It’s common to hear people dispute the claim that God answers prayer. Usually it’s because some important prayer didn’t get answered, or because they can’t understand why God won’t immediately remove evil from the world.

So – instead of actually praying, we often debate about whether or not God answers prayer. However, if one believes the Bible to be the authentic voice of God then what his book says about prayer should be the final authority on the issue.

Here are a dozen Scriptures (there are many more) where the Bible proves that God answers prayer:

1. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.“–Jeremiah 33:3
2. “He will call to me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.”–Psalm 91:15
3. “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.”–Psalm 34:17.
4. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.”–Psalm 50:15.
5. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” – I John 5:14.
6. “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”–John 15:7
7. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.“–Mark 11:24
8. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you“–Matthew 7: 7
9. “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.“–John 14:14
10. “Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him..”–I John 3:21-22
11. “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”–Matt. 21:22
12. “For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”–Luke 11:1

(All citations are from the NIV)

So -why not pray ‘as if’ He will answer?

Do you have a favorite Scripture on the subject?