When believers pray, they often experience times when their requests seem to go unanswered. According to James, this can be due to selfish motives, as when "you ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly" (James 4:3). The Psalms also note that God does not hear those who harbor sin in their hearts (Psalms 66:18). However, Jesus teaches that faith and trust are essential for effective prayer, as seen in Matthew and Mark, where He emphasizes the importance of believing and receiving (Matthew 21:22, Mark 11:24). Ultimately, 1 John assures believers that God hears their prayers when they ask according to His will (1 John 5:14).
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And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
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.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
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.
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.