What makes God want to say “yes” to some requests and “no” to other requests?
Certainly there is an element where we must simply submit to the sovereign will of God. If a request of ours does not align with God’s plan, God will have to say no because his plans are always better than our plans (1 John 5:14, Isaiah 55:8-9). And of course, the more biblical a request the more likely it is God will say yes; for when we pray God’s will, God always answers with a yes.
And yet, throughout the pages of Scripture, there are many instructions about receiving uncommon favor from God. There are saints in the Bible that seemed to have a special closeness with the Lord that caused him to answer their prayers more often with a yes rather than a no.
Therefore, here are 4 things that make God want to say “yes” to your request.
1. Bringing a Need to God Makes Him Want to Say “Yes” to Your Request
Sometimes I say “yes” when my children want dessert; but I always say “yes” when my children want food because they’re hungry.
Likewise, when you read through Scripture, you see that God does give us many blessings we want but that we don’t necessarily need. However, he always gives us what we need:
- Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
- Matthew 6:7-8, “And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”
2. Generosity Makes God Want to Say “Yes” to Your Request
Generosity is a spiritual investment made in faith. From a worldly perspective, to be generous means you give to others in a lavish way without expecting anything in return. But according to Scripture, God promises us that we will never out give him (2 Corinthians 9:10-15).
God will not be outdone by our generosity. He will never let someone be more generous than himself (Mark 10:29-30). You can never make a true sacrifice for God because you will always be indebted to his greater generosity (1 Corinthians 4:7, 1 Chronicles 29:14). If you want God’s lavish blessings, then test him in this.
- Malachi 3:19, “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6, “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
3. Righteousness Make God Want to Say “Yes” to Your Request
No one is truly righteous apart from Jesus Christ, which is why he alone can save us (2 Corinthians 5:21). However, God calls us to seek righteousness in that we seek to love him, obey his laws, reflect the character of Christ, and love people as he does. When we walk in God’s ways, Scripture is clear that this enhances the power of our prayers:
- Matthew 6:32-33, “For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
- 2 Corinthians 9:10, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.”
- James 5:16 (NIV), “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
4. Faith in God’s Presence Makes God Want to Say “Yes” to Your Request
Faith is consistently mentioned in the Bible as a prerequisite for a “yes” from God (James 1:6, Mark 11:24, Mark 5:34, Luke 18:42).
However, I don’t believe this is merely about believing that your prayer will be answered, though that is a part of it. I also believe faith that causes God to say “yes” is the faith that causes a person to stay in his presence. Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
When you are in God’s presence, you pray what God wants, and thus God answers your prayer with a “yes.” His presence brings favor:
- Genesis 39:2, “The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.”
- Genesis 39:23, “The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.”
Another Article to Read: 4 Reasons God Is Allowing Your Heart to Hurt So Bad About Someone