Young People's Group

“CERTAINLY GOD HAS HEARD ME”

by Pastor Mitch
August 26, 2012

Testifying Of Proven Principles Of Prayer

Prayer is indeed a great privilege from God. As I reflect on our 39 years of ministry at Bethany, one doctrine that I have come to appreciate and treasure is how God hears and answers our prayers. It is through God answering our prayers that He has blessed us richly today as a Church. In the text of Psalm 66, the Psalmist personally testified of how God had graciously responded to his petitions. He declared proven principles of prayer to the people who feared God.

1. Prayer And Praise Go Together

“I cried to Him with my mouth, 
And He was extolled with my tongue.” 
Psalm 66:17

The Psalmist cried out to God in his time of need because he believed in prayer. At the same time, he highly honoured the Lord by extolling Him. The word “extol” in Hebrew means to offer high praises. The Psalmist practised prayer by giving the Lord praise that is due to Him. Prayer and praise very much go together. Young people, let’s seek to include praise as part of our prayer life.

2. Prayer And The Life We Live Matters

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, 
The Lord will not hear.” 
Psalm 66:18

The Psalmist knew that God does not just consider the act of praying to Him. He also looks at our heart and the way we live before Him. If we are living in sin and iniquity dwells in our heart, God will not hear our prayers. The Lord is far from those who walk in wickedness but he hears the prayer of the righteous (Proverbs 15:29). Answer to prayers is also dependent on whether we harbour sin in our hearts or not. Let’s ensure that we live our life well, that the Lord would hear us when we cry to Him.

3. The Mercy Of God As The Underlining Basis In Prayer

“Who has not turned away my prayer, 
Nor His mercy from me!” 
Psalm 66:20

Ultimately, God’s abundant mercies form the basis of His answering our prayers. The fact that God does not turn away our prayers is testimony of how He is most merciful to us. God has the prerogative not to hear our prayers. And yet He does because of His great mercies. We should never take prayer and the Lord’s mercies for granted. Young people, let’s also learn to depend on God’s abundant mercies as the underlying basis to prayers being answered.

Blessing God For Answered Prayers

“Blessed be God, 
Who has not turned away my prayer, 
Nor His mercy from me!” 
Psalm 66:20

As the Psalmist reflected on the awesomeness of God in answering prayers, he had a heart of deep gratitude to Him. He gave praise to God for His mercies. Youths, let’s appreciate how God has answered our prayers and the prayers of those who love Him at Bethany. Let’s seek to practise these proven principles of prayer. As we experience God’s mercy, let us say, “Blessed be God.”

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