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Sermon Outline

Tough Questions: 
Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayers?

Pastor Clark Pfaff


Key Point: God’s Part

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. “You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. (Matthew 7:7-11, NLT)

a.  Yes

14 We are certain that God will hear our prayers when we ask for what pleases him. 15 And if we know that God listens when we pray, we are sure that our prayers have already been answered. 
(1 John 5:14-15, CEV)

13 … I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.(John 14:13-14, NIV)

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. (John 16:24, NIV)

b. No

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5, ESV) 

c. Wait 

Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.(Psalm 27:14, NIV 


Key Point: Our Part

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV) 

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
(Hebrews 13:14, NLT)

 a. Persist

1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8, NIV). 

b. Participate

If God has been generous with you, he will expect you to serve him well. But if he has been more than generous, he will expect you to serve him even better. (Luke 12:48, CEV)