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introduction
Hello everyone. This is Part 2 of our study on prayer. In the first lesson, we opened with the following foundational passages from First Thessalonians and Philippians.
First Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.”
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
In the first lesson, we defined prayer, discussed its power, and why it is so important that once we have prayed in agreement with God’s Word, we believe He is going to answer that prayer. To set the stage for the first lesson, we opened with the “testimony” of Sis. Betsy, one of our favorite stories about believing in the power of that prayer. We are going to share this “testimony” again in this lesson.
“Several years ago, there was a drought in one city and the pastor of the Church called for a prayer meeting to pray for rain. The prayer meeting was held on a hot summer evening. All of the members came out dressed in summer cool clothes since they would be there for a while praying. Well, when Sister Betsy arrived at the Church, everyone heard her approaching as her shoes were making a loud noise. As she entered the Church, everyone turned to see why she was making such a loud entry. What they saw tickled them and some of the members laughed softly.
"Here was Sister Betsy entering the Church wearing rain boots, a raincoat, a hat, and carrying an umbrella. She looked a sight in the sweltering heat. Some of the members thought Sister Betsy had finally lost her mind – that her elevator was no longer going to the top floor. The pastor looked at her with much concern. He comes down from the pulpit and approaches her. He asks her, “Sister Betsy are you all right – are you feeling okay?” Sister Betsy looked at him confused by the question and replied, “I feel fine.” Then the pastor asked her, “Well I must ask, why are you dressed this way? Didn’t you feel how hot it is outside? You must be burning up in this outfit. What possessed you to wear all of this tonight in this heat?”
"Again, some of the members continued to snicker and laugh under their breath while others now shifted to true concern for Sister Betsy’s mental state. Sister Betsy looked at her pastor and then scanned the faces of the rest of the members and made the following statement: “You know pastor, I too was confused when I walked into the Church. You see, I thought we were all coming here to pray for rain, and I expected there to be rain when we left. I am confused as to why none of you are dressed for rain since that is what we are supposed to be here asking from God.”
In that story only Sis. Betsy came to the meeting expecting God to answer that prayer that very day. This is the type of faith we should have when we go to God in prayer – we believe immediately that He has answered the prayer and until it is manifested, we begin thanking Him for doing so.
In the first lesson, we identified the following types of prayer and discussed them in some detail:
* Adoration
* Thanksgiving and Praise
* Confession
* Petition
* Intercession
* Unknown Tongues
Also in the first lesson, we discussed the following foundations for prayer:
* Praying in Faith
* Praying according to His will
* Praying in Jesus’ name
* Having a Forgiving Heart
* Praying Unceasingly
In Part 2 of our study on prayer, we will focus on what we believe to be some of the more common hindrances to getting prayers answered.
Hindrances to Getting Prayers Answered
** PRAYING IN FAITH. The number one hindrance to not getting prayers answered is to not pray in faith, which is the opposite of the first foundation with a similar heading that we discussed in the first lesson. We pray but we don’t believe in our hearts that God is going to answer our prayer.
James 1:6-8 says, “(6) But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. (7) For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord. (8) He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”
A lack of faith, as we said a moment ago, is the number one hindrance to getting our prayers answered just like unwavering faith is the number one foundation for receiving answers to prayers. Every other reason is a distant second.
James declares that we must pray “in faith, not doubting.” He describes the doubter as being like the restless sea. He describes the doubter as having two minds, one of faith and the other of doubt. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about either one!
Think about what we have all seen when offering a child a choice of what candy they wish to have. The child goes back and forth between the choices until they finally settle on one. When we doubt, it’s like that child before they make the decision on which piece of candy they want. We can’t make up our minds about whether God is going to answer or not. If we are going to receive answers to our prayer, we cannot make room for doubt and we cannot leave room for doubt. If we do leave room for doubt, we will not receive our requests from the Lord.
In Mark 11, on the way to Jerusalem with the disciples, Jesus cursed a fig tree for not bearing fruit. After leaving Jerusalem, they once again passed the fig tree, which had dried up from the roots. Let’s pick the record up with verse 21. “(21) And Peter, remembering, said to Him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away." (22) So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. (23) For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (24) Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:21-24)
There is a lot we could talk about concerning this passage, but to stay focused: Jesus used this incident as an opportunity to teach His disciples a very powerful truth: the words of faith on the lips of men and women who “Have faith in God” will impact the world. Now, isn’t that something that each one of us desires? We want to have an impact in this world for the kingdom of God.
Before leaving this section, let’s read Hebrews 11:6 one more time. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Faith pleases God and He rewards those who come to Him with faith. In the context of this study on prayer, what is it that God rewards? He rewards our faith in Him that He will answer our prayers. Now, what are some practical ways that we can “diligently seek Him”? A good place to start is with the points that we made in the first lesson – knowing and understanding the types of prayer and knowing, believing, and applying the foundations of prayer.
** HABITUALLY COMMITTING SIN. When we live a life of unconfessed and unrepentant sin, when we live a life that openly rebels against God’s holiness, we hinder or even stop God’s ability to answer our prayers.
Isaiah 59:2 says, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Isaiah warned Israel that God would not hear them because of their sins. David also wrote in Psalms 66:18-20, “(18) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. (19) But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer. (20) Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer, Nor His mercy from me!”
Peter also wrote in First Peter 3:12, “(12) For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Peter declared that the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears open to their prayers. But the last part of the verse is a warning to Christians who live in habitual sin – the Lord will turn His face against them. In other words, when we live in habitual sin, because there is no sin in Him, it will be impossible for God to answer our prayers.
Finally, Solomon wrote, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” (Proverbs 28:9) It is not suggested, of course, that the child of God must be perfect to have his prayers heard and answered. We struggle with our weaknesses. However, we may be sure of one thing: unless we are truly serious about living the Christian life, unless we are earnestly seeking to grow daily with our minds being renewed and our existence transformed (Romans 12:2), our prayers will continue to be hindered and/or not answered!
First Peter 1:13-15 reminds us “(13) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (14) as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; (15) but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, (16) because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." (First Peter 1:13-15)
A desire to habitually sin represents a conscious decision to walk in disobedience to God’s will for our lives. God has given us His Word which tells us how we are to live. Once we know the will of God on any subject and ignore it, that is disobedience and rebellion in action. And when we know God’s will and yet we go to Him in prayer asking for a different answer, that too is disobedience and rebellion as God has already made His will very clear in His Word.
Proverbs 10:24 says, “The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted.” Also, First John 3:21-22 says, “(21) Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. (22) And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
** IGNORANCE CONCERNING HOW TO PRAY. Another hindrance to God’s ability to answer our prayers might seem confusing at first, but it’s not. It’s why we prepared this lesson, and its name is ignorance – a lack of knowledge about praying, how to pray, and the prayers that we can pray that God will answer. We are again circling back to one of the foundations we listed in lesson one – praying according to His will – and looking at the other side.
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. Luke 11:1 records the following, “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.’” The disciples’ question reveals that there must be a correct way to pray that comes from teaching.
The prophet Hosea writes in chapter four, in the first part of verse six, that God says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge….” (Hosea 4:6) It is frequently the case that Christians “don’t know how to pray” as they should and therefore, they rely on the Spirit to tell them and intercede for them.
Romans 8:26 says, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
One way the Spirit helps us to pray is by providing direction when we do not know what to pray for. For example, let’s say you get up every morning and pray for your family and close friends, but on this particular day a person’s name comes to mind – a person you know but haven’t thought about in a long time. Could it be the Holy Spirit is “reaching out to you” to pray for that person? Absolutely! The Holy Spirit knew the person needed prayer and He knew you would be praying so He dropped the person’s name into your spirit so that you could pray. Depending on what the person is going through, the Holy Spirit may give you specific information to pray about on behalf of that person!
** HUSBANDS NOT HONORING THEIR WIVES. The Bible contains example after example that brings a truth like prayer to the forefront in a marriage relationship. Husbands need to memorize this verse and keep it close – especially during those difficult moments with their wife.
In First Peter 3:7 we read the following: “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”
The fact that Peter wrote this to Christians should tell husbands, first and foremost, that if they want their prayers answered, God sees a God-centered relationship with their wives as the most important relationship they can have second to their relationship with Him. When husbands don’t honor their wives, they build a wall that all but removes God’s ability to answer their prayers.
Husbands will hold their wives in the highest place of value in their lives if they don’t want their prayers to be hindered. And we see this in the word honor, which means “valuable”. Husbands, only Jesus – not your children or your parents – is to hold a more valuable place in your life than your wife.
Husbands, if your prayers are not being answered then you need to do a self-check on how you are treating your wife. The term “hindered” in the Greek was understood as a military term. In a battle when one side had to retreat, they would sabotage their retreat route to delay the pursuing enemy. Peter says we should not sabotage our prayers based on how we treat our wives!
** WIVES NOT SUBMITTING TO (RESPECTING) THEIR HUSBANDS. God says that when wives don’t submit to the authority of their husbands and don’t treat him with respect as the leader in the home, they are doing two things. First, they are disrespecting God by rebelling against His design for marriage, and second, they are also building a wall that hinders God’s ability to answer their prayers.
Preceding verse 7 in First Peter chapter three, Peter writes the following in verses 5 and 6: “(5) For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, (6) as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror.”
Now notice verse 7 says “Husbands, likewise …” After instructing wives to be submissive to their husbands according to the standards set forth by the “mother of faith” – Sarah – God then instructs husbands to honor their wives. Why? Because they are “heirs together of the grace of life.”
Wives, if your prayers are not being answered then you need to do a self-check on how you are treating your husband. And wives, the same truth applies to you that they do to your husbands – only Jesus and not your children or your parents – is to hold a higher place of authority in your life than your husband. If a wife is not obeying God’s instruction to submit to the authority of her husband, and a husband is not obeying God’s instruction to honor his wife, then neither of these heirs will have their prayers answered.
** A LACK OF LOVE FOR OTHERS. Another hindrance to our prayers is our unwillingness to love others – or to focus our love on those who love us back. The one thing that separates Christianity from all other religions is love. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “(34) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (35) By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Remember what Barry said earlier about habitually sinning as both disobedience and rebellion and that it will stop God from answering our prayers? Well, Jesus has commanded that we love one another, and when we choose not to do so for whatever reason that makes us feel justified in doing so, that is disobedience and our prayers will not be answered.
When the love that we are supposed to have as children of God is missing and/or corrupted, then our prayers will be hindered. Jesus said in Luke 6:36-38, “(36) Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (37) Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. (38) Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
We often hear verse thirty-eight read in Church when it is time to take up the offering, but this verse when read in context plainly shows us that Jesus was talking about our willingness to love and show forgiveness to others. Solomon made this statement which I think sums this up pretty nicely: “Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard.” (Proverbs 21:13)
** SELFISH PRAYERS. Then there are the prayers that are not answered because they are selfish and outside the will of God. James 4:2-3 says, “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. (3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
Sometimes people fail to even consider going to God in prayer for their needs even though they know that He is willing to meet them and that is what we see in verse 2. We believe one of the reasons for this goes back to what we said earlier about not knowing how to pray and what to pray for. The ultimate result of our prayers should be a positive impact for the kingdom of God. An example is praying for healing. We know that we cannot fully serve God if we are not healthy, and neither can our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Then there are many times we go to God with selfish requests, like praying to win the lottery so that we can spend the winnings on ourselves – and of course, we would tithe to the church. Of course, we say this tongue-in-cheek. We often do not receive what we are asking for and this is what the word amiss means. When we ask amiss, God cannot answer that prayer because, most likely, it is not aligned with His will, what He said in His Word, or what He desires for our lives. The word for pleasures is hedone. It means “to have physical pleasure.” It suggests that the desire of the person is so wrapped up in the physical aspects of life that there is little interest in fulfilling God’s purpose for life on earth. Does this sound familiar?
** A HEART OF PRIDE. The next issue we will discuss that hinders God’s ability to answer our prayers is pride. No one is qualified to approach God with a heart of arrogance. He is the Lord, God Almighty and we are but dust. He is the Creator, and we are the created.
Jesus told the following parable in Luke 18:10-14, “(10) Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (11) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. (12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ (13) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ (14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The lesson of the parable is this: arrogance or pride can negate prayer. Humility will bless it. Before moving on to the next hindrance, we want to call out the one who influences us to have our hearts filled with pride. In Ezekiel 28 we read what the Lord says about Lucifer, who we know as Satan, as it relates to pride. In verse 17 we read, “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.” (Ezekiel 28:17) Whenever pride rises up within us, the source is going to be Satan.
** AN UNFORGIVING HEART (ATTITUDE). The last hindrance we will discuss in this lesson is what we mentioned earlier – an unforgiving heart or attitude. The cornerstone of the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ died for sins. Jesus paid the price for our sins. Jesus forgives sins. If you do not understand forgiveness enough to forgive others, then your faith is so small that it is tantamount to unbelief. One of the most utterly devastating things that a Christian can do to hinder or virtually cancel the effect of their prayers is to harbor an unforgiving heart toward others that they believe have wronged them (whether it is real or imagined).
Jesus told us Matthew 6:12 & 15, “(12) And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors…. (15) But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Jesus taught the disciples to pray: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” He warned the disciples (and us) that if they did not extend unconditional forgiveness to people, then God would not be able to forgive them.
James said, “For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13) The Lord warns that we cannot receive His forgiveness unless we are willing, from the heart, to forgive each other. This reminds me of what the Lord spoke through the prophet Micah. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)
Lastly, Jesus said in Mark 11:25-26, “(25) And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. (26) But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Jesus said before you even let the words of your prayer escape your lips, you must forgive!
Summary & Close
This concludes our second lesson on prayer. We hope and pray that you will review these hindrances to prayer and if any of them are present in your life today that you will immediately ask God to forgive you and then take the steps you need to remove them from your life. Rodney, do you have any comments before I pray?
You can also visit our YouTube channels for other lessons and/or sermons that you might have missed. Barry’s YouTube channel is Barry Johnson Ministries and Rodney's is New Light Faith Ministries, Inc. Let’s pray.
