[christian adults] what does it mean to have your prayers answered?

Answer 1

you have hit rock bottom and become delusional

Answer 2

Prayer is a means by which we draw nearer to God.

God hears all the prayers of the righteous. But consider the following:

A Christian hunter is hunting bears in the woods. While walking up a hill he grabs a branch for leverage and it breaks sending the hunter tumbling down the hill, gun flying off elsewhere. When the hunter dusts himself off he sees a huge bear charging him. The hunter begins running, but trips and falls, landing on his knees. Seizing the opportunity, and being a good Christian, the hunter begins to pray, "Lord, make this bear a Christian."

The woods are quiet, the hunter turns and, Hallelujah! He sees the bear on his knees, paws together, praying! Listening, he hears the bear praying, "Father, bless this food to my body."

The key point here is that God answers prayers of the righteous, but the answer you get may not be the answer you want, BUT it will always be the right answer.

I speak to God just as I write these words to you now. I have a conversation with Him each day. My prayers are conversations that follow a pattern. I start every prayer with the following: "Most merciful God, not my will, but yours be done." I repeat that phrase often during my prayers. Sometimes I will do so for tens of times just to quiet my mind and make it open to hearing from my Creator.

Use the following pattern in all your prayers and you will see them answered: Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. See the links below for more information. (acronym: ACTS)

http://www.prayerguide.org.uk/actsmodel.htm

http://www.powertopray.com/howto/ACTS.html

Between your prayers, study the scriptures, find a good bible commentary, and learn the fundamentals of your beliefs so that you can defend them. The more you learn the more questions you will have. I and others will be around to answer them when you want.

Answer 3

Having our prayers answered can mean a lot of things. Such as Yes, No, Yes but not now! In our instant society here in the USA, we may take Yes, but not now as a No.

Answer 4

Maturing from "Self-Centeredness" into a better human being. Hopefully, God willing I'll get to level 4 (see link) Sometimes this means turning away from my desires and receiving something I didn't know I wanted ... other times, what I want is in line with God, and he spoiles me.

Answer 5

It means that God heared my prayer and that what I asked him was indeed his holy will.