"If we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us" (1 John 5:14-15). God says, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee" (Jeremiah 33:3). Jesus promised, "Ask, and it shall be given you" (Matthew 7:7-8). The Lord hears the righteous cry (Psalm 34:17); before they call, He answers (Isaiah 65:24).
Does God answer prayer? Scripture says He hears and answers—according to His will, in His wisdom, and often beyond what we imagined. These twelve King James passages focus on God as the One who answers, not a how-to manual for prayer technique (see prayer) and not the long discipline of waiting (see waiting on God).
He hears; ask according to His will
1. 1 John 5:14-15
"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."
This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us... we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. Answered prayer is tied to His will and to confidence that He hears.
2. Jeremiah 33:3
"Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. God's answers can include revelation beyond our ask-list.
3. Matthew 7:7-8
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Jesus stacks verbs: keep coming—God is not annoyed by asking.
4. John 14:13-14
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it."
Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do... If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. Asking in Jesus' name is asking under His authority and for His purposes.
The Lord hears the cry
5. Psalms 34:17
"The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles."
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. Hearing leads to deliverance—God is not hard of hearing.
6. Psalms 65:2
"O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come."
O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. One of God's titles: the One who hears prayer.
7. Psalms 91:15
"He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him."
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble. Answer includes presence in trouble, not only escape from it.
8. Isaiah 65:24
"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Sometimes the answer is already moving before the amen.
Ask, believe, abide
9. Mark 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."
What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. Faith meets prayer—trust that God is acting as you ask.
10. James 5:16
"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer does work; it is not empty words into the air.
11. John 15:7
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Abiding shapes asking so that answers fit the Vine's life.
12. Matthew 21:22
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Jesus ties asking, prayer, and believing together.
A short prayer
Father, You are the God who hears prayer. Give me confidence to ask according to Your will. Hear my cry, answer in Your wisdom, and teach me to abide in Jesus so my asking aligns with Yours. Thank You that before I call, You already know. In Jesus' name, amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
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Frequently asked questions
Does the Bible say God answers prayer?
Yes. Jeremiah 33:3 says call and He will answer; 1 John 5:14-15 says He hears when we ask according to His will; Matthew 7:7-8 invites ask, seek, knock.
What does "according to his will" mean?
1 John 5:14 ties hearing to requests that match God's will. Abiding in Christ and His words (John 15:7) shapes desires so asking and answering meet.
Why do some prayers seem unanswered?
Scripture affirms that God hears (Psalm 65:2) and that answers may include presence in trouble (Psalm 91:15) or timing we do not expect (Isaiah 65:24). For seasons of delay, see waiting on God.
Is this a guide on how to pray?
No—this page stresses that God hears and answers. For patterns and persistence in prayer, see our prayer page.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Bible verses about prayer · Bible verses about waiting on God · Bible verses about faith · Bible verses about trusting God · Bible verses about hope
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