PRAYERS DO GET ANSWERED. Jas 5:16 "..The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."
Elijah is sighted as an example for prayers answered. Elijah was a man "of like passions." Means that he had the same human limitations as we. Some pre conditions exist:
1. Prayers must be in accordance with God’s will. 1 Jo 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
2. Prayers must be prayed in faith. Mr 11:24 "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them]."
3. Prayers must be prayed by one who life is not compromised with iniquity. Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]:19 [But] verily God hath heard [me]; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed [be] God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me."
4. Prayers must be offered by those persons who live lives which are pleasing to God. 1 Jo 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." Question to us? Do we feel that our life is lived with the intent of being we are pleasing God to all things?
5. Prayers must be asked in order to be answered. Some Christians never really get down to business and pray with the whole heart and soul. Joh 16:24 "Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." James 4.2"Ye have not because ye ask not."
6. A prayer may even be answered without any preconditions being met if it happens to coincide with God’s sovereign plans. Luke 18:13, "God be merciful to me a sinner."