No 5

(Psalm 66 :18)

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”

There are a number of reasons why our prayers may seem to go unanswered and the presence of unconfessed and unforsaken sin is often the cause. This possibility must always be considered with all honesty before seeking another reason. The Apostle James said “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:3). As born-again Christians, the penalty for our sins was paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross. Therefore you surmise : “if my sins are forgiven, why should my prayers not be answered?” The strongest reason is because we do not pray by the Spirit. All prayers that are heard by God are the breathings of his own Spirit within us. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26) As without the intercession of Christ we cannot have our prayers accepted, so without the intercession of the Spirit we cannot pray. In 1 John 1:9, the Bible tells us that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This verse is intended for Christians; if we neglect to confess some sin in our life, how can we expect the God of all righteousness to hear us?

In the New Testament, there is a similar verse and it is specifically for husbands. It is found in 1 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.” Husbands are to include their wives in all their activities and decisions; otherwise their prayers will be hindered or not heard by God. The key to having our prayers answered is obedience to God’s Word; it’s as simple as that.