Yes, God answers prayers. There are many factors that determine how God answers a prayer. Failing to know these factors can leave you thinking God doesn’t answer prayers.
For example, if you ask for the wrong thing in prayer, God may choose to remain silent. God’s silence is an answer to your prayer. The answer to a foolish prayer is silence.
We are also told in the Bible that God does not listen to the prayer of sinners. This is true. But since all men are sinners, God had to find a way to listen to our prayers. And that is why He sent Jesus.
When we pray through Jesus, God counts us as righteous and therefore He answers our prayers. If we exclude Jesus from our prayers, we are sinners and God doesn’t listen to our prayers.
God had to put Jesus as an intermediary to avoid prayer disasters that happened in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, one could pray directly to God. But that meant that if you asked for the wrong thing, it would be given to you.
When the Israelites accused God of having brought them out of Egypt to kill them in the wilderness, He killed them in the wilderness just as they had said.
When it comes to God answering prayers, you have to understand what goes on behind the scenes when you pray.
Some prayers are carried by angels to the throne of God. Some believers have access to God and can pray directly to God and get instant answers.
For others, Jesus listens to their prayers and decides what is right to request from the Father for them.
After God answers prayers, the answers also come in different ways. In some cases, God administers instant justice. In other cases, God simply acknowledges the prayer without taking any action.
The answer God sends can also be intercepted by devils like in the case of Daniel.
Prayer is complex and every prayer has its unique structure. Once you have understanding of how prayer works, you will understand why God answers prayers and in what manner.