You and I are co-laborers with God (1 Cor. 3:9). Among other things, that means when someone prays that God may use us as the means of answering prayer.
But we are not robots. We are not programmed to perfectly obey God. We don’t have to do everything He wants us to. And believe me; God would not have it any other way. He wants us to obey Him because we want to and not because we have to.
So, when someone prays and God wants to use us in answering prayer, it is not an flawless plan because it’s subject to our obedience. Yes, I know that’s a serious statement to make. But I am certain that sometimes–perhaps oftentimes–God wants to use us as the means of answering someone’s prayer, but He cannot because of one of the reasons mentioned below.
Cornelius’ Prayer to God
The book of Acts provides an account of a Gentile by the name of Cornelius. “A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2, KJV).
Did I mention that Cornelius was a Gentile? Nevertheless, as noted above, he was devout, God-fearing, charitable and prayerful. He was not saved, but what the Bible says about his character can’t even be said about many Christians. (Thank God, we are saved by grace and not by works).
Anyway, as Cornelius prayed one day, God sent an angel to tell him to send for Peter who would tell Cornelius what he needed to do (verses 5-6). That means, God used Peter as the vehicle for answering Cornelius’ prayer. This is what I mean by God using us in answering prayer.
Some Reasons God Can’t Use Us in Answering Prayer
To summarize the rest of the story, Peter was opposed to having any dealings with Gentiles. God had to deal with Peter’s heart by way of a vision God showed him upon a roof. Having said that, let me give you three reasons why oftentimes, God can’t use us in answering prayer.
1. Unwillingness. Sometimes, we just don’t want to do what we know God wants us to do. Perhaps the cost is more than we want to pay. It’s important to realize, however, that sometimes what God wants us to do is not for us but for someone else. Hence, your unwillingness to obey Him, may have negative bearing on God’s response to someone else’s prayer.
2. Ignorance of God’s will. God communicates His will to us through a number of ways. But sometimes we fail to perceive His will for us. More than one “voice” vying for our ears and heart always exists. Amidst those “voices,” we must live our life in such a way that we can discern God’s voice and hence His will.
3. Lack of faith. We say we can do all things through Christ. But sometimes, we know the will of God, we want to obey Him, but we lack the faith to do so. For this very reason, some Christians are not currently serving God in the capacity He has equipped and called them to. Every relevant thing He requires of you requires faith. That includes His desire to use you as the means of answering prayer for someone else. Without faith it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6).
Commitment to Serving Others
Cornelius’ experience is a good example of how God can use us in answering the prayers of others. Pursuant to Cornelius’ prayers, God used Peter to explain the way of salvation to Cornelius and his house.
The prayers of God’s people and the prayers of the lost who seek Him drive much of what God is doing in our world today. Moreover, some of the resources God has blessed us with, the moments He anoints us for, and the encounters we have with others are pursuant to the prayers of others.
The problem is that oftentimes, we lack interest in those things that do not directly benefit us. The question is how committed are you to allowing God to use you to serve others? Your answer determines the extent to which He can use you in answering the prayers of others.
Copyright © 2024 by Frank King. All rights reserved.