08-17-2025 When God Answers Prayers
Text: Psalm 28:6-7
This sermon was delivered by Bill in my Absence.
All of us pray in times of trouble. It’s as natural as breathing. But praising God when He answers our prayers is another matter. When the storm has passed, the sad thing is that more often than not, many of us don’t remember to thank God for getting us through it. Let’s look at how David didn’t forget to thank God.
Our text this morning is found in Psalm 28 verses 6-7 where David wrote: “(6)Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of My supplications. (7)The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoices; and with my song will I praise Him.” David didn’t forget to raise his voice in grateful praise, and he is an excellent example to us all to follow.
We learn in verse 6 that David is thankful because God heard his prayers. “He hath heard the voice of my supplications.” The word ‘supplications’ is just another word for humble prayers. David’s thankfulness is personal, and he wrote this psalm in response to what God had done for him.. In verse 1 of Psalm 28 we see how David wrote “O Lord my rock; be not silent to me.” He prays because he has a personal relationship with God and knows that God is his firm foundation. David is also praying with a strong sense of urgency. He feels he will die unless God helps him. So he lifts his hands toward the temple and pleads for answers that will vindicate his righteousness. Then when the answers arrive he writes “Blessed be the Lord,” not hesitating to give God the glory for responding to his prayers and helping him with what he needed.
In verse 7 shows us that God honored David’s faith and helped him, so he is showing his thankfulness to God with the words “My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.” As Christians, we learn early that all of God’s blessings flow from our faith that He is with us and watching over us. Paul tells us in Romans 5:1 and Ephesians 2:8-9 that we are saved by faith. And in Romans 1:17 Paul reminds us that we are to live by faith. Then, James, the brother of Jesus, tells us in James 1:6 we are to pray in faith. That means that when we pray, we are to pray knowing that God will not only hear us but that He will answer us. It was faith that brought David strength and protection as he says in the opening of verse 7. Down through the ages and still today God honors faith, so why are we worrying? Instead, we have to stop trembling and start trusting that God will answer us in times of trouble. David said “I am helped. Charles Spurgeon once said that every day believers can find a way that they have been helped by God. Isaiah reminds us in Isaiah 41:10 and 13 that God has promised to help us so we should not be afraid.
When David saw how God helped him it caused him to rejoice over what God had done. As a result, he wrote this Psalm, or song, because his heart was filled with the need to praise and thank God for the answer to his prayers. Again, Charles Spurgeon said, “Those who pray well will soon praise well.” This means that when we pray with true faith, we will soon have reason to pray prayers of praise to God for His answers to our prayers.
If you aren’t receiving the answers you need when you pray, you need to ask yourself if you dared to pray with a strong urgency over your circumstances and allowed your prayer to be guided by a strong faith where you trust that God will hear and answer your prayer. Prayer can’t be a half-hearted exercise. We must have real faith that God will answer us and protect us every day of our lives. Then, after we have received our answers, we must never forget to respond to His answer with thanksgiving and praise for what He has done for us. This part is as important as praying with a strong faith that He will answer us. We must never miss an opportunity to show our gratitude to God for holding us close and protecting us both in good times and in bad. Also, take the opportunity to pray every day just to touch base and thank God for blessing you in all areas of your life.
We should never let our prayer life be one of only asking for help with problems or difficulties we are having. We have to be full time Christians and thank Him often for what He does for us. When we make prayer a daily habit in every circumstance, we will find our lives will be much smoother and our relationship with God grow stronger. Never be afraid to let God know that you know He is always with you. If you find yourself driving down the road and you were able to avoid something that could have led to an accident, don’t forget to thank God. If you find yourself able to resolve a disagreement with your spouse, parent, friend, or co-worker, thank God for helping you to work that out. Or if you find something that you lost and have been searching for, thank God! When prayer becomes a daily habit rather than only a cry for help in the tough times, you will have a happier life. Trust God, lean on Him, and never forget to thank Him for what he does for you all the time.
Until we meet again, may God bless you and keep you, may He shine His light on you, show you grace, and give you peace in all the days ahead.