The Scriptures are full of examples of people whose prayers were answered miraculously by Heavenly Father.
But does God still hear our prayers? Does he still perform miracles on our behalf?
The Scriptures say God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore, what he taught his followers in the Bible should be true today.
Jesus taught: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for ever one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. … If ye … being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7-8,11).
I testify this Scripture is true – and not just for old foggies like me, but also for young children and teen-agers.
From the time I was a young child, I planned to become a minister. But when I was 17, I felt impressed that for some reason God did not want me to be a minister. This confused me. Why wouldn’t he want me to go into the ministry?
One Sunday morning I went up the hill near our farm to ask God. I spent all morning in prayer.
Finally I felt inspired to ask for a confirming sign – in fact, more than one. So I did – four specific signs that:
1) I would be elected the State Teen-Age Republican (TAR) president. This was very unlikely since the state convention the previous year was a battle between the two big chapters in Spokane and Seattle. I would be attending with one other student from Connell.
2) The election would NOT be because of anything I personally did, but would occur in surprising fashion.
3) I would receive a college scholarship – even though I had no knowledge of any such scholarship being given at the convention.
4) A personal request just as unlikely.
Indeed, all four of these signs were unlikely, but together they represented a miracle.
I had become acquainted with the state TAR vice president the previous year. When I arrived at the weeklong TAR camp and convention following my prayer, I learned the vice president had become president.
He asked if I would serve with him on a committee to prepare TAR constitutional amendments and resolutions for convention consideration. I agreed and quickly became absorbed by the task.
The Friday convention arrived. The constitutional amendments and the resolutions were discussed and passed by the delegates. Then the president announced the time had arrived to elect the next year’s president.
The Lord had totally wiped out of my mind all thought of running for president until that moment. Whereas the prior year’s candidates had organized groups of chanting supporters, large banners, and fancy fliers, I sat there totally unprepared. Not even someone to nominate me. No prepared speech. No organization. No fliers. Nothing.
My friend from my high school shyly rose and nominated me. There was silence. No one would run against me. I was unanimously elected.
A few minutes later, the convention organizers announced I had won a college scholarship – although I had not applied for one. Indeed, all four signs were fulfilled exactly as requested.
The miracle was not that I was elected state TAR president, but how it occurred. I had thought about running for TAR president for a year. I had prayed about it. How in the world could it have been wiped out so completely from my mind?
I know without question the Lord fulfilled those signs because I sincerely wanted to know his will for me. I wanted to do his will.
Over the coming year, I continued to pray in faith to find out what God did have in mind for me, and he miraculously answered those prayers as well.
I have had many prayers answered during my life, but I wanted to share this experience to make an important point: God answers the prayers of children and teens, as well as adults – sometimes I think even more so.
Pray in faith. Don’t just pray once, but pray daily. Expect an answer. And commit yourself to do whatever God inspires you to do.
I testify God will answer your prayers. Not every single prayer as quickly as you ask it. But he will answer the important prayers when the time is right, your heart is open and your spirit committed.