Before revealing the unhidden truth behind answered prayer, first look at why prayers are not answered. That way you can make sure to avoid these mistakes and not have to wonder why your prayers went unanswered.

     Selfishness is one of the primary reasons for unanswered prayer. When the context of a prayer is centered on one's self, the heart is selfish. Such a heart is looking at what it can get rather than what it can give. The heart of God is giving, which is the result of Him being love. "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16) How can God, Who is the light of love, have fellowship with the darkness of selfishness?

     Look at what James said about selfish prayer. "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts." (James 4:3) The language is very plain. If a prayer is focused on self, the prayer goes unanswered, and rightfully so, because God is not glorified in answering a selfish prayer.

     Pride is another reason prayers go unanswered. Do you recall the parable that Jesus gave us about the Pharisee's prayer? Jesus said, "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." (Luke 18:11-12) The Pharisee was his own god.

     The Pharisee stood, prayed to himself, bragged, and boasted of himself. Read the above paragraph again. Look at the fullness of the Pharisee's pride, and see why he only prayed to himself. Do you think God turned His ear and answered anything the Pharisee said? Jesus said he prayed with himself, not with God. The Pharisee did not want to pray to God even though he said "God." Woe to you if your prayer is focused on your doings or being. If your prayer is, count on God not answering it.

     Disobedience in the manner of prayer is another problem in getting Christ to hear. The Lord gave a very specific way to communicate with Him. You might pray the right words, but if the prayer is done incorrectly, you have your just reward, but nothing of God. Read carefully what Jesus said about how to pray. "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." (Matthew 6:6-7) Jesus never prayed so that others could hear His prayer, and you will not find any place in the Bible where a prophet or an apostle prayed outside his closet either. Jesus always prayed with His Father in secret and taught others to do the same. If you want your prayers answered by man, Satan, or yourself, pray to be seen, outside your closet, as the Pharisee did. Do not be deceived; man and Satan can also answer prayer. Then, who gets the glory?

     Before praying, always remember these two scriptures. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9) "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) The Lord knows when a heart is right before Him, and He knows when He will have the glory of answered prayer.

Here is something that might be a secret to you, but God made it plain from the beginning. Christians do not have a monopoly on answered prayer. God conversed with Cain after he killed his brother, Abel. Christ spoke to Satan and to devils in the Gospels. Pride tells a saint that God favors the saints and not sinners. Such pride puts a hedge of pride between the saint and God. The Creator of heaven and earth is God; He is over all things. He set all principles and powers in place. Therefore, He will bless any person doing what He said and doing it the way He said. "For there is no respect of persons with God." (Romans 2:11) Christ said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:44-45) Christians do not have a monopoly on prayer or on God. Thinking God owes you something will only cause your prayer to fall flat at your own feet. Conceit will let you stand in the same place as the Pharisee.

     Now that we know the basic principles of what not to do in praying, let us move on and look at what God requires for Him to hear and answer a prayer.

     There is only one thing God requires, and it has two conditions. Faith is the one thing required. The proof of faith is by two conditions or witnesses. This is found in the book of Hebrews. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) Faith-filled prayer always has two witnesses, believing that God is and intently expecting Him to answer the prayer.

     It is no great thing to believe that God is. Many people believe God exists, and so do the devils or demons. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:19-20) Believing that God exists is not faith. It is a step in the right direction, but believing alone is not faith. Faith that pleases God also requires that a heart matches His, a heart of love. The devils believe in God, but they also are filled with all manner of evil. The devils even know Christ. Look what one group of devils said to Jesus when they saw Him. "And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?" (Matthew 8:29) Did you notice that the devils knew they would not be rewarded; they have no faith.
 
     When Jesus Christ saved you, you had faith that pleased God. Your prayer said that you saw God as holy and glorified. Your prayer confessed your belief that He heard you and would act on your need. You needed His forgiveness, and you believed that God would reward you. Your prayer was unselfish, and it glorified God. You were willing to give up your life for His. Your heart was right before God.

     All this sounds real simple. In fact, it is. "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." (Luke 10:21) After salvation, the problem is that religion steps in, and the child becomes wise and prudent. Bewildered, the saint does not understand why God is so far away. Shame, Shame! The Lord has never moved from His place.

     When you pray, keep your prayer simple and to the point. The Lord is not impressed with your wisdom or many words. "Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation." (Luke 20:45-47)

     "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalms 37:4) When your heat is aligned with God's, you will have the desires of your heart. Godly desires will be different from those you had when you were away from God.

     Well, now you know how to get God's ear and have answered prayers. God does not change. "For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed." (Malachi 3:6) The same elements of your prayer at salvation will get God's ear every time. Jesus prayed in this manner and taught us to do the same. "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen." (Matthew 6:9-13)