There is never a time that God doesn’t answer when you pray to him. He hears every prayer that you utter whether you are in fellowship with Him or not.

Sometimes he will tell you yes. Other times, he says, wait, and then there are times when the answer is no. What can you do when God says no?

First of all, recognize the one to whom you have given a request. The possibility was always there for you to receive the answer, no.

God says no for many different reasons, all of which we may never understand. The Scripture tells us if we ask for bread, we won’t receive a snake (Matt 7:9-11).

God is the giver of good gifts, and he loves us unconditionally. So, when you have prayed and asked for something that you think will be good for you and God says no, it can be a little discouraging.

My sister, let’s dig into some of the reasons that God says no:

 

God says no or wait because he has a better plan.

 

Your thoughts are not his thoughts; neither are your ways his ways (Is 55:8-9). He always has a better plan. Do you remember when you had a blankie, stuffed animal, or toy that you never wanted to part with?

If you could’ve taken it into the shower, you would’ve done so. But the thing about those memorable objects is that they are usually very filthy. Sometimes they fall apart with wear and tear.

When our parents decide to give us new and improved toys in exchange for the old, we refuse to go. We hang on for dear life, not realizing that a much newer and clean version is available.

Are you guilty of holding on to plans that God has already taken away? What he has is a much better plan than the one that you had (Hebrews 11:39-40)

 

God says no or wait because he has a greater purpose.

 

God is Sovereign. This means that he has all power and full authority in heaven and on earth. Everything that happens is under his control (Job 42:2). This means that he doesn’t make any mistakes.

You will never know the cost of what you want. God may be sparing you from unforeseen trials that wouldn’t be right for you in the future. All we can see right now is the beauty and strength that we long for will bring but what we lack is the vision.

God said no because there is a greater purpose that we are blind to right now (1 Peter 1:7). We can trust that God is already in the future and knows what is best (Rom 8:28).

God says no or wait because the timing is not right.

 

Sometimes it is not the right time. God may be saying, wait, hold on, slow down, and trust me, my child. But living in this day and age, we have become so accustomed to fast food. We want fast results.

Because of this, we don’t realize the importance of being patient and waiting on God. This has happened to me numerous times. Has it ever happened to you?

When you go through the drive-through line, get your food and realize it wasn’t done properly, what is your first reaction. Rushed food or fast food may not be cooked properly.

Yet, I get mad. How can I eat food that was not prepared correctly? I can’t. It’s the same with the process of waiting. God wants to give us the best.

His timing is always perfect, no matter how long or short it takes. If you rush the brush, you can spoil the painting (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11)

 

 

How do you respond when God says no or wait?

 

You can find grace in his answer.

Remember that the God you serve is gracious. Every move he makes is precise and calculated.

If you took a good look at what you asked and monitored the direction in which God led you, God may let you see why he said no.

We serve a God that gives us bountiful grace, which is evident in how he responds to our prayer.

 

How do you see God?

The way you see God determines your response to his answer, especially when he says no or wait. If you see God as a genie or wish well, this can greatly affect your response to Him. God is not sitting on the throne to grant your wishes or requests. He isn’t there to cater to your every desire.

Some of us view God as a God of punishment. We see him as a parent who wants to tease and punish us by withholding what we ask for. This means that our view of God is limited and skewed. We should see God as a loving father ready to bestow good blessings on us because he cares about our spiritual growth.

A part of our spiritual growth entails pain. Trials are not easy. They hurt. But at the end of the season, we are more defined, a little more secure, and stronger in our faith. God may say no because it is a part of our sanctification process.

 

Are you building your own theology?

Theology is the study of who God is. A believer that doesn’t nourish their body with good food from the Bible can begin building their own theology about God.

This happens when you start believing lies from the world and your own thoughts instead of believing what the Bible says about Him. We are all products of our environment and culture. As we age, new information is shared and learned.

Before we even realize it, there are so many lies in our heads that we believe are true. This can happen to us with God. If your mother said, God is punishing you every time you fall and get hurt… it is easy to believe this over time because it will stick in your brain.

Children eventually become adults, and the ideologies learned as children will be stuck in their heads for a long time.

 

How to pray when God says no or wait?

Isaiah 55:8

God has told us that our thoughts are not His thoughts and his ways are not our ways. This is an awesome passage to use when praying to God, and his response is no.

Adding the phrase, it’s not my will, but Thine be done is great for showing humility and trust. You are basically leaving everything in God’s hands. This is what I want or need, Lord, but your decision is best for me.

Sample Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know that because of who you are this decision was made long before my birth. Give me the strength to move on and accept your will for my life because it is not my will but yours be done. In Jesus’ name, amen.

What does the Bible say about God saying no?

Here are some things to remember when God says no.

Remember God’s goodness, his power, his sovereignty, that he cares, his love, he hears (Heb 5:7), and his grace (2 Cor 12:8-1)

 

David–

lamented and pleaded with God to spare the life of his child, but God said no. We were able to see him go through grief and still praise God through the process.

David made a profound statement when he realized God had said no. He said, “I will go to him because he cannot return to me.” What a blessed hope we have as believers to see our loved ones one day in heaven. (2 Samuel 12:16-23)

Paul –

had a thorn in the flesh which he asked God to remove time and time again, but God said no. Paul realized that God would be with him and his grace was sufficient for him (2 Cor 12:9).

Paul knew why God gave him the thorn and after asking a couple of times he accepted it.

 

JESUS-

Luke 22:42- Jesus asked God to take the cup of suffering from him. He knew what was ahead, and he was praying to God, the Father. We know that God didn’t grant his request because we are forgiven and saved today as a result of what he did on Calvary.

 

Other Bible Passages about when God say no or wait.

James 4:3- God says no when you ask for something because you have the wrong motives. If what you ask for will take you away from God and closer to the World, sometimes God won’t say yes.

Hebrews 11:6- God wants you to have faith when you come to him because he rewards those who truly seek him. Do you believe that God exists? Your prayers cannot be answered if you are doubting God’s existence.

Romans 8:28- When God says no, he is working out everything for your good. He truly knows what is best for you.

Isaiah 46:9-11- when God makes a choice, he doesn’t make any mistake. As God, he does what he wants, and as his people, we should trust his decisions.

1 John 5:14-15- when seeking God for answers, you can know with confidence that God will hear you. He always does. The only thing we ought to do is align our will with God’s.

Matthew 14:19- Jesus did nothing without first praying to God, the Father. For this particular miracle, prayer was offered up for the food they were about to partake of and was the key to the awesome miracle of the feeding of 5000 men.

Conclusion

When God says no or wait, he is working everything out for your good. First, realize that he never slumbers nor sleeps. And secondly, he hears and cares.

He cares so much he only wants to give you good gifts as any loving father would. Be patient, my sister. Wait for God to answer. And when God says no, thank him for his sovereignty.

Find out what type of prayers God answers on desiring God or why God doesn’t answer your prayers at bibleinfo.

Love

Keneesha 🙂