For those who believe in prayer, how does god decide which prayers to answer and which not to?

Answer 1

God does answer all prayer. It's just that we may not be looking for the answer in the right places and we may not even like the way he answers. There is a reason for everything that God does and decides. He does know our hearts and does know us better than we know ourselves. So He knows what is best for us.

Answer 2

Always keep in mind:

Proverbs 15:29: "The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous."

AND

Proverbs 28:9: "If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable."

So, basically if you're not following God's law/commandments, and NOT putting your whole faith in HIM, there's no way of God answering. If more people would just stop acting as if God is a celestial waiter..... snapping fingers for help and then sending him away when done.... then God would definitely be there WHENEVER you need HIM.

Answer 3

He answers all of the prayers that are according to his will to answer.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

That's probably not too helpful to answer your question but it's impossible to lay out all of the parameters that might be involved and to understand how an infinite and omniscient God might decide which prayers are according to his will. It's far easier to give a list of prayers that are not according to his will like prayers that involve abetting sinful desires or prayers that go against his revealed character.

However, there are some prayers that I could easily be certain were in his will to answer. For instance if I prayed that God would not allow me to be tempted beyond what I could bear in the area of sexual sin, then I know that prayer would be in his will to answer because that's what it says in the Bible.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

Or if I prayed for God to meet me at the point of my needs as I sought to honor Him by living a "kingdom first" lifestyle I could claim his promise to do that.

Matthew 6:31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Answer 4

People of all the major religions pray to the God that they believe in. My first inclination is to say this is a silly question, God is God and only He knows what is best. While this is true, as a Christian, God gives many guidelines in what we call both, The Old Testament and The New Testament, of what we have to do to have our prayers answered in the affirmative.

Answer 5

I don't know what makes God decide which prayer to answer or not,But I do know that he knows what is best for you,It is his will that will be done not ours.He always provides us with our needs not always our wants.

Answer 6

I like to think we all have something like a guardian angel watching after us and they listen to our prayers. It's like God is their employer and their job is to answer prayers and help guide us in life.

(Hey--it's no worse than the story about a man that can supposedly walk on water!)

Answer 7

I know that God is a just God and He knows the end before the beginning. So He considers all the outcomes and chooses the best one for everyone. How ever it is not God who puts bad things upon us. Read Job, It plainly tells that Satan put the bad things upon Job, but God gave permission. Therefore God allowed Job to suffer but knew the outcome and blessed Job.

Answer 8

If God hasn't answered then you must check ur motives and re-examine ur prayer request. When I stop doubting God,my prayers were answered immediately.
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Answer 9

I think God rolls a D20. If he rolls a 20, you get your prayer answered immediately, but if he rolls a 1, you get hit by a car.

Personally, I pray for a Hat of Girl-Kissing +3, cause with all of my D&D references, I obviously need it.

Answer 10

The Lord answers ALL our prayers....just NOT always the way that we may want Him to!