No. Yes. Wait. If. Silence.

God may respond to our particular prayer in one of five ways:

•No! “Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains. Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee. And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in” (1 Chron. 17:1-4).

“But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers” (1 Kings 19:4)

•Yes! “Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said until David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand” (1 Sam. 23:2-4)

•Wait! “For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Heb. 10:36).

•IF! “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked way; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).

•Silence! “And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day” (2 Sam. 14:37).

“And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets” (1 Sam. 28:6).