Study of the Watchtower, How Jehovah answers our prayers, Answers, Week of July 17 to 23, 2023, Comments and Practical Answers.

Study of the Watchtower, How Jehovah answers our prayers, Answers, 17-23-July-2023,, Comments and Answers. 

“We know that we will have what we ask for because we have asked him” (1 JOHN 5:15).

1, 2. What might we wonder?

We may wonder if Jehovah answers our prayers, and why our prayers can sometimes seem unanswered.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Above all, we ask ourselves this question when we are going through problems, we think if Jehovah is going to help us.

In first John 5:15 we see that we do know that he hears our prayers in the same way that we are sure that he will answer them.

Well, even though we think that he doesn't answer them, he doesn't answer them in the way that we might ask, but he does answer them all. 

JEHOVAH MAY NOT ANSWER US IN THE WAY WE EXPECT

3. Why does Jehovah want us to pray to him?

Jehovah wants us to pray to him because he loves us very much and we are very valuable to him, that is why he wants us to stay close to him.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

That Jehovah loves us very much and that we are very valuable to him.

And that is why we read in first Peter five in verse 7 how Jehovah invites us to cast on our worries because he cares about us.

And since Jehovah is so great, Haggai 2:7 impresses when it says that Jehovah shakes nations and valuable things, that is, we enter his house, that impresses us that we are valuable.

The first words of John 4:10 give us a scope of how much Jehovah loves us, the fact that he gave his son was like giving us the opportunity to have our own personal judgment as if he gave us the opportunity to return to Eden and that now we could decide to obey Jehovah and benefit from the privilege of eternal life, there is a greater sign of love than caring to that extent for us.

And Jehovah wants us to pray to him because what he wants is to help us not to stray from his side and he also wants to help us so that we can face all the difficulties.

Well, as shown in First Peter 5:6 and 7, we must show Jehovah that we want and that we need his help, that is why our prayers, if we are humble and recognize that we need him, our prayers will be directed to him and above all asking him for the help we need. 

4. How do we know that Jehovah answers the prayers of his servants? (See also image).

In the Bible, we find many accounts in which Jehovah answered the prayers of his servants.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

An example is that of King David, who faced many dangerous enemies and many times asked Jehovah for help, and he answered his prayers and rescued him, and one of those occasions is the one we see in the Illustration when King Saul tried to assassinate him.

Well, perhaps he comes to mind the example of King David who throughout his life also faced many dangerous enemies.

And when I need help, I asked Jehovah for it, I begged him and begged him, as Psalm 143:1 shows, that he would listen to his prayer and his plea for help and to answer him.

And also speaking of David he said in psalm 145 18 that he is close to all who call him sincerely and he was sure of that and we can be sure of that too.

ILLUSTRATION

Well, as we know, this is the moment when Saul wanted to kill him, he threw a spear at him, but David had asked Jehovah to help and although he logically suffered from this situation, he was released at that moment.

When David fled and went to Samuel the prophet and now Saul's soldier was sent to arrest him, Jehovah made him behave like a prophet, so they could not arrest David Even on another occasion also in second Samuel, David on two occasions specifically asked Jehovah for help because Philistines were attacking him and Jehovah not only gives him as consolation as some people who only comfort us may be, he gave him practical help because he gave him the military strategy so that he could defeat those Philistines.

Verse 25 of second Samuel 5 says that David did exactly what Jehovah commanded him so he also acted in harmony with what Jehovah told him.

And in first Samuel 19 verse 18 it is said that he went to consult Samuel who was the representative of Jehovah so he went for advice to whoever had it. Yes, in chapter 5 of the second book of Samuel, before the same enemy, the same problem, David asks Jehovah for help on both occasions, he does not allow himself to be carried away by his impulses or by what Jehovah had answered him on the first occasion, but on both occasions he asks him what to do about the problem. 

David dodges a spear thrown at him while playing the harp. Jehovah answered David's prayers by rescuing him from his enemies. (See paragraph 4).

5. Did Jehovah always answer the prayers of his servants as they expected? Give an example. (See also image).

Jehovah does not always answer the prayers of his servants in the way they expect. One example is that of the apostle Paul, who pleaded with Jehovah for help. Jehovah answers his prayers giving them the strength to endure but did not directly free him from his "Thorn in the flesh"

Well, we have here the example of the apostle Paul who had a thorn in his flesh and begged Jehovah three times to remove it and he answered his prayer helping him to endure.

ILLUSTRATION

We can see here how Jehovah helped him although he did not respond in the way he wanted but gave him the strength to endure, in second Corinthians there Jehovah told him that his goodness had already been enough for him but still gave him the strength to endure.

And he also helped him to see how the spirit of Jehovah, as they also mention in First Corinthians at the end, when I am weak then I am powerful thanks to the spirit of Jehovah, could withstand this test.

And it is true that he had already received a lot of kindness and deserved from Jehovah from having been a persecutor, now he is a Christian, a missionary was able to write most of the letters of the Greek scriptures so he could concentrate on the privileges he had and that thorn that could perhaps have been a health problem because Jehovah helped him to cope with it.

The apostle Paul pleads with Jehovah for help. Jehovah answered Paul's prayers by giving him the strength to endure. (See paragraph 5).

6. Why can it sometimes seem that Jehovah is not answering our prayers?

Sometimes it can seem that Jehovah is not answering our prayers, because his answer could come at a time or in a way that we had not imagined. Furthermore, Jehovah knows what is best for us, and his response may not be what we expected.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, because sometimes the answer comes in the way we don't expect, but Ephesians 3:20 is very clear, it says that Jehovah can do infinitely more than we can imagine.

What is clear and what we can be sure of is that he knows what is best for us, therefore the answer he will give us will be the right one.

For this reason, already knowing this, it is very important to be aware of how Jehovah answers our prayers because if we perhaps ask Jehovah for something or wait for a concrete answer and we only look at that if Jehovah answers us as we want the answer, we will never see it, but if we are attentive to see how Jehovah answers prayers, surely we are aware of how he does it. 

7. Why might we need to modify our petitions to Jehovah? Give an example.

We may have to modify our requests to Jehovah, because sometimes we do not know his will or do not fully understand the situation. An example of this is found in the experience of brother Martin Poetzinger, who was sent to a Nazi concentration camp. At first, he asked Jehovah to free him so he could be with his wife and continue preaching. However, after two weeks without seeing an answer, the brother changed his request and asked Jehovah to help him understand what he wanted him to do. Finally, the brother realized that his purpose in the concentration camp was to strengthen and encourage his brothers, and he did so during the nine years that he was imprisoned.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, it is possible that we will have to modify them as we understand what Jehovah's will is, and that is what happened to brother Poetzinger when he was taken to a concentration camp, of course he asked Jehovah to release him to return with his wife to resume preaching and it turned out that it did not seem that Jehovah was going to release him, so he changed his prayer and asked him to help him see what he wanted him to do and it turns out that there were many other brothers in the camp having a very bad time and what this brother did during 9 years that he was locked up in the end was helping the brothers a lot, encourage them and strengthen them.

How important it is that prayer is the means we have to communicate with Jehovah when we receive something pleasant we thank him but also when we are in critical moments we pray to Jehovah and how important it is that we understand what Jehovah's will is in different situations so as the assembly said we have to be patient and understand Jehovah's will.

It is interesting because what the brother was asking Jehovah was not against his will, he was asking to return to his wife and resume preaching, but at that moment it was not Jehovah's will and that is what we have to understand.

If he said to Jehovah please help me to see what you want me to do and Jehovah and he answered.

Very nice because he says thank you very much for my new assignment, now I understood that it was an assignment from Jehovah to be there and help the brothers who were there in prison.

This expression at the beginning of the paragraph made me think of better understanding Jehovah's will when we have a problem we think of ourselves but when I saw this experience I thought that the other brothers who were prisoners there were asking surely Jehovah answered the prayers and saw that what they needed was someone to encourage them and answered many prayers using this brother. 

8. What is important for us to remember when we pray?

It is very important when we pray to be aware that Jehovah always has a very clear purpose and revolves around the promises that we all know. For the fulfillment of the same, he can use his people so that they give praise and honor to his name, and so we must pray and ask God for help, to contribute to his work while he brings his heavenly government and puts an end to the hand of Satan.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well we can remember that Jehovah has a purpose and will fulfill it in due time.

Of course, that could confuse us if Jehovah gave us a solution to everything we asked for because it could even give the feeling that Satan is not even ruling this world. The fact that Jehovah is allowing this situation is because he is promising us that for now we have to put up with it because in the future he will provide a complete solution to all these problems that are coming our way.

And what we have to be very clear about is that the fact that they don't take away our problems doesn't mean that they don't help us or don't care about us.

And The Watchtower of 2017 mentions that Satan has always doubted that Jehovah has the right to rule, affirms that his government is corrupt, that he does not want the best for us and that people would be much happier if they governed themselves, he has also questioned that no human being is loyal to God from the heart and that everyone will reject his government if they are pressured enough, then with all this Jehovah wants to show that Satan is a liar.

He did also mention that in all this matter what is really important is the vindication of Jehovah's sovereignty, not the happiness of any of us, we are not the protagonists of history, that is why we have to let Jehovah answer and give time.

And another idea that was mentioned by the information that supports precisely the fact that we have to remember that Jehovah has to fulfill his purpose is that he said that the better we understand the importance of recognizing that Jehovah is the ruler, the better prepared we will be to face everyday problems and also the better our friendship with him.

And he also said that when we have problems, it is normal for us to think a lot about ourselves and the problems we have and to remember that we have to support Jehovah's sovereignty, the advice he gave us was to be very busy in Jehovah's work. 

IN WHAT WAYS DOES JEHOVAH ANSWER OUR PRAYERS?

9. How does Jehovah help us when we have to make decisions? Give an example.

It is important to remember that Jehovah has a purpose and will fulfill it in due time, so the right thing to do is to wait and trust him.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, it gives us wisdom when it comes to decisions that mark the rest of our lives, such as whether to marry or not.

In James 1:5 we must constantly ask for it in all the decisions we make.

Well, what Maria did is Search for wisdom, it is interesting that Jehovah says it gives us wisdom. But how she had to look for it, she looked at everything that had to do with marriage, she saw good advice like her mother's and with that she was able to decide why wisdom does not come so that Jehovah whispers it to us, but we have to look for it in his word and try to find the solution.

10. According to Philippians 4:13, how will Jehovah help his servants? Give an example. (See also image).

The help we will receive from God is that he will give us the necessary strength to endure difficulties, just as he did with the apostle Paul. An example of this is the experience of a brother named Benjamin, who spent many years living in refugee camps in Africa and constantly prayed to Jehovah for the strength to do the right thing. Jehovah answered his prayers by giving him peace, courage to continue preaching, and publications to stay spiritually strong.

Well, as he did with the apostle Paul, he gave him the strength he needed to endure and he will also give it to us when we go through difficulties.

ILLUSTRATION

Well, Benjamin was living with his family in a refugee camp in Africa, but it is curious that when he prayed to Jehovah he did not ask him to help him get out of the refugee camp, he says that he asked him to give him the strength to do the right thing and then he saw how Jehovah answered his prayers because he gave him inner peace and courage to continue preaching and publications to stay strong in a spiritual sense and that is what we see in the image, we see how those publications he took advantage of them and it was what helped him and what gave him strength to be able to hold

Yes, also, as we have seen before, he did not focus only on those problems and thinking that he was the most disadvantaged person in the world, we know that life in the refugee camps is very hard, not only because of poverty, but also because there is violence and other problems, and what he says helped me a lot in this, is to say that he also read the experience of other brothers in the yearbook and also saw how other brothers solved their problems and were faithful, because it encouraged him to endure. 

A brother living in a refugee camp reads the Bible. How does Jehovah give us the strength to endure? (See paragraph 10).

11, 12. How can Jehovah use our spiritual family to answer our prayers? (See also image).

Jehovah can use our spiritual family to answer our prayers in a number of ways. For example, when we are going through difficult times, our brothers can provide us with emotional and spiritual support, encouraging us and strengthening our faith. They can also offer us advice and guidance based on God's word, helping us make wise decisions and face life's challenges.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

In addition, our brothers can be instruments of Jehovah to answer our Prayers by giving us practical help, how to offer their time, resources or skills to meet our needs. In short, our spiritual family can be a channel through which Jehovah provides us with comfort, wisdom, and support in answer to our prayers.

If by means of a call or a message from our brothers then Jehovah helps us through these things too, all of us. Likewise we can do the same by means of a word of a voice of encouragement to our brothers.

Yes, I was going to comment on the biblical example of Jesus, Jesus made a prayer asking Jehovah that if he could not remove that cup from him, then he should give him strength and the story says then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

ILLUSTRATION

The description of the image is a mother and her daughter arrive in another country as refugees, the brothers receive them with affection and give them practical help. Well, we know, for example, that a situation that has caused many brothers to leave their country when there is a war, right here in Spain, refugee brothers have been received, but the affection with which practical help has been received to guide them now in the country where they are, the power to receive with the official sign of the organization, to be able to receive them with open arms, to give them all the practical help, above all the spiritual, because surely it is a way in which Jehovah answers the prayers of this type of brothers.

Yes, this sister commented that a few weeks after the death of her husband she felt very lonely, she did not feel depressed but on top of that she was alone at home, so she did not have the strength to call anyone but she prayed to Jehovah, then when she prayed through tears at that moment the phone rang and it was an old friend, a good friend and his wife and he comforted him, so it also teaches me that sometimes if we have the opportunity to encourage someone to remember and do it because it may be that Jehovah is using us to encourage any brother. 

Have you seen how Jehovah has used the brothers to help you? (See paragraphs 11 and 12).

13. Give an example of how Jehovah can use people who do not worship him to answer our prayers.

An example of this is King Artaxerxes, who gave Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem and help rebuild the city, even though he did not worship Jehovah.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Yes , Jehovah also answers the prayers of his servants by making people who do not adore him help him, that is what he did with King Artaxerxes, as proverbs say, he moved King Artaxerxes and directed him where he wanted in this case, because he helped Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to help rebuild the city and today, Jehovah can also move his servants and people who do not worship him to help his servants.

And these experiences are important because of course, as we are considering, sometimes it seems that Jehovah does not answer prayers but here it is being shown that he may answer them through brothers or even people who are not in the truth and then more than thinking Jehovah does not answer me, we have to see or discern how and who he sometimes uses to answer them.

Yes, that is interesting to know the control that Jehovah has of matters. Proverbs 21:1 says that the heart of a king is like streams of water in the hand of Jehovah and that he directs it where he wants, so sometimes Jehovah uses people who do not worship him to help those who do worship him.

Well, in principle we would say that Nehemiah was a direct servant of the king because he gave him the wine so if he had to ask permission he had to look for a trustworthy substitute because it was a very trustworthy position, then and the king himself is very surprising because he says well what do you want, how long will your trip last when will you return, that is, a totally collaborative attitude for something that at that time, well, even in this time I think a person with authority does not easily give in to the staff. 

14. How does Soo Hing's experience encourage you? (See also image).

Soo Hing's Experience Encourages Us By Showing How Jehovah Can Use People Who Do Not Worship Him To Answer Our Prayers, Soo Hing was having financial difficulties due to her son's illness, but by opening her heart to Jehovah and asking for help, her son's doctor took an interest in her case and they were able to get help from the government and a cheaper place to live.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

This experience shows that Jehovah can use people who do not worship him to give us the help we need.

Well, it helps us when we are in trouble because this sister was already at the limit because she had a problem and then the difficulties of the disease worsened her finances and everything and then she saw how the hand of Jehovah was on her and she answered because the doctor helped them, they got a cheaper house, help from the government and she says that she saw that the hand of Jehovah was on her.

Perhaps because of her family or the same brothers in the congregation that if we are interested we should all know more or less the situation we are experiencing. But as Jehovah commented, it was not what he wanted, he looked for the means by which to help these brothers and it is also interesting that she says that even though Jehovah knew her situation, she opened her heart to Jehovah, that is, we have to express ourselves from our hearts so that he can help us too.

Well, it also helps me thinking that it is not an example like the one we have seen before, it is an example of now and that it can happen to each one of us at any time, so there is the close example that we should think of and if Jehovah answered the prayer of these brothers, without a doubt, he will answer if we put ourselves in his hands. 

ILLUSTRATION

A doctor shows a printed document to a married couple How can Jehovah use non-Witnesses to help us? (See paragraphs 13 and 14).

WE NEED FAITH TO SEE AND ACCEPT JEHOVAH'S ANSWER

15. What helped a sister to see that Jehovah did answer her prayers?

It seemed to a sister named Yoko that her prayers were not answered. But she then she began to put in writing everything I asked Jehovah. After a while she reviewed her notes and realized that Jehovah had answered most of her prayers, including some that she didn't even remember. Therefore it is important that we spend time meditating on how Jehovah is answering our prayers.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, he helped him write everything that Jehovah asked for and then when he reviewed what he had written, he realized that Jehovah had answered most of his requests because human beings tend to forget and when we have probably passed the problem we forget that Jehovah has answered us.

And it is good that we spend time thinking about what we have asked and how we find ourselves because ultimately what we want is to continue being loyal to Jehovah, so everything that Jehovah does to keep us up to this day, we cannot take it for granted, we have to see that his hand is on us.

And this is a fact. Psalm 66 verse 19 says that Jehovah hears and pays attention to what we ask. What is certain is that he does not do it in a spectacular way, the answer does not come that way, but what we do have very clear is that he gives us just what we need so that we continue to be loyal to him.

16. How does faith help us when we pray? (Hebrews 11:6).

Well, having faith allows us to approach Jehovah with confidence and hope, knowing that he hears our prayers and that he will answer according to his will and wisdom.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

It also helps us to accept the answer that Jehovah gives us how he responds to us because we have seen that he will always respond like Jehovah.

And according to what they comment they were completely sure that Jehovah had answered their prayer although it was totally different from what they expected or what they asked, since the paragraph comments says that they did not stop trusting that Jehovah knew where it would be more useful, it is true that they asked to be good in Betel but they trusted that Jehovah would use them in the best way and when he saw how Jehovah Circuit understood that this was what Jehovah wanted and how they could be more useful as well.

Yes, as we have read in the text of Hebrews 11:6, it says that Jehovah rewards us all who seek him with determination and this is what this couple did, they sought it with determination, it is true that at first, because it was not the idea that they had, they had a goal, but Jehovah also rewarded him and in the end, as they themselves say, he explained that he did not always answer their prayers the way they expected, but he did answer them and even did it better than they imagined. 

17, 18. According to Psalm 86:6, 7, of what are we sure?

According to Psalm 86:6,7, we are sure that Jehovah listens and answers our prayers, for the text tells us that Jehovah is willing to hear our prayers and answer them according to his will and wisdom.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, our spiritual family can give us people who do not adore it or will not always do it in the way that we expected or thought, but what we do know that it will and that it will do so at the most opportune moment.

So once we pray with faith in Jehovah, we just have to leave it in their hands and no longer worry too much about them, wait for him to answer us and in the most appropriate way.

So let's keep praying with faith sure that Jehovah will take care of us now and that in the new world he will satisfy the desire of all living beings.

Yes, with that same faith we can also ask Jehovah to help us see how he answers our prayers because sometimes our capacity is so limited or because of anguish or feelings, our vision can be clouded and then Jehovah can help us to really see how he is answering our prayers. 

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

Why might Jehovah not answer our prayers in the way we expect?

Jehovah may not answer our prayers in the way we expect, because he knows what is best for us and may have a higher purpose in mind. Furthermore, our prayers may not be in harmony with his will, they may not be based on selfish motives.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, we may receive an answer that we did not expect. But we can be sure that Jehovah knows what is best for us, so his answer could come at a time that we did not expect and in a way that we have not imagined and the text of Ephesians 3:20 says it very clearly that he can do infinitely more than everything we ask or imagine.

An example was that of the apostle Paul, with his thorn in his flesh, he did not receive the answer as he would have wanted, instead of removing the problem, Jehovah gave him the strength he needed to continue serving him faithfully.

For David could see how Jehovah answered his prayers by rescuing him on many occasions from his enemies and also by making him win battles. 

In what ways does Jehovah answer our prayers?

Jehovah answers our prayers in various ways. Some of them include: Provide help and strength, because Jehovah gives us the necessary strength to face the difficulties and endure the tests that we have faced in life, he also uses our spiritual family. Since he can use our brothers and sisters in faith, to answer our prayers, whether through a call, a visit or words of encouragement.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

And sometimes, Jehovah can use people who do not worship him to answer our prayers, as the example of Nehemiah and King Artaxerxes was seen, and above all it is important to remember that Jehovah always answers our prayers according to his will and wisdom, and that his answer may not be exactly what we expect, but it will always be the best for us.

The first one that was mentioned is that it gave us wisdom to be able to deal with the subject to see it from the point of view that Jehovah sees it.

He also gives us the strength to endure and we see how he did it with the apostle Paul.

Use our spiritual family.

And you can also use people who don't adore you. 

How does faith help us when we pray?

Faith is essential when we pray because it helps us trust Jehovah that he hears us and will answer us in the way that is best for us. It also helps us to accept his response, whatever it may be, and to maintain a positive and appreciative attitude. Also, Hebrews 11:6 says that without faith it is impossible to please God, so it is important to have faith when we approach him in prayer.

Well, you have to have faith to pray to him and also to accept his answer, whatever it may be, although it may not be what we expect.