Are your prayers not being answered? By Jay Jones
Here are some possible reasons why…
1. Unforgiving – If you don’t forgive others, God won’t forgive you. Matthew 6:15
2. Unbelief – To pray in doubt guarantees empty hope. James 1:6-7
3. Selfishness – Motives are everything. And God knows your heart. James 4:3
4. Disobedience – Not doing what He asks guarantee He won’t do what we ask. 1 John 3:22
5. Mistreating your spouse – It’s all about LOVE, man. 1 Peter 3:7
6. Neglecting to help others – Shut your ears to the poor, and God will shut His ears to you. Proverbs 21:13
7. Unreconciled Differences – God won’t receive your gift until your interpersonal relationships are dealt with. Matthew 5:23-24
——
One more reason I want to provide.
8. When God does not answer our prayers, it could be that we are praying for something that is not God’s will. Truth of the matter is, No is an answer. The Bible is full of people who God did not do what they wanted to do.
Paul shares how God did not do what he prayed and how the Lord helped him.
“For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Jesus himself in praying about impending difficulty.
Here is the portion where Jesus prayed the same thing the second time. “He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” Matthew 26:42.
The benefit of praying through our issues and difficulty we face. God answers prayers, however, we should be willing to recognize how we can be hindered. When we have prayed through the first seven issues, it’s possible that the Lord may bring us to things that are about his purpose.