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INTRO
As Christians we all pray knowing that God hears us. We hope He will answer us. Yet at times it seems, our prayers go unanswered. It appears as if God is either not listening to us or ignoring us. In this study we will examine 14 reasons from Scripture that prayer goes unanswered. We provide Bible references along with each point. You must read the verses provided in context. That means reading them in conjunction with the verses that goes before them and after them. Context gives meaning. A verse in isolation can be skewed to mean just about anything.
IT TAKES MORE THAN FAITH TO GET PRAYER ANSWERED
This study will demonstrate that prayer is more complex than some have taught.
For decades now some in the Church have taught what is known as the ‘faith message.’ Part of that message says you can get anything in prayer if you have enough faith. The theory is that if “you say it (pray it) and don’t doubt you will have it.” You will get it! In fact, according to this teaching God has to answer prayer uttered with enough faith. He has no choice. This is because He is bound by the laws of faith and is powerless to stop them. No Scripture says this.What blasphemy! God is all powerful and bound by nothing any human being can do, let alone say.
Those locked into this position tell us this is what Mark 11:22 – 24 teaches. This is wrong.These are but two verses in God’s word that contribute to the topic of answered prayer. Praying and getting answers from God is a huge topic. The Bible has much more than two verses devoted to it. Limiting it to two verses is akin to trying to describe everything about an elephant in one short sentence. It cannot be done.
14 REASONS THE LORD DOES NOT ANSWER PRAYER
- Lack of faith/Unbelief
God does respond to our faith (usually). If we don’t believe He answers pray (ordinarily) He won’t.
Mk. 11: 22-24, Mk. 9: 22&23, Mt. 13:58, Heb. 11:6
2. Refusing to ask
This makes sense. If we don’t ask the Lord for anything, He will have nothing to give us – plain and simple. James 4:2
Some Christians live like this because they don’t want to bother God with their lives. They think He has more important things to do. Not so! God wants to get involved with our daily lives.
1 Pt. 5:7, Phil. 4:6&7, Mt. 6:8-13
3. Asking with selfish motives
The Lord does not reward selfishness and greed. If our prayers are about getting ‘our stuff’ done – they will not be answered. James 4:3
4. Tolerating sin in our lives
God’s will for believers is to be saved from sin through Jesus Christ! We cannot live with known sin in our lives and expect answered pray. He refuses to answer us, no matter how much ‘faith’ we have, when we are ignoring His conviction about an area of sin in our lives. This makes perfect sense. Indulging in sin when coming under conviction is being unfaithful. This is the opposite to being faithful. Being ‘faith ful’ is being full of faith or faith filled. When persisting in sin, the only thing we should expect to receive from the Lord is a rebuke and a command to repent!
Ps. 66:18, James 1:6-8, 2 Sam. 12: 1-23, Heb. 12:6, Prov. 3:12
5. It is not God’s will
As believers we have surrendered ourselves to the Lordship of Christ. We now live for what He wants, not what we want.
Mt. 8: 1-3, 2 Cor. 12:8, 1 Jn. 5;14
When it comes to prayer we need to understand, the Lord will NOT give us what he does not want us to have! Nor should we want something he doesn’t want us to have if we are declaring ourselves servants to His plan and purpose for our lives. 1 Cor. 6: 19&20
6. Wrong timing
At times our prayers (even if they are in God’s will) go unanswered “now” only to be granted in God’s perfect time “later.”
Gen. 15:2&3, Gen 18:10, Lk. 1:13&18
7. Not treating our spouse properly
Married partners need to treat each other with love and respect. Husbands are told to love their wives sacrificially and wives are told to respect their husbands. Eph. 5:22-33
This is a tall order for both parties. But very necessary if answers to prayer are not to be hindered. 1 Pt. 3:7
8. Lack of obedience
Read 2 Kings 5:5-14 and Jn. 9:7-11
Notice in both these examples sin was not an issue. Yet the people had to be obedient to specific instructions before their request was granted.
9. Vain repitition
God is unimpressed with prayers that don’t come from the heart. Prayer is simply talking to God. He wants to hear what we have to say. You wouldn’t speak to your mum by quoting what someone else said to their mother. So why do it when talking to your Heavenly Father?
Nor would you speak at someone else repeating mantras, like ‘I am healed, I am healed…’, thinking the repetition had power. So why do it to/at God? Repetition adds no power to prayer. Instead it introduces an element of superstition into our praying.
10. Not persisting in prayer
True prayer is not something that is uttered once and then forgotten. Answers can take time. We must keep praying. Dan. 10:2-12, Mt. 7:7-11, Heb. 6:12
Paul’s motto when praying about his ‘thorn in the flesh’ seemed to be – keep asking until the Lord says “stop now.” 2 Cor.12:7-9
Our attitude to prayer should follow his example. That is, we keep praying until an answer comes or we have the conviction it is time to stop.
11. Being double minded
See James 1:6-8 The Lord is looking for single minded, consistent followers. People that know the Lord, love the Lord and pray to see answers. Being double minded is taking two opposite views at the same time. It is living for God one moment and living like the devil the next. It is trusting Jesus to handle the situation and then going ahead in your own strength to sort it out yourself. Not only is this a hard way to live the Christian life, it guarantees your prayer life will be in a shambles. James 5:16&17
12. Failing to forgive others
Not forgiving others is sin. Sin inhibits our prayers. Refer to point ‘4.’ Mt. 6:12, Lk. 11:25
13. Not living for and with the Lord daily
Jn. 15:7
Nobody, including our Saviour, is expecting us to live a perfect life without falling or failing in some way. That is not possible this side of heaven.
What is needed is to stay connected to Jesus, in every situation. By telling him our cares, faults and failings as they occur we will ensure getting His help to move forward. 1 Jn. 1:7-9
As we continue with God in this way, we will pray more and see more answers to prayer accordingly.
14. God’s Sovereignty
At times we do everything we know to do in prayer and the answer from heaven is “no.” The prayer is denied. The answer does not come.
When things don’t make sense and prayer is not answered as expected it can cause us to question God’s character and His love for us. It is in these times we must trust in His goodness and faithfulness. We must also acknowledge that he is Sovereign. He knows and does what is best, even when it is not to our liking or beyond our understanding.
CONCLUSION
God can and does answer prayer. He loves His people and enjoys it when we fellowship with Him in prayer and reading his Word. We should come to Him expecting Him to listen to and answer our prayers. We Should rejoice and praise Him when answers come, and trust Him when they don’t.
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