Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.– Jeremiah The Bible is filled with examples of God saying no to prayersAbraham, Moses, David, Job, Jonah, Peter and PaulEven Jesus was told noWhy Does God Not Answer Every Prayer with a Yes?Some prayers conflict with other prayers and both cannot be answered at the same timeSome prayers who require God to take away someone’s personal choicePraying for someone who is sick will not always get a yes because we are not meant to live on earth foreverBut many times the No is unexplainableA Word of CautionOnly use these to comfort yourself.NEVER use them with someone in pain because you don’t know why God said no to them.God says no when He has a bigger perspectiveNothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.– Hebrews One issue with our prayers is that we cannot see the unintended consequences of our requestsSometimes God says no to protect you from unforeseen problemsGod says no when He has a better planThese were all commended for their faith, yet none of themreceived what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.– Hebrews We forget that God has all of eternity to fulfill His promisesGod says no when He has a greater purposeGod is not obligated to explain why He does what He doesTherefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.– 2 Corinthians Three Facts to Understand1. There are some things that you won’t understand until heaven2. There are some things that will not change until heaven3. Sometimes your suffering is used to benefit othersWhat Should we do when God says no?Trust that God does everything in goodness and loveAnytime that God says no – Satan steps in to stir up doubtsResist itResent itRelaxPray what Jesus prayed when facing the crossGoing a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”– Mark Affirm God’s powerAsk with passionAccept God’s planExpect God to give His grace to handle His answerGrace is God’s power to handle pain and do what’s rightTo keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given mea thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.– 2 Corinthians