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HELEN SANDERS
6-13-2022
WHEN GOD SAYS NO
When we pray there are three answers that may come. First, the answer is an immediate yes. Secondly, the answer is an immediate no. Finally, the answer may be yes, but there may be a delay.
We have to determine what God is saying by that inner witness, in our spirit. You see, God speaks to us in our spirits. His Spirit communicates to us in the inner man.
When we pray, we must see if what we are requesting is not something that would violate God’s Word. God never violates His word. He never tells us to lie, steal, or to murder. (There is a difference between murder and defending yourself or your country.)
With the Ten Commandments as a guide, we can know certain things for certainty.
There will be times when we pray that we know that God is telling us “no.” We may not know the reason, but He has shut a door to that petition.
Here is an illustration that might help you understand. A friend lived in a complex where I lived. She and her mother had been very close. Her mother was a Christian but had developed a serious illness where her condition was terminal. This friend was praying and praying that her mother would be healed. One evening the Lord spoke to my friend and told her that her mother was ready to “go home” but that the woman’s prayers were delaying this. The Lord told my friend that she had to “let go” because it was her mother’s time to “go home.” As hard as it was for this friend, she released her mother, and a few hours later the Lord called her home.
The woman’s prayers were answered with a “no.” It was not God’s will for her mother to suffer, but she had to release her.
Often when a no comes to us, it is for our own good. Often it could save a life, or it could cause harm if the answer was yes. God knows what is best for each of us. What may be a yes for one person, may be a no for another person. We must trust that God knows best.
When King Hezekiah asked for an additional fifteen years to live after being told he would die, his request was granted. During those fifteen years a son was born named Manasseh. He became one of the evilest kings that Israel ever had. I see Hezekiah’s prayer hindering the plan for Israel.
When you pray, consider all of the facts, and trust that God will show you the answer. If he says no, it means that He has a better plan for you. Trust Him.
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