Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

This passage is a tremendous example of how God answers our prayers. Be careful to notice how specifically the Angel explains the answer to Zachariah’s prayer. God will answer our prayers in a very specific manner, but sometimes we pray in such a general way I think we would have trouble identifying an answer from God in relationship to our prayers.

“Your prayer has been heard.”
“Your petition has been heard” and “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.” “Your wife Elizabeth.” The very one whose barren condition was common knowledge would be delivered from her affliction. Through Elizabeth, and not through some other woman, Zechariah would become the father of a child.

“A son.” The very sex of the child is already predicted!

“And you shall give him the name John.”

God answers prayer in His own way and in His own time.

He worked in an “impossible” situation-Elizabeth’s barrenness-to bring about the fulfillment of all the prophecies concerning the Messiah.

We often say, “Lord be with me today.” Take a moment and try to figure out what that means. Are you really afraid God is going to leave you today? We must learn to pray specifically then we can identify an answer when God gives it.

Let me give you a specific example in what many would consider a non-spiritual situation. We were in the process of erecting a sign at our church. Two of our men had undertaken the task of putting in the concrete for the footing of the sign. They took their truck to the lumberyard and picked up the materials. On the way back to the church they discussed the fact that neither one of them knew anything about pouring concrete. They decided they were going to need help; they stopped and asked God to provide the help.

When they arrived at the church there was a man who owned a concrete company and had come to the church because God had told him they might need some help. He arranged for everything to be done and the sign is standing today.

Does God answer prayer?

Does God answer prayer specifically?

What kind of examples can you give of answered prayer in your life?