When God doesn't Answer?
What does it mean when God doesn't answer our prayers? Isn't He listening to us? Doesn't He care? Maybe He isn't there after all.
If you've ever prayed and God didn't answer, you've probably asked yourself these questions. It's easy to blame God. After all, we can't see Him; we can't challenge Him and expect a response. If we blame God for unanswered prayer, that gets us off the hook - or does it?
As you read what the Bible says about the times when God doesn't answer, you may be surprised. Much of our thinking about unanswered prayer is fuzzy. God is a prayer-hearing and a prayer - answering God, isn't He? Well, not always. The Bible frequently says that God turns His ear away from His people. In fact, occasionally He says, "Don't even bother to pray; I won't listen."
God will not always hear our prayers, nor will He always answer. But He really wants to answer. In fact, He is eager to hear from us. "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him" (Psalm 145:18). So, if you want Him to answer, you must discover what it is that's blocking your prayer. It's not likely that your prayer is being hindered by all the prayer blockers identified here, but it only takes one to keep you from getting an answer from God.
Prayer Blocker #1: We Forget to Ask
If God doesn't seem to be paying attention to you, investigate how much you're paying attention to Him.
Excuse #1: "I Don't Know How to Pray"
Excuse #2:"I Don't Feel Close Enough to God"
Excuse #3: "I'm Too Busy to Pray"
Excuse #4: "It Doesn't Work Anyway"
Prayer Blocker #2: We Cherish Sin
If we are enjoying sin and praying to God at the same time, we are showing more respect to sin than to God. If you want God to answer your prayers, check the things you cherish. Unless you come clean with God, you are wasting your time when you pray. God does not listen to lips that hide sin in the heart.
Prayer Blocker #3: We Have a Faulty Relationship with God
When we fail to treat God as He deserves, our communication with God is one of the first casualties of that failure. Three things seem to surface regularly when our prayers are ineffective:
* failure to respect God
* failure to abide in Christ
* failure to heed God's Word
Prayer Blocker #4: We Have Faulty Relationships with Others
God absolutely refuses to accept sacrifices from us--even the sacrifice of our prayers--if we are at odds with others. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24, NIV).
Prayer Blocker #5: We Need a Faith Lift
Here is James's bottom line about prayer and faith: Pray, believe and run to first base with God's blessing; pray, doubt and strike three, you're out. It's that simple.
Prayer Blocker #6: We Harbor an Unforgiving Spirit
If we enjoy the benefits of salvation, we of all people ought to be forgiving. Failure to forgive others has no effect on our positional righteousness. However, our fellowship with our Heavenly Father will be hampered. Our relationship with the only one who can answer our prayers will be dampened. What's more, harboring an unforgiving spirit will deter God from answering when we pray.
Prayer Blocker #7: We Ask with the Wrong Motives
While it is possible to hide what we do from our children, our neighbors, our parents or our pastor, it is impossible to hide our motives from God. No prayer powered by petty motivation will move the heart of God.
Prayer Blocker #8: We Ask for the Wrong Things
* Praying for God to bless your sin is useless praying.
* God does not answer prayers requesting that He change His eternal program.
* If you pray multiple requests to God and He doesn't answer them, perhaps it's because your multiple requests are mutually exclusive. Sometimes God cannot answer yes to one part of your prayer without answering no to another part.
* One of the most delightful reasons God does not answer our prayers is because He has more to give us than what we request.
Prayer Blocker #9: We Do Not Ask in God's Will
God's will is not always clear to most of us, and that can be a problem when we pray. If you are not certain something is God's will, pray that He will answer in His will. When we pray in God's will instead of our own, we are forced to leave the details of the answer to God. It's a good position to be in.
Prayer Blocker #10: We Are Hindered by Satanic Interference
Simply put, when Satan can't trust you to block your praying relationship with God, he does the job himself. If Satan can convince you that God didn't hear your prayer or that He doesn't care about your needs, that old devil knows he can chip away at your relationship with God. Discouragement at not hearing God's response is the chief weapon in Satan's cosmic arsenal. You can defeat him if you pray on!
Prayer Blocker #11: We Pray with Deniable Attitudes
Attitude deficiency can bankrupt you more quickly than asset inadequacy. After all, God is the one who supplies all your needs. If you approach Him with attitudes that make your prayers deniable, you have cut the supply line to your own happiness, abundance, peace and joy.
Prayer Blocker #12: We Quit Too Soon
Dogged determination in praying for your family, your church, your unsaved neighbor or your prodigal son or daughter is frequently the key that unlocks the heart of God. When it comes to prayer, don't quit too soon.
What does it mean when God doesn't answer our prayers? Isn't He listening to us? Doesn't He care? Maybe He isn't there after all.
If you've ever prayed and God didn't answer, you've probably asked yourself these questions. It's easy to blame God. After all, we can't see Him; we can't challenge Him and expect a response. If we blame God for unanswered prayer, that gets us off the hook - or does it?
As you read what the Bible says about the times when God doesn't answer, you may be surprised. Much of our thinking about unanswered prayer is fuzzy. God is a prayer-hearing and a prayer - answering God, isn't He? Well, not always. The Bible frequently says that God turns His ear away from His people. In fact, occasionally He says, "Don't even bother to pray; I won't listen."
God will not always hear our prayers, nor will He always answer. But He really wants to answer. In fact, He is eager to hear from us. "The LORD is near to all who call upon Him" (Psalm 145:18). So, if you want Him to answer, you must discover what it is that's blocking your prayer. It's not likely that your prayer is being hindered by all the prayer blockers identified here, but it only takes one to keep you from getting an answer from God.
Prayer Blocker #1: We Forget to Ask
If God doesn't seem to be paying attention to you, investigate how much you're paying attention to Him.
Excuse #1: "I Don't Know How to Pray"
Excuse #2:"I Don't Feel Close Enough to God"
Excuse #3: "I'm Too Busy to Pray"
Excuse #4: "It Doesn't Work Anyway"
Prayer Blocker #2: We Cherish Sin
If we are enjoying sin and praying to God at the same time, we are showing more respect to sin than to God. If you want God to answer your prayers, check the things you cherish. Unless you come clean with God, you are wasting your time when you pray. God does not listen to lips that hide sin in the heart.
Prayer Blocker #3: We Have a Faulty Relationship with God
When we fail to treat God as He deserves, our communication with God is one of the first casualties of that failure. Three things seem to surface regularly when our prayers are ineffective:
* failure to respect God
* failure to abide in Christ
* failure to heed God's Word
Prayer Blocker #4: We Have Faulty Relationships with Others
God absolutely refuses to accept sacrifices from us--even the sacrifice of our prayers--if we are at odds with others. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift" (Matthew 5:23-24, NIV).
Prayer Blocker #5: We Need a Faith Lift
Here is James's bottom line about prayer and faith: Pray, believe and run to first base with God's blessing; pray, doubt and strike three, you're out. It's that simple.
Prayer Blocker #6: We Harbor an Unforgiving Spirit
If we enjoy the benefits of salvation, we of all people ought to be forgiving. Failure to forgive others has no effect on our positional righteousness. However, our fellowship with our Heavenly Father will be hampered. Our relationship with the only one who can answer our prayers will be dampened. What's more, harboring an unforgiving spirit will deter God from answering when we pray.
Prayer Blocker #7: We Ask with the Wrong Motives
While it is possible to hide what we do from our children, our neighbors, our parents or our pastor, it is impossible to hide our motives from God. No prayer powered by petty motivation will move the heart of God.
Prayer Blocker #8: We Ask for the Wrong Things
* Praying for God to bless your sin is useless praying.
* God does not answer prayers requesting that He change His eternal program.
* If you pray multiple requests to God and He doesn't answer them, perhaps it's because your multiple requests are mutually exclusive. Sometimes God cannot answer yes to one part of your prayer without answering no to another part.
* One of the most delightful reasons God does not answer our prayers is because He has more to give us than what we request.
Prayer Blocker #9: We Do Not Ask in God's Will
God's will is not always clear to most of us, and that can be a problem when we pray. If you are not certain something is God's will, pray that He will answer in His will. When we pray in God's will instead of our own, we are forced to leave the details of the answer to God. It's a good position to be in.
Prayer Blocker #10: We Are Hindered by Satanic Interference
Simply put, when Satan can't trust you to block your praying relationship with God, he does the job himself. If Satan can convince you that God didn't hear your prayer or that He doesn't care about your needs, that old devil knows he can chip away at your relationship with God. Discouragement at not hearing God's response is the chief weapon in Satan's cosmic arsenal. You can defeat him if you pray on!
Prayer Blocker #11: We Pray with Deniable Attitudes
Attitude deficiency can bankrupt you more quickly than asset inadequacy. After all, God is the one who supplies all your needs. If you approach Him with attitudes that make your prayers deniable, you have cut the supply line to your own happiness, abundance, peace and joy.
Prayer Blocker #12: We Quit Too Soon
Dogged determination in praying for your family, your church, your unsaved neighbor or your prodigal son or daughter is frequently the key that unlocks the heart of God. When it comes to prayer, don't quit too soon.
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