than God when you pray, if you don’t believe He hears, your prayers are wasted. Were Jesus to suddenly appear, you’d stop, forget about everything else and have your full attention on Him. But you must realize that Jesus is there; love and trust Him heart, mind and soul when you pray.

I’ve experienced looking at Jesus just as you would look at a person standing beside you, and I forget everything but Him. He is paramount. Through the Spirit He can be made paramount in your life day and night. In all your prayers let Him be real to you.

Pray in Reality

Pray in reality with the true vision of Heaven, knowing that God will do what He said He would. You don’t have to struggle with God; you don’t have to wrestle with Him to get Him to answer prayer. It’s His will to answer.

Again I [Jesus] say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:19,20). Do you claim that promise? You may ask someone to pray for you, but do you really agree? Do you believe the prayer will be answered? Why ask a person to pray for you if you don’t believe what Jesus said about prayers?

Prayer isn’t going to be answered when you don’t believe. You must hold up your side, for there’s no need to expect God to move if you don’t use faith. Without faith you can’t even please God; if you want the ear of the Lord, you must please Him. 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 (Hebrews 11:6). It’s a shameful thing for God’s people to mistrust Him.

Believe and Keep Believing

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive (Matthew 21:22). Believing…believing. You have to believe and then keep on believing.

How much doubt do you face? How much time do you spend fighting doubt? Why should you give in to doubt when you have the faith of Heaven available to you? And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God (Mark 11:22). Having faith in God is having the faith of God.

Old Testament Saints Had Working Faith

In the Old Testament you see Noah and his family building for one hundred twenty years on the ark—that was real faith.

Abraham, climbing Mount Moriah with the intent of sacrificing his son unto the Lord, used the faith of God.

Moses led the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and right toward the Red Sea. Whoever would have dreamed that God would open the sea for them to cross? But Moses knew God could do anything and everything. With a mighty hand God brought the Israelites out of Egypt with signs, wonders, miracles and healings; and with a mighty hand, with signs, wonders, miracles and healings, God is bringing people out of the world today to Rapture ground.

Without Vision the People Perish

Moving on true Christians to evangelize the world, God is giving them great vision. What are you doing with that vision? Where there is no vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18). For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (Habakkuk 2:3). Tarry, wait for the fulfillment of the vision; it will come to life; the vision will be real.

When the Lord gives me a vision, I know it will take place one day in all reality, so I check the vision carefully. If the Lord gives you a vision, everything in it is essential; note all details. God won’t allow the devil to counterfeit it in every detail. You’re safe if you know the vision and don’t detour from it; but if you accept something that wasn’t in the original vision, you aren’t safe. The devil can’t make the vision exactly as God gave it; however, if you’re not wide-awake, prayed up and fasted up, he can make it close enough to fool you. Then you will get ahead of God, thinking it’s time for the vision to be fulfilled—and it isn’t. Many have missed the fulfillment of the vision that the Lord gave because they did not wait.

Wait on the Lord

Years and years ago God gave me a vision of a plane for the ministry to use in evangelizing the world. I waited, and now at last the plane is here, the vision has come to life. The Lord said to wait; He didn’t tell me when the plane would come.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint (Isaiah 40:31). Learn to wait in the Lord’s waiting room, not in man’s waiting room of self or feelings. Learn to wait in the faith of God. Faith is the waiting room of God that brings perfect obedience.

When you pray in perfect obedience, self is out of the way; it’s been crucified. Twenty-four hours around the clock deny self. Don’t pamper self; don’t listen to it; listen rather to the Holy Spirit and let Him get your prayers through to God.

I pray according to the divine will of God. I have prayed so many prayers in His divine will for people that I can tell most of the time right away whether it’s God’s divine will to say any more to God about the matter.

Be Obedient

You must be obedient. You can kid yourself into thinking you’re willing to do anything for the Lord—but are you doing it? This is a “doing” salvation, not a talking one. You do the will of God, be obedient to everything the Lord has said and He’ll fulfill His promises in your life.

The Bride will have many prayers answered in this final hour, saith the Lord. She will be in perfect obedience, walk in perfect love and the perfect divine will of God. When she prays, she will mean for God’s will to be done just as much as Jesus meant it when He said, Not my will, Father, but thine.

Put Self on the Altar

Self must be kept under subjection. No one can fuss his or her way to Glory. Some Christians, however, think they can fuss in their homes, carry bitterness and still have enough victory to get their prayers answered. It won’t work.

When I was saved, I stopped all fussing and fighting against people and turned that negative energy into positive energy against the devil. With the sword of the Spirit, the same Word Jesus used, I used the Word. I put self on the altar and left him there. The trouble with self rising up and the ferocious temper I once used against people were no longer factors. I never experienced that terrible temper against people again; now I used it as a mighty weapon to defeat the devil. I had found the Lord, the Keeper of the whole me. I had given my entire self into the hands of the Lord as I reached out for the fruit of the Spirit.

Do You Worry?

How strongly do you believe God will answer when you ask Him for things? How much do you worry and fret? Do you stay awake all night with worry, not knowing what you’re going to do? If so, you need to sit down and turn to God. You’re not going to walk doubt away or outrun it, so why not stay put and use the faith of God? Hammer that doubt with the Word of God until it all disappears. Why try to go to sleep full of doubt? There’s not much rest in that kind of sleep.

Working with Angels

Angels watch over children of God as they sleep. Snoring does not hinder God’s angels; doubt is what hinders them. Never do you find one of God’s angels having a speck of doubt. Usually when they talk to me, they speak in the first person, for they are speaking for God. Their voices are so full of love and grace that the difference between their voices and God’s voice is not noticeable. Angels speak in heavenly tones; it’s marvelous indeed! A holy sacredness radiates around them, but human beings can have that holy sacredness, too, in their voices; and the angels will join them in working for the Lord. God’s people are to work with angels, but they are to work in faith, never in doubt.

And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:7). To work with angels, people have to work in obedience. Many hear me talking about angels working in the services, and they wonder how it can be. The obedience in my spirit is the same as the obedience in the angels’ spirits. The will of God in my life is the same as the will of the Lord in their lives, so we work together in harmony. We do the work of God just the way He wants it done.

Angels Hold Back the Powers of Darkness

Angels line up around multitudes of people in the overseas crusades and hold back the powers of the devil. Neither demons nor the devil himself can do anything to hinder those in the services who want help, who want to believe and are reaching out.

I have been asked why the heathen can receive so much from God when they get saved. It’s because they get rid of all doubt. Many who have lived in America, or any other country that recognizes the Lord Jesus Christ, don’t get rid of all their doubts, don’t get cleansed of them. But when people in foreign countries are cleansed of witchcraft, voodooism and other darknesses of the devil, they let go of doubt and take faith. God gives them the gift of faith to believe and receive.

Faith Is a Gift

There is no need to struggle with God for faith; faith is a gift. Salvation is a gift. Old-time salvation is the greatest gift you can have here on Earth. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8,9). Faith in the blood that stained the Old Rugged Cross brings salvation. Faith in God heals the sick.

It’s easier to believe God than to doubt Him. Doubting God brings about an uneasy feeling, a revelation from Him that you are off course. But how wonderful it is when the Holy Spirit bears witness that you’re believing God!

Power over the Enemies of God

It matters not how deep the valley is or how loudly the lions are roaring. It matters not how many giants are coming after you: Faith and the love of God bring power over all the enemies of God. Faith and love are qualities that make you like Jesus Christ Himself.

You can have prayers answered. Why not start getting them through? If there is something you want God to do, let Him know. That’s what works for me; I’m not superhuman; I’m human just like you, but I’ve learned to use what is in the Bible. I’ve learned to use the blood, the faith in the blood, the healing powers in the blood; and that’s the reason so many thousands have been healed of AIDS and other diseases through this healing ministry. The Lord gets all the praise, honor and glory for His healing power.

Is the Lord on Your Boat?

Were is your faith? Jesus asked. If the Lord is on your boat when the storm rages, surely He asks you many times, Where is your faith? You probably never hear Him, but the disciples heard Him that night out on the stormy sea. Even though Jesus was on board, they were afraid. Why? They were not using faith. But as they sailed he [Jesus] fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him (Luke 8:23-25). The disciples at that time were doubting His love.

Never Doubt God’s Love

Don’t try to pray if you doubt God’s love. Don’t even think God doesn’t love you, for that would be making God a liar. Anyone who thinks God doesn’t love him or her ought to be ashamed. I didn’t think that when I was a sinner; I always believed God loved me. I was taught, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). God had to have loved me to give His Only Begotten Son, and He had to have loved you as well.

When God gave Jesus, He gave His whole heart for you and me. Why would you doubt that God answers prayers when it’s far more helpful to you, your health and well-being to believe? Faith in God will do it. Faith in God moves mountains and calms the angry seas. Faith in God helps you get off the boat and walk the waters knowing that God’s promises are under every step. As you walk on the promises, you can’t go under.

Come Boldly to the Throne

Some of you are not in the habit of getting your prayers answered. Step into the Jesus shoes. What kind of shoes are you wearing? There’s a pair of the Jesus shoes to fit everyone, the shoes of love, grace. The Bible tells us to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16). Right here on Earth wearing the shoes of Jesus we can come boldly before the throne of grace.

Many pray to what they believe is a far-off God, and that means they are not using the blood. When you pray through the blood and really believe the blood, the Lord is right there with you. In faith you can reach out and touch Him; the blood makes Him that real. Divine blood also makes real your own well-being in the Kingdom. You know without a doubt that you are a member of the family of God, a blood member—that’s what the Bible teaches.

You either believe the Bible or you don’t. You either accept all of it or none of it. Why play around with the Word of God if you’re not going to believe it? Why not use it? Eat the Word. Mean business when you go into the prayer closet. Forget about watching the clock; concentrate on your connection with Heaven. You’re with the Lord; make the most of it. Some people get more pleasure in being with others than they do in being with God. No matter how much you socialize, it won’t take doubt out of you; but coming boldly to the throne of grace will.

Why Hasn’t God Answered Your Prayers?

Why hasn’t God answered your prayers? Get stirred up about this. All the multitudes without number of prayers He has answered through this Jesus ministry should let you know that God does answer prayers. God is answering prayers for people all over the world. Will you let prayer be real to you? If you don’t, you will find yourself grumbling and complaining, smothered with doubt. Doubt is spiritual death; when it comes in it smothers the very life out of you. Believe the Word of God that tells us that with the blood stripes we are healed. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

With God All Things Are Possible

Why would Christians doubt the miracle, healing power of God? Even hearing about the miracles in our services, some don’t believe. One preacher said he wouldn’t believe in miracles even if he saw one. He came to a crusade, he saw, and to his amazement, he became a believer and received a great miracle for his wife, who had been near death. Divine healing is a promise of God.

Study the scriptures in this message; hold them to your heart. The Lord tells you through His Word that if you ask you will receive, if you seek you will find; but you have to ask, seek, and live His way. The paths of righteousness are laid out for you; He leadeth you by His great love into those paths of righteousness.

Do you have no confidence in your prayers? Have more confidence in them than in anyone else’s. If you’re living holy before God, you know He hears every word you speak. You must come into this faith to be what God wants you to be in this final hour. Tell yourself that Jesus can and you can. With God all things are possible. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23). Hold on to the nail-pierced hands of the One who makes all things possible.

God Saves and Heals

If you don’t have Jesus in your heart, say the sinners’ prayer with me. Oh, God, save my soul. I’m so sorry I sinned against you! But I have come home and I’m going to serve you, Lord, the rest of my life. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all my sins! Come into my heart, Jesus! Come on in!

If you believed that prayer, you’re no longer a sinner. You’ve put your trust in the blood and the blood has washed away all your sins. No more condemnation; you have your ticket to Glory Land. Now it’s as though you had never sinned before. However, you must take care to use the blood, live free from all sin, and never lose your salvation.

You who are sick and afflicted: Know that through His divine blood you can be set free. Lift up your hand and believe the Lord with me. In the name of Jesus I come against the powers of darkness, the powers of sicknesses and diseases in the people. Heal! Heal! in the holy blood name of Jesus! And the healing is done through the blood. Expect to get well. Close your eyes and think of the blood. Thousands have been healed of AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart and lung trouble through this ministry. The blood is for your whole body as well as for your whole soul. Now get well. Write and tell me about it.

I am here, saith the Lord. Feel my holy presence now. Feel my love for you now. Feel me now and know I’m yours, that I am your Lord. My Spirit prayeth for thee. Open the door of your heart wide, saith the Lord. Only believe and receive.

Miracles and healings take place in the holy name of Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). He healed yesterday and He is still healing today; He answered prayers yesterday and He answers prayers today. Dwell on the scriptures that tell you God hears your prayers.

But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer (Psalm 66:19). He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer (Psalm 102:17). The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16).

May the Lord of Heaven open your eyes to the mighty reality of answered prayer.