Sermon Central
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Prayers That God Doesn't Answer
Contributed by Mickey Bell on Mar 23, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: Prayer is a powerful tool for the Christian. But the Bible shares with us some prayers that God does not hear.
Prayers that God Doesn’t Answer
We have been talking a lot about prayers and the power that we as Christians have in the fact that we can pray.
When the trials come our way, we can pray
When the things happen beyond our control, we can pray.
We experience God hearing our prayers:
In times of sickness
In times of pain
In times of decision making
But are there any prayers that God doesn’t answer?
I am not talking about those prayers where God said NO! To our request and we walked away from it saying that God didn’t answer us.
When in fact, He did. You just didn’t get the answer you wanted.
But I am talking about prayers that go up but get nowhere. Is there such a thing?
I want to use the word of God to show you seven prayers that God doesn’t answer.
1. Unprayed Prayers –
Matt. 7:7 – tells us to “ask”. How can you expect God to answer a prayer that has not been prayed?
We walk around sad and upset at things that take place and we wonder where God was during those times.
My question to you: Did you take the situation to God in prayer? Did you take the time needed to bow your head and to ask God:
· To protect you while you were driving
· To help you keep from getting into it with your spouse
· To his will be done in the test that the doctors were taking?
Don’t blame God for not answering prayers that you did not pray.
Prayers that are prayed with:
2. Unconfessed Sin in our life –
We go to God in prayer without taking care of the sin our lives first.
“If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear.”
“The Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayer of the righteous.”
If you feel like you are not getting your prayers through to God, make sure you have taken care of your sin problem.
We all want to be the first to say that we are not perfect but we stumble in the fact of doing something about it.
Let us not get accustomed to living in a sinful world that we don’t feel the need to take care of the sin in our lives.
Remember: Sin will block your prayer with God.
Do what He says: Ask, but make sure you are asking for forgiveness of your sins before you continue on with your prayer.
Anything less would be making a mockery of God and his love for you but for his hatred of sin.
3. Unbelief in our Minds - why take time to pray if you are not going to believe that the prayer can change your situation?
Read James 1:6-8
The New American Standard version reads:
“But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. (v.7) For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord. (v.8) being a double-minded man unstable in all his ways.”
Double minded = doubting, hesitating.
If we could really realize the power we have when we pray we would become one dangerous Christian.
If we could really realize how our faith pushing our prayers could change our surroundings.
Cancer would not have a chance
Divorce would not be a problem
Kids would not be affected by the world
We would be walking in total victory.
But what hinders us? Not having the faith to back our prayers.
4. Unspiritual Motives – it sounds good that we want certain things but it’s the motives of how we are going to use what we get.
“You as and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on pleasures.”
KJV – “that you may consume it for your own lust.”
We want certain prayers answered that we really don’t need. It is more of a want!
God knows that if you were to win Publisher’s Clearing House that you would change.
· Most of us don’t pray now until we have a major bill due
· Most of us don’t get serious with God until we need that bank loan to come through.
God knows He would never see you again if you received something as much as you would win.
Some things we are better off without.
God doesn’t answer:
1. Unprayed Prayers
2. Prayers with Unconfessed sin in our life
3. Unbelief in our minds
4. Unspiritual Motives
And God doesn’t answer prayers when we have
5. Unresolved Conflicts
Matthew 5:23,24
“If therefore you are presenting your offering (gift) at the alter and there remember that your brother has something against you, (v.24) leave your offering there before the alter, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother and then come and present your offering (gift).”
