You've been waiting and waiting but your prayers just don’t seem to be getting answered. What could be the hold up you wonder? Could it be God doesn’t want to answer or, could it be God will not honor your request because of sin in your life? There may be a number of reasons you haven’t heard from God, timing is one of those, but the most common reason is sin.
John 9:31
"Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears Him."
1st Peter 3:12
"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."
If you are involved in any type of evil then the Father will not hear your request. What this means is He won’t give ear to what you are saying.
1st John 5:14-15 says, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him."
If God hears our prayers then He will answer them. So then, how can we know He hears us? When we are living a good, clean holy life then we can rest assured that He hears us. But we need to make certain we are praying according to His will. You may say that it is selfish of God to only allow us to pray for what He wants in our lives and not what we want. But wait a minute—Psalm 37:4 tells us,
"Delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
This verse makes it clear that God will give us what we desire as long as we delight in Him. Nonetheless, we need to point out that God is not going to go against His commandments just to answer a prayer for us. So if you are asking for something that is not right or you can’t handle then He is not going to answer. It would be like giving a 10 year-old the keys to your car just because he asked you. You know better than to do that. God knows better too, so let’s allow Him to have the final say on what we should have.
Check List: Reasons Prayers go Unanswered.
Are you keeping the Commandments
?
1st John 3:22 says this, "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him because we keep His Commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."
It is very clear from the above verse if we want God to answer we must obey His rules.
So, if you are asking and aren’t receiving from God then you need to ask yourself—am I breaking one of His commandments?
If you are breaking one or more of the Ten Commandments then why do you even expect God to answer you? Your faith is contaminated. You are in strict violation of His Word and will not receive a thing.
Heeding Thought: If we want the Word to work in our lives we must follow the rules.
Are you asking Amiss?
James 4:3, "Ye ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
Amiss simply means to ask for something wrong or for the wrong reason.
When I think of asking amiss I think of Christians who try to out do one another. Many Christian’s want bigger church buildings with larger congregations, not because they want to win more souls for the Lord, but because they want fame and fortune for themselves. You see, they are asking so they can consume it upon their own lust. But—if they would get their minds on God and off things I believe He would send them what they are asking for. It all starts with the right attitude.
Prayer Hint: Before you ask God for something, ask yourself, "Why do I want this?"
There are those that want to show off, supposing that God has blessed them more than anyone else. Have you seen anyone like this? Well, I have. And, right inside the church. Even though God is blessing them they are not satisfied. So, they ask God for more and more. Often He gets tired of this and stops answering their prayers. Now they are sick in body and God hasn’t healed them because their heart isn’t right. When you are striving to have more than anymore else lust has filled your heart and its time to repent.
Heeding Thought: If we want our prayers to be answered we need to be careful not to ask for things that are generated through and by lust.
3. Are you putting God first?
Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
God should always come first in our lives. Putting Him and His work first, before anyone or anything, will only bring blessing.
Our Heavenly Father doesn’t take away from He adds to. So, if the things you have been asking for aren’t been added to you, it may be that you’re not seeking Him first. How do we seek Him? By reading His Word and doing His will. What is His will? Maybe you have a ministry you need to start or a soul you need to witness to. Maybe there is someone that needs a friend to talk to.
There are all kinds of ways to do God’s will. Jesus went about doing good and healing all manner of Jesus and disease among the people. Start by doing something good. You will then be bringing pleasure to the Father and He will grant you your requests. Put Him and His work first.
Heeding Thought: If you’re not putting God first in your life why should He put you first in His.
4. Are you living in harmony with your husband or wife?
1st Peter 3:1, "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the conversation of the wife;"
1st Peter 3:7, "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
These verses are instructing married couples to be good to one another or suffer the consequences. Husbands, honor your wives. Wives, submit to your Christian husband. You can’t fight with your mate and expect God to just keep sending the glory down. There has to be unity and love. If your husband or wife isn’t saved you still must respect them as your spouse to win them over to Jesus.
Heeding Thought: You can’t treat your spouse bad and still expect God to answer your prayers.
5. Maybe your answer is being delayed by the devil. Daniel’s Answer Was Delayed
Daniel 10:12-13, "Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel; for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before they God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words."
Verse 13, "But the prince of the kingdom of Persia, withstood me one and twenty days; but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia."
God had heard Daniel’s prayer the first day he prayed but the prince of the kingdom of Persia (one of satan’s angels) withstood the angel of the Lord twenty-one days. Just because you haven’t received the healing you have been praying for doesn’t mean God hasn’t already sent it, He has. Actually, He sent Jesus to die on the cross and by His stripes you are already healed! Satan may hinder, but he can’t stop the answer from getting to you.
In closing, just let me say, If you’re not receiving answers to your prayers it is NOT God’s fault. Maybe you have been waiting twenty-one weeks or even twenty-one years. Frankly it doesn’t matter how long you have been waiting, God heard you the first time and He is going to answer so don’t give up. You will reap if you faint NOT. (Gal. 6:9)
Heeding Thought:
You can’t hurry God but He will be on time just as He was for Daniel.Don’t get tired of waiting…
Isaiah 40:31
"But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Until next time,
Remember, you’re in the army now, keep marching on!
Copyright 2002 by Darlene Osborne
Darlene is Founding Publisher of TheChristianOnlineMagazine.Com/ChristianMagazine.org
