If God Answers Prayer
God answers prayer because of His goodness, not because we deserve it.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes that God answers prayer not because of human merit or goodness, but solely due to His inherent goodness and lovingkindness. He challenges the notion that certain individuals are favored by God due to their righteousness, asserting that all have fallen short and deserve punishment. Instead, it is God's benevolence that leads Him to respond to our prayers. Tozer encourages gratitude for God's faithfulness and grace, reminding us that prayer is answered out of His goodness, not our deserving.
Text
So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." --Isaiah 6:5
Why does God answer prayer? Let's not imagine that it's because somebody was good. We Protestants think we don't believe in saints, but we do. We canonize them: we have Saint George Mueller, Saint C.H. Spurgeon, Saint D.L. Moody and Saint A.B. Simpson. We get the idea that God answered prayer for them because they were really good. They would deny that fervently if they were here.
Nobody ever got anything from God on the grounds that he deserved it. Having fallen, man deserves only punishment and death. So if God answers prayer it's because God is good. From His goodness, His lovingkindness, His good-natured benevolence, God does it! That's the source of everything. The Attributes of God, pp. 46-47
"Thank You, God, that You are indeed good, You are faithful, You are gracious, You are full of lovingkindness and benevolence. Thank You that You do in fact answer prayer! Amen."
Sermon Outline
- Why God Answers Prayer
- The Source of God's Goodness
- Prayer and God's Goodness
- God answers prayer because He is good
- Not because we are good
Key Quotes
“Nobody ever got anything from God on the grounds that he deserved it.” — A.W. Tozer
“Thank You, God, that You are indeed good, You are faithful, You are gracious, You are full of lovingkindness and benevolence.” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We should approach God with humility, recognizing that we don't deserve His answers.
- We should thank God for His goodness and lovingkindness.
- We should pray with confidence, knowing that God answers prayer because of His goodness.