In less then a week, the Lord had me down to one pack a day and I never "denied myself" in any way. I just smoked whenever I wanted a cigarette and God took care of the rest.I understood that this was an important lesson for me, but wasn't quite sure what to do with it. I wondered if I should stop smoking, but I honestly didn't want to stop. Then, one day when I was praying for two of my sons who are addicted to either drugs or alcohol, I had a thought that just wouldn't go away. The thought was, "How could I honestly tell my boys that God can take away their addictions and make them new creations if I wasn't willing to show them by having Him take mine away." So now I had a new battle, because, as I said, I really didn't want to quit smoking. But to help my boys, I was willing to ask the Lord to change my heart and bring me to the point of wanting to quit. So I had a long talk with the Lord about it, asking him to first change my heart, and then asking that when it came time to make me stop smoking, that He would take both the desire to smoke away from me and even the thought of cigarettes away from me. After that, I didn't think of it very often, but when I did, I'd pray the same thing. This went on for almost 2 years.
Then, last August I got very sick. Bruce took me to the ER and they put me on antibiotics and prednisone and nebulizer treatments. It took a whole week before I even started to feel a little better. During all that time, all I did was sit in my recliner and talk to the Lord. My cigarettes and an ashtray were sitting beside me on a table the whole time. It just didn't occur to me to smoke. When Bruce was home after work, he smoked as usual, which didn't bother me or cause me to think about smoking myself. It was as though I'd never been a smoker; like the cigarettes that were on the table belonged to someone else. I never experienced the thought of, "Oh I need (or want) a cigarette badly now". Normally, if I'd been somewhere I couldn't smoke, I'd start feeling the need for a cigarette and would want one badly within a couple of hours. But it just never happened. After I got over the infection and began feeling better, I still had no desire for a cigarette and still never thought about smoking unless Bruce brought it up. Then my thoughts were simply that I was amazed the Lord had done it so well and so quickly. After I hadn't smoked for close to a month, I caught myself reaching for a cigarette when I was sitting at my desk. (as that's where I generally smoked the most) I had to laugh then because I realized it was a physical reaction without any thought of actually smoking being part of it. Over the last two months that's happened a total of two times. Both times I used the occasion to thank the Lord and praise Him for making me stop smoking so easily!
What's funny is that I also don't think about the fact that I've stopped smoking, usually not unless someone else brings it up. A friend asked me to keep them informed when they found out about it, so they could keep me in prayer. I said I would, and intended to do so, but then a month went by before my daughter reminded me of how long I hadn't smoked for, which reminded me to tell my friend. It's really weird. The only way I can think of explaining it is that it's like I never smoked at all before; so unless something or someone reminds me of it, it just doesn't compute. Seeing another person's cigarettes doesn't make me think of it, it just tells me they smoke. Being around other people who smoke doesn't make me want to smoke either. But being around cigarette smoke does smell bad to me. I have no desire to smoke and don't think about cigarettes or smoking at all. God is just amazing!
For those who suspect that it was my illness that made me quit, let me share that I had the same thing about 10 years ago, and was very sick that time as well. The difference is that I smoked the whole time I was sick and of course continued to when I was well. So, sorry, it wasn't the illness, it was God.
This is how I reply to those who think I quite on my own and that God had nothing to do with it:
He replied, God doesn't help many who have faith
I was telling one of my doctors that God had caused me to quit smoking, when he asked me why God would do that for me. I said something like, because I had faith in Him, and his immediate reply was that "lots of people have faith but God doesn't help them". His whole attitude was that it was crazy for me to give God credit for something like that. I was so angry that I knew I didn't dare open my mouth or I'd say something I'd regret. How dare he say such lies about the Lord! That's why I was angry, not because of anything to do with me, but because he was putting the Lord down. Since at the time we were at my husbands doctor appointment, not my own, and it was almost over, I knew I wouldn't be able to say anything to him about this. There are many reasons that God might not answer someone's prayer (such as a prayer for healing or to stop smoking, etc.). He will always answer a sincere prayer for salvation!
Everyone really lives a life of faith, whether they know it or not. Their faith may be in making money, or being powerful in politics, or in their spouse or their parents, or any number of other things. Because we're living in the end times during the great falling away of the Church, we do need to determine if the person in question has faith in the real Jesus and is really saved. For that, the person needs to do what the Bible says and examine themselves to see if they're in the faith, and examine what the Bible says about Jesus and the Father to see if their faith is in the real God. If they aren't saved, or their faith is in a false Jesus, then their prayer isn't likely to be answered.
Assuming that the person is really saved and is not following a false god, then we need to look at their life of faith. Are they perhaps living in unrepented sin? I'm talking about something they know is a sin and that they are continuing to do it anyway. I am not speaking of something they're unaware of. However, it could be something that someone has told them is a sin and they're refusing to believe it because they don't want to give it up. God tells us in His Word that once we've been made aware of something, He will hold us accountable for it. If that's the case, they need to repent, and confess their sin to the Lord and be forgiven; then they can ask for what they want. (by repent God means to turn away from the sin and not do it any more.)
When Jesus said that the Father would give us anything we ask for in His Name, that doesn't mean we can literally ask for anything. By saying we need to ask for it in His Name, Jesus is saying that what we ask for must be in line with what Jesus Himself would ask for; what He would agree with. If our request is not something He would request, then the Father won't grant it.
For a Christian, prayer is an expression of their relationship with God, which is a father/child relationship. In Matthew 18:3 Jesus tells us that we must become like little children or we'll never enter Heaven. A little child trusts their father. They know their father will do what he said he will and will do it at exactly the right time. So when we pray in His Will, we are asking Him to do what He says He will and to do it at the exact right time when it will benefit us the most. As a child we don't know when that time will be. The person praying for healing may pray for 20 years and not see it yet. That doesn't mean however that God isn't going to heal them. it means He will do so in His time, not ours. That too is part of living by faith. Faith tells me that God will heal me. I have no idea when that will happen, but I know it will happen. I may be 85 before He does or it could happen today, or it may not happen until I'm in Heaven. Either way is fine with me because I know it will be in His perfect timing. And remember too that Jesus tells us to be persistent with our prayers, and not to give up.
True Christians live by faith and not by sight. Part of the reason they don't live by sight is because they know that they can't see all that's going on, since we can't see what's happening in the spiritual realm. A life of faith isn't just sitting back and waiting for something to happen. A life of faith entails action as well. First it means knowing God's Word from Genesis to Revelation and knowing it better then we know anything else. That alone means studying His Word daily as the Lord commands us to do. We can't very well live by faith in the one true God and His Son, Jesus Christ, if we don't know them, nor can we have a close relationship with them if we don't know them well. To have that close relationship requires that we know their Word and we are in constant communication with them. (prayer). Prayer for us isn't just about getting something. It's about talking to our Father, telling Him about our joys as well as our sorrows. Thanking Him for His blessings as well as asking for the things we or others need.
Jesus tells us too that we're to ask for things that are in His Will. We can't do that either if we don't know what His Will is, and the only way we can know that is by knowing His Word. So we can add knowing His Will and asking within it to what it involves to live a life of faith. In Psalm 37:4 we're told that God will give the person who lives by faith the desires of their heart. I love that verse and have to laugh every time I read it. I laugh because so many people seem to think it means they can have the new house or car they're praying for, but that's not it at all. When you're saved, God uses His Word to transform you and make you more like Christ. The more time you spend in His Word and apply it to your life, the more like Christ you become. So the person who "delights themselves in the Lord" is someone who's hearts desires are the same thing that Jesus would desire - generally the salvation of their loved ones or that they would live godly lives, or something along those lines!
Living a life of faith, that relationship with the God of all creation, is really an amazing adventure. It's not just about our actions, but is about our attitude, our thoughts and feelings. We're to be holding on to our Father and constantly checking in with Him, for His help, guidance, and encouragement. It really is a two way relationship.
I know someone who always tells me she's under a lot of stress and is always worrying. She can't understand why God hasn't answered her prayers to relieve her stress and help her to stop worrying so much. I spent almost a year explaining to her what God tells us to do about about stress, worry, anxiety, etc, and how to handle it. She even made notes and copied the scripture references. That was about 6 years ago now, but she hasn't changed. She simply refuses to apply God's Word to her life. She doesn't realize it but she's living in sin because she's not applying God's Word to her life. (James 1:22) She also doesn't seem to realize that God HAS answered her prayer. His answer is in His Word. All she has to do is do what it says and she will have her answer. Sadly This is true for many people who think their prayers haven't been answered. The answer is right there in His Word, but they refuse to do what He says.
Sadly, I often see people who have never shown any interest in God or in obeying Him, who when they are suffering from a tragedy of some sort, begin asking for prayer. This is a great time to speak to them about God and how they can be sure that He will hear and answer their prayer if they give up living for themselves and live for Him instead. That usually doesn't happen though. Instead people just answer saying they're praying. If the prayers are answered in a manner that the person thinks is good, then they say thank you and forget all about God again until the next disaster. I've seen God give people supernatural miracles and they still ignore Him! Oh they're amazed at first, but it doesn't last.
Finally, there's also the possibility that God did answer the prayer and His answer was simply, "no". Living a life of faith includes accepting that answer when you're sure that's what He has said, and acknowledging that your Father has answered that way for a very good reason. You realize that you may never know what His reason was, but because you know Him, and know His character, you know that He did so out of His love for you and possibly for others too. You know that you can trust Him no matter what.
Today however, many people who are part of those "falling away" don't trust Him. They get angry when He says no and doesn't do what they want. They seem to think that God owes them! They think they can live any way they want to, can disobey God constantly, use foul language, and frankly rarely think about Him, but boy when they want something from Him and He doesn't come through, they get angry! Or, they'll use that He didn't answer their prayer as an excuse not to believe in Him. They don't seem to see how ridiculous that is either. 
Often the people like my doctor who don't believe God answers the prayers of those who are truly saved, are quite simply not saved themselves, even though they may think they are. Sadly a vast majority of the people who call themselves "Christians" today, aren't saved at all. When you meet someone who really is saved, you can see the difference in them and there's no doubt about who they belong to.
I'm sure there are other reasons that God doesn't answer someone's prayer, but I'll have to stop for now. Hopefully others can add to this!
Here are some scriptures that speak about this:
“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)
“We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” (John 9:31)
“You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:2–3)
““Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD, since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,” (Proverbs 1:28–30)
“If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable. He who leads the upright along an evil path will fall into his own trap, but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.” (Proverbs 28:9–10)
“If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;” (Psalm 66:18)
“Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD will hear when I call to him.” (Psalm 4:3)
“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)
““Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23–24)
““ ‘When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,’ says the LORD Almighty.” (Zechariah 7:13)
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:30)
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1–2)
““In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” (Ephesians 4:26–27)
Ephesians 4:17-32
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.” (James 1:22–25)
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