Isaiah 30:19 (NKJV) For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you.
Unlike flawed humans who sometimes don’t hear us, can’t hear us or purposely choose to ignore us, God is always listening and ready to respond. There are some conditions to God’s “hearing” though that most Christians are not taught or do not consider…
- Sin must be confessed (2Chron 6.26; Psa 66.18; James 5.1; Prov 1.28)
- Unforgiveness must not be present (Mark 11.25)
- We must be asking for the right reasons (1John 5.13-15; James 4.3)
- We have to have faith in Christ (John 15.7)
- We ask in Jesus name for His glory (John 14.14)
- We have to be obedient (1John 3.22)
- We must ask God in belief (Mark 11.24)
- You must be treating your spouse in a Godly manner (1Pet 3.7)
Upon meeting those conditions though, God promises to hear, be gracious and answer. It will be HIS answer which often does not match what WE want to hear. So we have to be ready to accept whatever answer comes from the Throne.
We understand that a good earthly father would never ignore the sincere cries for help from their children. How much more will a Heavenly Father respond to the heartfelt prayers and tears of His children?
Think It Over: Only Believers in Christ enjoy the priceless treasure of knowing that God listens, hears and responds graciously. Many Christians do not avail themselves of this unique privilege and sadly, unbelievers can’t even begin to imagine it.