If we do not receive the petitions that we have asked, does it mean they were not God’s will?

[jmt356]

1 John 5:14-15 states, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”
Thus, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us and we receive the petitions that we have asked. If we do not receive the petitions that we have asked, does it necessarily mean that it is not God’s will to grant them?
I have prayed for about 10 years that a certain person stop smoking. I have also prayed for the last 3.5 years that the war in Syria end. Neither petition has been granted. Does this mean that God’s will is not for this person to stop smoking and for the war in Syria to continue?

 

[LovethroughDove]

Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

You have to put those things together to understand.

We think that things need to happen, NOW. That is not how he rolls. I have seen my will and his will line up together, but it takes time sometimes.

 

[LovethroughDove]

Here is a perfect example of what he does:

John 11:21-22 "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. but I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

John 11:42" I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

 

[Dude-Dastic]

Not necessarily.

It's possible He denies our requests due to sin in our lives. Sure what we request may be good and all, but He won't answer our prayers if we don't acknowledge our wrongs and try to do better. Even so, that's not to say that good behavior guarantees He'll grant our petitions.

Understand we don't always know what we're asking for. We think we know, but we can't see how what we ask can affect us or someone else in a negative way. Many times we ask the Lord to remove certain things in our lives. He doesn't for reasons we may not know. Perhaps there's a lesson He wants us to learn from the thing we want removed (i.e. sickness can lead to greater dependence on Him) or maybe the thing is for the benefit of someone else (i.e. sickness can connect you with a lost nurse to whom you can deliver the gospel). It's even possible that thing is punishment for wrongdoing (i.e. you develop cancer by ignoring His warning to quit smoking cigarettes.).

Also understand that prayers for other people don't always get answered because they still have a will of their own. God can do lots of things to get their attention in answer to your prayer, but He will always respect their choice. He will neither change nor save anyone against their will.

And yes, denied requests can mean that they aren't part of God's will. Remember that Christ prayed three times that the bitter cup of suffering and death would pass from Him. And as He prayed, He said "nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt" (Matthew 26:36-43). His requests were denied. It was part of the Lord's plan. God intended for His Son to drink the cup of His wrath, for in drinking it Jesus won salvation for mankind.

All in all, sometimes God's answer is "Yes." Sometimes His answer is "No." And sometimes His answer is "Not yet."