Four Ways God Answers Persistent Prayer - Daily Hope with Rick Warren - October 1, 2025
Daily Hope with Rick Warren
Audio By Carbonatix
By Rick Warren, Crosswalk.com
Four Ways God Answers Persistent Prayer
By Rick Warren
"Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers." Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)
There is no such thing as unanswered prayer. God may not always answer the way you like, but he always answers prayer in one of four ways:
When your request is not right, God says, “No.”
God is not going to give you something that's harmful for you. He only gives you his best! He sometimes says “no” because your request does not match his best for you.
When you’re not right, God says, “Grow.”
Maybe God wants to give you something—maybe even a blessing so big you can’t imagine it—but you’re not ready for the responsibility. It could even cause stress in your life if he gave it to you now. Don’t stop praying! Keep reading God’s Word and making Christ your first pursuit.
When the timing is not right, God says, “Slow.”
The Living Bible paraphrase says, "The time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day!" (Habakkuk 2:3). It's coming, but it's not here yet. God wants to take it slow, until you're ready to handle it. Growth often needs to be paced. And it always takes time.
When your request, your character, and the timing all line up, God says, “Go.”
Ephesians 6:18 says, "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers" (NLT). You don’t pray persistently in order to convince God. You pray persistently so that you’re ready when God says, “Go.”
Always believe that God is going to answer your prayer. It might not always be the answer you want or expect, but it will always be for your good and for God’s glory.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
Your Gift Brings Hope to the World
Transform your prayer life with God’s Word!
True breakthrough from the struggles of life begins with prayer—and there is no better place to start cultivating a powerful prayer life than the Bible.
Discover the biblical wisdom you need to transform the way you pray when you dive into this special collection of verses from God’s Word. You’ll be inspired and encouraged by Scripture as you learn to trust in his promises.
Drawing key verses from Pastor Rick’s "40 Days of Prayer" teaching series, this set of 52 beautifully designed cards will help you memorize God’s Word so you can access it when you need it most—and it’s our thanks for your gift today to help more people experience the transformative power of prayer through Daily Hope!
Thank you for helping share the hope of Jesus Christ. May you enjoy a time of breakthrough as you fill your heart and mind with the truth of Scripture.
*The USA IRS code permits you to deduct the amount of your financial gift to Daily Hope that exceeds the fair market value of “current offer” materials you received from Daily Hope.
This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
