Andrew Murray says: It is one of the terrible marks of the diseased state of the Christian life in these days that there are so many that rest content without the distinct experience of answered prayer.

They pray daily but know little of direct, definite answer to prayer as the rule of their daily life.

And it is this the Father wills.

He seeks daily intercourse with His children in listening to and granting their petitions.

He wills that I should come to Him day by day with distinct requests.

He wills day by day to do for me what I ask.

There may be cases in which the answer is a refusal, but our Father lets His child know when He cannot give him what he requests, and like the Son in Gethsemane, he will withdraw his petition.

Whether the request be according to His will or not, God will by His Word and His Spirit teach those who are teachable and who will give Him time.

Let us withdraw our requests if they are not according to God’s mind, or persevere until the answer comes.

Prayer is appointed to obtain the answer!

It is in prayer and its answer that the interchange of love between the Father and His child takes place.

Are your prayers answered?

Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.—I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

In my distress I called upon the Lord , and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord , and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.—The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.—When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that wait for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.—I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.—Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?