When God Refuses to Hear Our Prayers

When God Refuses to Answer Prayer

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity (sin) In my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, that he will not hear.

Introduction:?

God promises to hear the prayers of his children and to provide for their needs. When we are in proper relationship with God, we can expect that he both hears and answers every prayer. That is NOT to say that he always says “Yes.” He may say “later” or “no,” and that is a good thing, as often our prayers are based on our incomplete knowledge and self-centeredness. But there are times when God simply refuses to hear our prayers. We need to examine our lives to remove these blocks to God’s blessings. We must remember that the purpose of prayer is not to convince a reluctant God to give us what we ask for, but it is to bring our desires in harmony with the will of God. Here is a short list of blocks to God hearing our prayers.

1.???? Our sins place a block on God hearing our prayers. We see two verses above which state this quite clearly. God hates sin, and only when we leave our sins can we be in the right relationship with God. The Bible illustrates this clearly in the life of King Saul. He repeatedly sinned, rejecting God’s leading and seeking to kill David, who was chosen by God as the next king. Finally, after the death of Samuel, when he was fighting against the Philistines, God simply refused to answer his prayers.

2.???? Idolatry can block our prayers being heard. Ezekiel 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face; should I be enquired at all by them? Often, an idol is a material representative of the immaterial holy God – such as an object of gold or silver, wood or stone. But idols can also be a person, or a position, or possessions which we set before the living God. God said that we shall not set up anything as a higher priority than him.

3.???? Trouble within the family can hinder prayers being answered, especially with the husband. I Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them (the wives) according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

4.???? An unforgiving spirit can stop prayers from being answered. Mark 11:25-26 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.? We find the same command in the “Lord’s prayer.” Matthew 6:9 After this manner pray ye: Our Father, which is in heaven….12. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors…14. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. In the Lord’s prayer, there are six requests, but only the one for forgiveness is immediately repeated after the prayer was ended.

5.???? We should not be greedy, but sensitive to the needs of others. ?Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard. Our pastor reminds us that the Christian is to be a channel of blessing to others, and not a repository to hold God’s blessings for ourselves.

6.???? Sometimes we simply do not ask, or ask amiss, to spend upon our own lusts and desires. James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it on your lust.

7.???? Sometimes we do not ask in faith: Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. 7. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

It is always worthwhile to check our lives to see if we have been blocking God through one of the above reasons. We need then to turn away from our sins and to the Savior, taking time to prepare ourselves before prayer.

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