REASONS FOR UNANSWERED PRAYER
1. Prayer
to the Father from an unbeliever in
Christ is not heard.
JOHN
14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
PROVERBS
15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the
prayer of the upright is his delight.
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JOHN 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, That we should
believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he
gave us commandment.
2. Sin in the life; status quo carnality.
PSALM
66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
ISAIAH
59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not
shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between
you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not
hear.
JOHN
15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye
will, and it shall be done unto you.
The
solution to this hindrance to answered prayer is acknowledgement of sin to the
Father at the beginning of every prayer.
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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.
PSALM
32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee,
and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto
the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
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CORINTHIANS 11:31 For if we would judge
ourselves, we should not be judged.
3. Incorrect protocol in prayer. Prayer is to be directed to the Father,
prayed in the name of (by the authority of) Jesus Christ, and performed in the
power of the Holy Spirit.
MATTHEW
6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
EPHESIANS
5:20 Giving thanks always for all
things unto God the Father in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ;
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PETER 1:17 And if ye call on the Father ...
JOHN
15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have
chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that
your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye
shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
MATTHEW
6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter
into thy bed chamber, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth
in secret shall reward thee openly.
EPHESIANS
3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
JOHN
14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that
the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
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PETER 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are
built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a
peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called
you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
REVELATION
1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto
God even his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
REVELATION
5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings
and priests:
EPHESIANS
6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and
requests.
4. The
sin of pride, resulting in self-righteousness.
JOB
35:12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the
pride of evil men. 13 Surely God
will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
5. The
sin of selfishness.
JAMES
4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot
obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask
amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
6. Lack of obedience to the will of God.
1
JOHN 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. 23 And this is his commandment, That we should
believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave
us commandment.
1
JOHN 5:14 And this is the confidence
that we have in him, that, if we ask any
thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear
us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of
him.
JOHN
15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye
will, and it shall be done unto you.
JOHN
14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my
name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye
shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
7. Lack of domestic tranquility - malfunction
in marriage.
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PETER 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.
8. Lack of compassion, lack of grace
orientation.
PROVERBS
21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry
himself, but shall not be heard.
9. Lack of faith-rest function.
MATTHEW
21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
receive.
MARK
11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
10. Nonsense
prayers are not effective.
MATTHEW
6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain
repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for
their much speaking.