Prayer: Lesson 17

 

Prayer: Lesson 17

The fact is that some prayers do not get answers !!  As we have discussed, faith is absolutely necessary. Yes there are reasons for unanswered prayer. Sometimes, God simply has a perfect plan for you and it is better for you that He not answer certain requests.  

 Let us examine some of the reason's why God does not answer some prayers. 

1. If we hold bitterness and harbor sin in our lives;
   Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity 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; Nor His ear heavy,
   That it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.

2. If we turn from those in need.

   Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.

3. Turning away from God's Word;

   Proverbs 28:9 He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer shall be abomination.

4. If we don't forgive.

   Mark 11:25-26  “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

5. If we own greed

   James 4:3  When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

6. If we waiver in our faith.

   James 1:5-7  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and reproaches not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

7. Husband and wife not in their proper places.

   1 Peter 1:7 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 subject of Boldness and Confidence, in prayer is found in Luke 11:5-10 and is a lesson every Christian must understand to have an effective prayer life.

This is the teaching of Jesus concerning the person who came to his friend at night and kept knocking on his door asking for bread. It teaches a wonderful truth in “receiving” from out our needs and desires.

1. The person came to the one who he knew could help. He knew his friend had the bread. Notice, he stayed until he received the bread.

2. He was unashamed in his boldness in asking, an urgent request, and he continued to press with persistence. This was the factor that made his friend give him the bread.
   
   This trait of boldness is the opposite of timidity, shame, fear, or modesty.

Hebrews 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 

1 John 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

God does not desire us to whine or beg or continue to ask, with vain repetitions; however, He is pleased with those who come in boldness, confident and even insistent with assurance of faith.

James 5:16-17 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective,  prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

1 Kings 18:41-46  Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and prayed 7 times before a cloud appeared.

Notice that Elijah made a declaration of the sound of abundance of rain; even BEFORE he went to prayer. But it was still necessary to enter into fervent prayer.

3. We must know that we will receive from God.

James 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.

Hebrews 6:11-12 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

4. Just to know that God has what we need is not enough - - We Must Ask, for the One who asks, receives.

John 14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 15:7  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Matthew 21:22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Mark 11:20-24  Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.   And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 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. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Continue always to Pray asking in Faith, believing and you shall receive.  
Dear friends, Keep praying !!