When I was a little girl I used to watch a programme with my Mum called “Yes Minister.” I hardly understood it but she used to roar with laughter at the very clever word-play and subtle scripting.

Every episode ended with the phrase ‘Yes minister!” given by one of the characters to the politician he served.

I believe that God says that over us today.
“Yes! Minister! Go out and serve people in my name!”

I believe that God answers every prayer of my heart.
Every single one!
Every sigh!
Every cry!
Every tear and longing.
Every laugh!
He knows what I am trying to say and interprets for me. He hears and He responds every single time.

Does He always say ‘yes’? Of course not.
He didn’t even always say ‘yes’ to Jesus! Jesus once asked if there was another way… although he ended up by saying ” I will do whatever you ask.”

‘No’ is still an answer. It is just not the answer we hoped for.
I asked someone to mentor me earlier this year. I love her and really believe in her ministry. I prayed about it and it seemed as though she would be right for me. So I asked her.

She did not respond for a month. She said she just hadn’t seen my text as it had arrived at the same time as someone else’s (a common iphone issue!)
When she did answer, she said a flat ‘no’. She said she felt it was not right for many reasons, but mainly because we are friends and she learns stuff from me…

NO is still an answer.

In Jesus’ last speech in John He links His name with answered prayer. Six times. John 14:14 Jesus says, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Let’s read that again. Note well that the verse does not say, “Ask me anything in my name, and you might well get some sort of response, eventually “ it says, “I will do it!”

And yet we sometimes get a ‘no.’ So what is wrong? Why do we not get a constant stream of ‘yes and Amen’ from heaven? We end our prayers with ‘in Jesus’ name’ don’t we? We ask from what we believe are pure motives, don’t we? We try and get it right, don’t we?

So why would God choose to sometimes say ‘no?’
Well it is because His ways are higher. He can see further. He gets the whole picture. He knows the ending. He sees how things will pan out next.

You see, God knew the day I asked my friend to mentor me that He had someone much better for me in His mind. He just hadn’t yet revealed it to me. So the day she said ‘no’, I chose to believe that this was the case. I chose to hold on to the truth that God would bring it about. And I choose to believe that He will do this for you too.

The key to answered prayer is more than just speaking out the name of Jesus Christ as verbal graffiti to the territory of our voiced prayers. Christianity is not akin to ‘magic’ in any way.

When we ask for things that are on God’s heart, they are guaranteed to be fulfilled. So perhaps each of us need to spend time checking with Him what is on His heart for our lives?

Father, what should I pray today for my wife?
What should I pray for my business contact?
What should I pray for my relationship with You?
What is on your heart for my future?
What do you want me to spend my money on?

Then comes the waiting.

In John 15:7-13 Jesus says “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (v. 7).

Doing something in Jesus’ name is not about using the right phrase, but having the right heart. Its about being able to abide in Him and not in anyone else.

Are you good at abiding? Or are you better at chiding?
Are you good at resting with Him, or are you rushing around trying to prove you are working and ‘doing’ things all the time?

Are your prayers not being answered the way you hoped?

Is it because you are simply not abiding in Jesus as you once did?

My friend, sit with Jesus a while today and ask Him what you need. Then pray those revealed words like mad. Over and over and over.
The ‘yes’ of heaven will undoubtedly follow.