10.Failure to focus
Another reason prayers are not answered is that we do not stay focused when we pray and we are not diligent to keep our hearts connected to heaven before we know
It, we are saying words that have little meaning or we are distracted by the many pressures or activities of life We end up not concentrating on talking to God, not really paying attention to him.
The bible says in, Proverbs 4:25-27 (Amplified Bible)
25Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you.
26Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright.
27Turn not aside to the right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil.
If we do want do receive from the lord- if we do want our prayer answered- we need to learn to stay focused not only in prayer, but also in life. We need to know what God has called us to do prioritize that, focuses on that, pray about that and watch as god answers our prayer and does great things though us.
Know what God has called you to do; be responsible for and pray consistently concerning those things No one’s prayer have as much effect on your life, family , and ministry as your do.
Paul told to timothy in; 1 Timothy 4:15 (Amplified Bible)
15Practice and cultivate and meditate upon these duties; throw yourself wholly into them [as your ministry], so that your progress may be evident to everybody.
He was telling him to stay focused. Prayer is like a laser beam. it is powerful, but you must stay focused in an area until the desired results are accomplished. Whatever God assigns you to do, stay focused! Focused prayer is powerful prayer!
11.Rebellion
Being rebellious toward authority will keep our prayer from being answered. A submitted heart which is the opposite of a rebellious heart is tender toward God and eager to obey Him. A rebellious person on the other hand will intentionally disobey. God does not bless disobedience.
12.Not caring for people in need
If we want our prayers to be answered , we need to be compassionate and kind to the poor.
Proverbs 21:13 (Amplified Bible)
13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor will cry out himself and not be heard
That verse speaks for itself if we want god to hear our prayers , we need to care for those who are less fortunate than we are
John 3:17-18 (Amplified Bible)
17 For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge (to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on) the world, but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.
18 He who believes in Him [who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him] is not judged [he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation--he incurs no damnation]; but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already [he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence] because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. [He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name.]
God has equipped us with compassionate hearts and we are told in
1 John 3:17 (Amplified Bible)
17 But if anyone has this world's goods (resources for sustaining life) and sees his brother and fellow believer in need, yet closes his heart of compassion against him, how can the love of God live and remain in him?
This verse tell us not to close our hearts of compassion when we see need. Satan would like for our love to grow cold. As a matter of matter of fact, Mathew tells us that lover gown cold be a sign of the Last Days.
Matthew 24:12 (Amplified Bible)
12 And the love of the great body of people will grow cold because of the multiplied lawlessness and iniquity,
The Best ways to combat hardness of heart and a stronghold of cold love is to stay active helping those who are less fortunate than you are Don’t ignore the need you hear about by closing your heart or letting your love grow cold instead, respond to them.
Isaiah 58:6-9 (Amplified Bible)
6[Rather] is not this the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bands of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every [enslaving] yoke?
7 Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house--when you see the naked, that you cover him, and that you hide not yourself from [the needs of] your own flesh and blood?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here I am. If you take away from your midst yokes of oppression [wherever you find them], the finger pointed in scorn [toward the oppressed or the godly], and every form of false, harsh, unjust, and wicked speaking,
12.Un forgiveness
Un-forgiveness is probably the number one reason prayers are not answered .I would venture to say that more ground is given up in believer’s life through un-forgiveness than though anything else. God’s word contains may Scriptures that emphasize the importance of forgiveness which is nothing more than treating others the way God treats us I do not think we can fid any clearer biblical command to forgive than
Ephesians 4:32 (Amplified Bible)
32And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.
Because we live in fallen world full of people who are imperfect as we are , we cannot avoid being hurt offended victimized or betrayed We will have reasons to be angry but unresolved anger turns to bitterness and un-forgiveness and that will hinder our prayers In fact
Ephesians 4:26 (Amplified Bible)
26 When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down.
We simply cannot hold on to anger and harbor un-forgiveness in our hearts if we want God to answer our prayers
Jesus makes this point plain in Mark 11:25 (Amplified Bible)
25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and ]let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop.
In other words, whatever we have against anyone must be forgiven .No matter how major or how minor an issue seems, we have to let go. We do not wait until we feel like forgiving; we forgive by making an intentional choice a willful decision to left a matter drop. When we do, we make a way for our prayer to be answered .
13.Pride
First Peter 5:5 says that “God resist the proud , but gives grace to the humble We can see from the verse that pride is certainly a hindrance to answered prayer ! when we pray and ask for God’s grace in situation, pride will block it but humility will pave the ways for it When we’re proud we don’t think we need God or anyone else We feel self-sufficient :we are self-reliant We think we are better than other people Pride is very serious to God The bible contains may Scriptures that affirm this but one of the strongest is
Proverbs 16:5 (Amplified Bible)
5 Everyone proud and arrogant in heart is disgusting, hateful, and exceedingly offensive to the Lord; be assured [I pledge it] they will not go unpunished
Pride will keep our prayer from being answered and we must deal with our pride if we want god to hear and responds to us when we pray , We need to ask Him to show us areas in our heart swhere we are proud and we need to repent the best way to turn form a particular sin or stop an old attitude or thought pattern is to ask God’s forgiveness for it and to choose to develop the opposite attitude to behavior instead So when overcoming the sin of pride we need to ask god to help us develop humility and do everything we can to cultivate humility in our hearts We need to humble not only before God but also in our relationships with other people.
One of the best ways to practice humility is through confession.The first sentence of
James 5:16 (Amplified Bible)
16Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
Remember, God will resist those who have pride in their heart and their pride will hinder their prayers but God hears the prayer of humble hearts and sends his grace in response.
May we live in humbleness and in obedience to the lord. And let not the Hindrances To Answered PraYeR, come in our way in our relationship with the lord . For a strong walk with him, in this life. And for life to come.