Happy Monday

What Can Hinder My Prayers?

Pastor LeRoy Carter of Back to Basics Ministries. 

Most prayers are hindered because of sin.  No, I did not make that up.  God said it in His Word.  Sin is a major hindrance to God's hearing and answering our prayers.  We can pray all night long; but, if we knowingly try to hide or deny the sin that is in our heart, our prayers will not be heard. What does Psalm 66.18-20 say?  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

When we pray and confess our sins, God is faithful and just to hear us and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.  Once we know that we have cleansed our own hearts by confessing our sins, we know also that God will hear us and bless us.  What does the Word say in I John 1:9? If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

What assurance do we get from God's Word in I John 5.14-15?

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.

In the book of Isaiah, God told the people that He would hide His eyes from them when they prayed.  The people made many offerings to God, but they refused to break off their sins.  God did not honor their prayers or their worship practices.  What did God say to the people in Isaiah 1:15-18? Isaiah 1:15-18, And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.  Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

A lot of people's prayers are hindered because they refuse to forgive others.  Jesus taught us the importance of forgiving others if we want God to forgive us.  To harbor unforgiveness in our spirit is a sin and it is also a hindrance to our prayers reaching God's ears. What did Jesus say in Matthew 6.14-15? For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

God has a special Word for husbands, so that a husband's prayers will not be hindered.  What does the Word say in I Peter 1 3:7?  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.

God wants us not only to confess our sins, but also to break off our sins.  We need to discontinue doing those things that we know displease God.  Each of us has areas in our lives where sin has dominion over us.  We need to take charge of our lives and be delivered from these sins.  I'm talking about me too!  What does the Word say in Romans 6.1-2?  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

We should not expect God to hear our prayers and continue to bless us if we are determined to continue to sin against Him. I would like to conclude this lesson by listing some things that we can do, in addition to what we have already studied in this lesson, to make sure that our prayers are not hindered.  Please observe the following:

Maintain a right attitude toward God.

See that you reverence God.

Ask God; don't demand anything from Him.

Ask in faith, believing that God will hear you and answer you. 

Be grateful and thankful to God even as you pray.

Be thankful that God hears your prayer and that He will answer you.

Be thankful for the relationship that you have with your Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ and that He provides the opportunity for you to pray to Him.

How Great Thou Art 
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.


Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.


Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!


When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"


Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
  
Bible Verses

"Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?
Who is like You, majestic in holiness,
Awesome in praises, working wonders?"
Exodus 15:11

"There is no one like You among the gods,
O Lord, Nor are there any works like Yours."
Psalm 86:8

"Herein is love, not that we loved God,
but that he loved us, and sent his Son
to be the propitiation for our sins."
1John 4:10

"Jesus said to him,
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life;
no one comes to the Father
but through Me."
John 14:3

"Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them
in the clouds, to meet the Lord
in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord."
1 Thes 4:17 

Daily Smile:

From Grace, 11 years old, USA 

Wanna hear a dirty joke?

The pig fell in the mud!