Expert: D.David - 7/27/2008

Question
I have a question about prayer. My question is how do you know whether or not a prayer of yours was answered by your god or not another god. For example lets say you need $200 to pay for your bills. As a result you pray to your god. That same day you win $200 on a lottery ticket or something else happens. So your prayer was answered, however my question is how do you know that it was your god who was responsible. Couldn't it also have been another god such as Allah, Zeus or Horus. How do you know that your prayer was answered by your god. Is there some special sign or signal to know that is was indeed your god. Is there a test to verify that it was your god or do you just say it must have been my god and do not have a test.

Answer
Thanks Brian for the thought provoking question. As a Christian Prayer means much more than just asking for your wants or your needs. However, the question is how will you know who was responsible for answering your prayers.

Scriptures(The Holy Bible) has a number of examples of how God(God the Father) answers prayers. Such as Moses, and Gideon(Judges 6,7) Gideon has specifically tested God. See Elijah in I Kings 18, how he Honored God and God honored him and Himself.

When you get down to point of answering prayers. The Bible also says "Taste and see that the Lord is good." We need to try for ourselves and see how God answers prayers. But we need to know what to ask for, for example,Ask and you will receive(Matthew 7:7)God is more interested to give us eternal things rather than the materalistic perishable things of this world.

Yes, people did ask God and God did hear their prayers. But at time God did not answer their prayer, Does that mean that God did not hear their prayers. It says God answers prayers in three ways. He says yes and give you what you want, He say no and give you something better and then He says wait and give you the Best.

Personally, I have asked God many things and have seen how God has led me to trust and believe Him that He can and will provide things that are good to me.

There is a little book called "Steps to Christ" written by E.G. White, I would suggest you get a copy and read the section of Prayer. I have recommended this book to many and they were blessed and I am sure you too will be. God Bless