Answers To Prayer
115 passages listed in Nave’s Topical Bible and Torrey’s New Topical Textbook. Verse text: Berean Standard Bible; links open in your translation.
85 sections
- A Motive for Continued Prayer
- Abraham
- Abraham's Servant
- Apostles
- Asa
- Blind Man
- Christ Gives
- Christ Received
- Cornelius
- Daniel
- David
- Denied to Those Who are Blood Shedders
- Denied to Those Who are Deaf to the Cry of the Poor
- Denied to Those Who are Hypocrites
- Denied to Those Who are Idolaters
- Denied to Those Who are Proud
- Denied to Those Who are Self-Righteous
- Denied to Those Who are the Enemies of Saints
- Denied to Those Who are Wavering
- Denied to Those Who: Ask Amiss
- Denied to Those Who: Cruelly Oppress Saints
- Denied to Those Who: Forsake God
- Denied to Those Who: Hear not the Law
- Denied to Those Who: Live in Sin
- Denied to Those Who: Offer Unworthy Service to God
- Denied to Those Who: Regard Iniquity in the Heart
- Denied to Those Who: Reject the Call of God
- Elijah
- Elisha
- Ezra
- God Gives
- Granted: Beyond Expectation
- Granted: Sometimes After Delay
- Granted: Sometimes Differently from Our Desire
- Granted: Sometimes Immediately
- Granted: Through the Grace of God
- Hannah
- Hezekiah
- Israelites
- Jabez
- Jacob
- Jehoahaz
- Jehoshaphat
- Jeremiah
- Job
- Jonah
- Lot
- Man of God
- Manasseh
- Moses
- Nehemiah
- Paul
- Paul and Silas
- Promised
- Promised Especially in Times of Trouble
- Received by Those Who are Poor and Needy
- Received by Those Who are Righteous
- Received by Those Who: Abide in Christ
- Received by Those Who: Ask According to God's Will
- Received by Those Who: Ask in Faith
- Received by Those Who: Ask in the Name of Christ
- Received by Those Who: Call Upon God in Truth
- Received by Those Who: Call Upon God Under Affliction
- Received by Those Who: Call Upon God Under Oppression
- Received by Those Who: Fear God
- Received by Those Who: Humble Themselves
- Received by Those Who: Keep God's Commandments
- Received by Those Who: Return to God
- Received by Those Who: Seek God
- Received by Those Who: Seek God with all the Heart
- Received by Those Who: Set Their Love Upon God
- Received by Those Who: Wait Upon God
- Refusal of Elders of Israel
- Refusal of Pharisees
- Refusal of Saul
- Saints are Assured of
- Saints: Bless God For
- Saints: Love God For
- Saints: Praise God For
- Samson
- Samuel
- Solomon
- The Christians
- Thief on the Cross
- Zacharias
A Motive for Continued Prayer
- Psalm 116:2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.
Abraham
- Genesis 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
Abraham's Servant
- Genesis 24:15–27 Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor. …
Apostles
- Acts 4:29–31 And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness, …
Asa
- 2 Chronicles 14:11–12 Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You …
Blind Man
- Luke 18:38 So he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
- Luke 18:41–43 “What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “let me see again.” …
Christ Gives
- John 4:10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
- John 4:14 But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
- John 14:14 If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.
Christ Received
- John 11:42 I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this for the benefit of the people standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.”
- Hebrews 5:7 During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
Cornelius
- Acts 10:4 Cornelius stared at him in fear and asked, “What is it, Lord?” The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have ascended as a memorial offering before God.
- Acts 10:31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been remembered before God.
Daniel
- Daniel 9:20–23 While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and that of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the LORD my God concerning His holy mountain— …
David
- Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
Denied to Those Who are Blood Shedders
- Isaiah 1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Isaiah 59:3 For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice.
Denied to Those Who are Deaf to the Cry of the Poor
- Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too shall cry out and receive no answer.
Denied to Those Who are Hypocrites
- Job 27:8–9 For what is the hope of the godless when he is cut off, when God takes away his life? …
Denied to Those Who are Idolaters
- Jeremiah 11:11–14 Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them. …
- Ezekiel 8:15–18 “Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Yet you will see even greater abominations than these.” …
Denied to Those Who are Proud
- Job 35:12–13 There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. …
Denied to Those Who are Self-Righteous
- Luke 18:11–12 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men — swindlers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. …
- Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Denied to Those Who are the Enemies of Saints
- Psalm 18:40–41 You have made my enemies retreat before me; I destroyed those who hated me. …
Denied to Those Who are Wavering
- James 1:6–7 But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. …
Denied to Those Who: Ask Amiss
- James 4:3 And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
Denied to Those Who: Cruelly Oppress Saints
- Micah 3:2–4 You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones. …
Denied to Those Who: Forsake God
- Jeremiah 14:10 This is what the LORD says about this people: “Truly they love to wander; they have not restrained their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their iniquity and punish them for their sins.”
- Jeremiah 14:12 Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
Denied to Those Who: Hear not the Law
- Proverbs 28:9 Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
- Zechariah 7:11–13 But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder; they stopped up their ears from hearing. …
Denied to Those Who: Live in Sin
- Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.
- John 9:31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
Denied to Those Who: Offer Unworthy Service to God
- Malachi 1:7–9 By presenting defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible. …
Denied to Those Who: Regard Iniquity in the Heart
- Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
Denied to Those Who: Reject the Call of God
- Proverbs 1:24–25 Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand, …
- Proverbs 1:28 Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
Elijah
- 1 Kings 18:36–38 At the time of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and said, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and have done all …
- James 5:17–18 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. …
Elisha
- 2 Kings 4:33–35 So he went in, closed the door behind the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. …
Ezra
- Ezra 8:21–23 And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions. …
God Gives
- Psalm 99:6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests; Samuel was among those who called on His name. They called to the LORD and He answered.
- Psalm 118:5 In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered and set me free.
- Psalm 138:3 On the day I called, You answered me; You emboldened me and strengthened my soul.
Granted: Beyond Expectation
- Jeremiah 33:3 Call to Me, and I will answer and show you great and unsearchable things you do not know.
- Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
Granted: Sometimes After Delay
- Luke 18:7 Will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay in helping them?
Granted: Sometimes Differently from Our Desire
- 2 Corinthians 12:8–9 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. …
Granted: Sometimes Immediately
- Isaiah 65:24 Even before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.
- Daniel 9:21 while I was still praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.
- Daniel 9:23 At the beginning of your petitions, an answer went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are highly precious. So consider the message and understand the vision:
- Daniel 10:12 “Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
Granted: Through the Grace of God
- Isaiah 30:19 O people in Zion who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will surely be gracious when you cry for help; when He hears, He will answer you.
Hannah
- 1 Samuel 1:27 I prayed for this boy, and since the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him,
Hezekiah
- 2 Kings 19:20 Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I have heard your prayer concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria.
Israelites
- Exodus 2:23–24 After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. …
Jabez
- 1 Chronicles 4:10 And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez.
Jacob
- Genesis 32:24–30 So Jacob was left all alone, and there a man wrestled with him until daybreak. …
Jehoahaz
- 2 Kings 13:4 Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel.
Jehoshaphat
- 2 Chronicles 20:6–17 and said, “O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You. …
Jeremiah
- Lamentations 3:55–56 I called on Your name, O LORD, out of the depths of the Pit. …
Job
- Job 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his prosperity and doubled his former possessions.
Jonah
- Jonah 2:2 saying: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.
- Jonah 2:10 And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
Lot
- Genesis 19:19–21 Your servant has indeed found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness by sparing my life. But I cannot run to the mountains; the disaster will overtake me, and I will die. …
Man of God
- 1 Kings 13:6 Then the king responded to the man of God, “Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him as it was before.
Manasseh
- 2 Chronicles 33:13 And when he prayed to Him, the LORD received his plea and heard his petition. So He brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD is God.
- 2 Chronicles 33:19 His prayer and how God received his plea, as well as all his sin and unfaithfulness, and the sites where he built high places and set up Asherah poles and idols before he humbled himself, they are indeed written in the Records of the Seers.
Moses
- Exodus 17:4–6 Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!” …
- Exodus 17:11–13 As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed. …
- Exodus 32:11–14 But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? …
Nehemiah
- Nehemiah 4:9 So we prayed to our God and posted a guard against them day and night.
- Nehemiah 4:15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their scheme and that God had frustrated it, each of us returned to his own work on the wall.
Paul
- Acts 28:8 The father of Publius was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after praying and placing his hands on him, he healed the man.
Paul and Silas
- Acts 16:25–26 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. …
Promised
- Isaiah 58:9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk,
- Jeremiah 29:12 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
Promised Especially in Times of Trouble
- Psalm 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- Psalm 91:15 When he calls out to Me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him.
Received by Those Who are Poor and Needy
- Isaiah 41:17 The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
Received by Those Who are Righteous
- Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
Received by Those Who: Abide in Christ
- John 15:7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Received by Those Who: Ask According to God's Will
- 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Received by Those Who: Ask in Faith
- Matthew 21:21 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.
- James 5:15 And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick. The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
Received by Those Who: Ask in the Name of Christ
- John 14:13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Received by Those Who: Call Upon God in Truth
- Psalm 145:18 The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth.
Received by Those Who: Call Upon God Under Affliction
- Psalm 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
- Psalm 106:44 Nevertheless He heard their cry; He took note of their distress.
- Isaiah 30:19–20 O people in Zion who dwell in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. He will surely be gracious when you cry for help; when He hears, He will answer you. …
Received by Those Who: Call Upon God Under Oppression
- Isaiah 19:20 It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of Hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the LORD because of their oppressors, He will send them a savior and defender to rescue them.
Received by Those Who: Fear God
- Psalm 145:19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
Received by Those Who: Humble Themselves
- 2 Chronicles 7:14 and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
- Psalm 9:12 For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
Received by Those Who: Keep God's Commandments
- 1 John 3:22 and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.
Received by Those Who: Return to God
- 2 Chronicles 7:14 and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
- Job 22:23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents
- Job 22:27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
Received by Those Who: Seek God
- Psalm 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears.
Received by Those Who: Seek God with all the Heart
- Jeremiah 29:12–13 Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. …
Received by Those Who: Set Their Love Upon God
- Psalm 91:14–15 “Because he loves Me, I will deliver him; because he knows My name, I will protect him. …
Received by Those Who: Wait Upon God
- Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry.
Refusal of Elders of Israel
- Ezekiel 20:3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: Have you come to inquire of Me? As surely as I live, I will not be consulted by you, declares the Lord GOD.
Refusal of Pharisees
Refusal of Saul
- 1 Samuel 28:15 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?” “I am deeply distressed,” replied Saul. “The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by …
Saints are Assured of
- 1 John 5:15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.
Saints: Bless God For
- Psalm 66:20 Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld from me His loving devotion!
Saints: Love God For
- Psalm 116:1 I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice — my appeal for mercy.
Saints: Praise God For
- Psalm 116:17 I will offer to You a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
- Psalm 118:21 I will give You thanks, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation.
Samson
- Judges 15:18–19 And being very thirsty, Samson cried out to the LORD, “You have accomplished this great deliverance through Your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” …
Samuel
- 1 Samuel 7:9 Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
Solomon
- 1 Kings 3:9 Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
- 1 Kings 3:12 behold, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been another like you, nor will there ever be.
The Christians
Thief on the Cross
- Luke 23:42–43 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” …
Zacharias
- Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
Related topics
Topics: Nave’s Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey’s New Topical Textbook (1897), public domain, via the Berean Bible topical index.