God Hears You

But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. – Psalm 66:19 (NIV)

“God Hears You” are words you hear other Christians saying all the time. You have probably told someone that too, but you’re beginning to wonder if those words are true. You have fasted,  done midnight worship,  gone from prophet to prophet,  but things are not changing.

It’s like you’re in a never-ending battle with the enemy. You’re so discouraged and barely holding onto faith. Where do you turn to when it feels like God is miles away from you?  Do you press on or give up?

Well, the life of a Christian is like a journey. We go through different seasons along the way. There will be times when God’s presence will be strong in your life, but there will also be times in your Christian walk when God will drawback.

But why does He do that?

Why God Remains Silent

1. To Test Your Faith

Silence from God is not a bad thing. It is just Him trying to see how committed you are to your relationship with Him.  Now I know this does not sound good for someone who is desperately waiting to hear from God. But it is the truth.  We all go through seasons of testing in our Christian walk, and one of the ways that God tests us is through silence. 

The question is, are you going to remain faithful to your Heavenly Father even if He doesn’t answer your prayer? Will you continue to serve Him diligently, or will you abandon the faith?

2. To Alert You about Sin Patterns in Your Life

Maybe God has been trying to point out a particular sin in your life for some time, and you’ve not been listening.  Now He has drawn back to give you time to examine yourself and repent. Instead of complaining, ask God to reveal any sin in your life, and help you to overcome it.  If you’ve been living in known sin, repent and start living a righteous life.

Remember, Christ has already paid it all at the Cross, so sin doesn’t have dominion over you. Don’t let sin reign because it will open up doors for the enemy in your life. (Romans 6:14)

3. To Strengthen Your Faith

Our best seasons are when we feel the manifested presence of God in our lives and hear His voice clearly. But such seasons don’t last forever because if they did, we would get comfortable and not grow spiritually. Our faith needs to be strengthened, so God will allow trials to come into our lives and remain silent for a season to stretch us.

How to Battle Discouragement When God is Silent

Now that we know why God remains silent, let us look at how to deal with discouragement. Yes, however strong you’re in faith, you’ll have to battle discouragement. See, the enemy will try to make God seem like a liar and an uncaring Father by feeding your mind with lies. We need to be vigilant so that we don’t fall for his lies. 

So how do we battle discouragement?

1. Remember the Testimonies

We are often encouraged to write testimonies and for a good reason.  In such times when things seem to be working against us, and God seems far away,  our testimonies serve a great purpose.  They act as a source of encouragement and help us to overcome the lies of the enemy. Even if you don’t have a testimony written down,  there are those great things God has done in your life that you still remember.

Stop focusing on the problems in your life, focus on the great things God has done for you in the past. Remember how that situation seemed impossible, and God seemed quiet, but He came through in the end. Focus on those testimonies and know that God doesn’t change.

If you can’t recall your own testimonies, remember what God has done for your friends, family, or church members.  You can also go online and read testimonies of people who have gone through the same challenges you’ve been through and how God came through for them.  Let these testimonies be a source of encouragement so that you can keep on standing firm in the promises of God. (Psalm 71:15-16)

2. See How God Came through for People in the Bible

The best way to encourage yourself in the Lord during tough times is to go to his Word.  This does not mean that you have to read the entire Bible before you get out of this season. Read stories of people like Hannah, Esther, Ruth, King Jehosophat, Elijah, and see the great things that God did in their lives. 

If there is a Bible character that went through a similar experience, see how God came through for them. See God coming through for you just like they did for them.  We serve the same God. He never changes.  He’s faithful and is not a respecter of persons.  The way He came through for Hannah is the same way He will come through for you if you stand firm in faith.

3. Stay Close to God

Some of us walk away from the things of God when He is quiet.  But that is not the way it is supposed to be.  If anything, this is the time you’re supposed to remain close to Him.  That God is silent does not mean that He has left you alone, He’s walking with you through the process. God is upholding you with His righteous hand and strengthening you.

Do not give up and walk away; instead, see God there. See Him holding your hand and helping you through it all, even when you don’t feel like it in the natural. Be like Sarah, even though she was past the childbearing age and was barren,  the word of God tells us in Hebrews 11:11 that she judged God faithful. She knew that God would come through even though it took 25 years for Isaac to be born.

4. Be Honest

Some of us act strong when we are going through trials. Yes, we are supposed to be strong in the Lord, but you don’t have to pretend that you don’t feel like crying when that is all you want to do. Breaking down and letting out your emotions through prayer is not bad.

We usually go to our friends when we are broken. But when it comes to God, most of us try to put a brave face and say our normal prayers. We are afraid that breaking down before God means a lack of faith. But that is not true. As a matter of fact, the best person to open up to and tell how you feel is God.

Yes, He is quiet, but like David, turn to God and ask Him why He had forsaken you (Psalm 22:1).  Be honest with God and tell him how you feel. Instead of telling your friends, God has forsaken you tell God you feel forsaken by Him.  Even our Lord Jesus turned to God and asked Him why he had forsaken Him before the crucifixion. (Mathew 15:33–34)

Opening up to the Lord may not change the situation immediately. But God will strengthen you in your inner being, so that you can continue to stand firm.  If you depend on your own strength, you’re going to fail. Turn to God and lean on Him in this season.

Bible Verses to Reassure you that God Hears You

• Have Confidence that God Hears when You Ask Anything

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. – 1 John 5:14 (NIV)

You may be wondering whether God heard your prayer. Well, this verse encourages us to have confidence that God hears our prayers. Stop falling for the lies of the enemy. He will try to convince you that God did not hear your prayers but know that it is not true. When you become doubtful, read this verse and meditate on it until you get your confidence back.

If you have been praying for healing, be confident that you’re already healed even if it has not manifested in the physical. Jesus paid for your healing 2000 years ago. Fight back with healing scriptures until healing manifests in your body.

• God Hears the Prayers of the Righteous

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. – 1 Peter 3:12 (NIV)

Is the enemy telling you that God did not hear your prayer because of something you did in the past? Or do you believe that the reason you haven’t received the answer to your prayer is because of something you did?

Know that God doesn’t remember your past mistakes. He has forgiven you for your past, present, and future mistakes through Jesus. You’re no longer under any condemnation for you are in Christ Jesus. Stop focusing on yourself and fix your focus on Jesus. Know that God has listened to your prayer, and the answer is already on its way.

• God Heard the First Time, but the enemy is Hindering the Answer

Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I was detained there with the king of Persia. – Daniel 10:12-14 (NIV)

We are in a spiritual battle. The enemy doesn’t want us to live victorious lives. Even though Jesus made a public spectacle of him at the cross, he still fights us and steals the answers to our prayers.

We should never stop praying until we receive the answers. Imagine if Daniel had given up on the 20th or 21st day. The enemy would have hindered the angel of God from bringing the answer to his prayer.

The angel told Daniel that his prayer was heard the first day he prayed. Sometimes it is not that God has not answered your prayer. Maybe it is the enemy hindering the answer to your prayer from manifesting. Don’t be quick to blame God and quit praying. We need to keep on fighting the good fight of faith.

Final Thoughts

Like every other relationship, your relationship with God is a two-way street.  Meaning He needs to be your all in all, whether you feel close to Him or not.

This is not the time for you to turn to the things of the world or your friends.  By being silent, God is giving you a chance to pursue Him.  It is only when we draw near to Him that He draws near to us. Don’t give up yet, even when it is hard.  See His word coming through in your life.  Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Prayer

Father, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, I thank You for the gift of life.  Lord, Your word says that You will never leave us nor forsake us.  But I feel alone and forsaken.  I have been asking about this issue for so long, but Lord, nothing seems to be coming forth in the natural realm.  Please hear my cry, for I am feeling alone and forsaken.

God, I know that You’re with me even though You are silent.  I know in all this You are upholding me with Your righteous right hand because without You, I could not reach this far.  Lord, I know that You are fighting my battles in the spirit realm though it doesn’t look like that in the natural.  I choose to stand firm in Your word and believe in it. Fear will not reign in my life, for You have not given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.  May the lies that the enemy is infiltrating in my heart fall to the ground and fail in Jesus’ name.

Holy Spirit of God, help me to keep on holding on to the Word until it manifests in the physical.  I pray for other believers around the world that are going through what I’m going through right now.  Lord, strengthen them in the inner being that they may hold onto your word and not give up.  Remind them that you’re always with them even when they don’t feel like it.  Father, I thank You and adore You.  You remain to be King in my life forever and ever.  In Jesus’ name, I believe and pray, Amen.