Prayer Busters

We've been studying through Bill Hybel's book Too Busy Not to Pray and here's some notes on common prayer busters.

What do we do when Matthew 7:7-8 doesn't seem to be working? Matthew 7:7-8 says "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door with be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." What what about when you've been asking, seeking and knocking to no avail?

If you got in your car on day and it didn't start you would try to identify the problem. First you might check the battery. Second, you might test the alternator. Third, you might test the fuses. Usually, the problem is one of those three things. Similarly, when our prayers don't seem to be heard or answered, we want to identify the problem. Here's some common reasons our prayers go unanswered.

1. Wrong Requests

In Matthew 20:20-23 James and John ask Jesus for the best seats in his Kingdom. Jesus denies their request because their request was selfish. In Luke 9:51 after the Samaritans deny Jesus and his disciples passage through Samaria James and John ask if Jesus wants them to call down fire from heaven to the destroy the village. Jesus both denied their request and rebuked them for asking such a thing. You see, sometimes God denies our request because we ask wrong. God loves us too much to grant wrong requests. In order to avoid asking wrong, here's some questions to ask of yourself before you ask God for what you want: 1. If God granted this request, would it bring glory to him? 2. Would it advance his kingdom? 3. Would it help people? 4. Would it help me grow spiritually? By asking these questions of ourselves we can filter out wrong requests.

2. Wrong Time

Kids hate hearing the words "not yet". You start off on a long journey and your kid asks "Are we there yet?" to which you respond "not yet". Your kids wanted to open their presents before Christmas to which you respond "not yet". Your daughter wants to start wearing making up and shave her legs at four years of age, to which you respond "not yet". Well, inside each one of us is a kid who hates hearing "not yet" from God. But in the same way that parents know best, so God knows best. We might not understand his reasons, but its then that we should remember Isaiah 55:8-9, "My thoughts are not your thoughts says the Lord, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." We are creatures, and God is the Creator. Only He knows what timing is best.

3. Something could be wrong in our lives.

Pretend you left for a two week vacation and forgot to ask someone to mow your lawn while you were gone and that when you returned, you realized your little lawnmower wasn't powerful enough to cut your grass, which is now nine inches tall! It's then that you remember your neighbor has offered for you to borrow his industrial strength John Deere riding lawnmower anytime you want. You decide to take him up on his offer. Walking over to his house his dog run ups and start barking and nipping at your ankles (like he always does). Getting frustrated and nearly tripping over the dog you finally decide to give it a swift kick...That's when you look up to see your neighbor standing at his front door (he saw you coming and came out to welcome you home from your trip). He's not happy. Now let me ask you something...Is this a good time to make requests and ask favors of your neighbor? Or is there something you need to do first (i.e. like ask forgiveness!)?

In the same way, when we have offended God by sinning or doing something we know we shouldn't, it will hinder our prayers. This leads me to prayer buster number one.

1. Unconfessed Sin

Unconfessed sin cuts off our communication with God. Isaiah 59:2, Your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. If you have unconfessed sin in your life, don't waste your breath praying unless it's a prayer of confession.

2. Prayerlessness

A second common prayer buster is prayerlessness. Some people have the motto: "When all else fails, pray." That's a terrible motto to have! When we work, we work; when we pray, God works. Don't substitute prayer for worry. Don't neglect prayer and instead try and work yourself to death to solve the problem apart from God. Don't decide to just go without instead of praying! James says "you have not because you ask not."

3. Unresolved relational conflict

There's no point in praying if we're engaged in ongoing conflict with a family member, coworker, neighbor or friend. Matthew 5:23-24 says, "If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." This concept of our prayers being hindered by relational conflict is also taught in I Peter 3:7 which says: "Husbands are to be considerate and respectful to thier wives so that nothing will hinder their prayers."

What do I do if I've tried to resolve the conflict but the other person won't make peace? Then you're off the hook! Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as far as depends on you, live at peace with everyone." It says "If it is possible..." which means that sometimes it is not. All we can do is try our best to resolve the conflict. As long as do our part, our prayers won't be hindered.

4. Inadequate faith

When we pray we need to ask in faith. James 1:5-8 says, "If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be give to you. But ask in faith, never doubting, for the one who doubts is like the wave of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind; for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord." When you pray you need to truly believe that God is willing to hear and help you, and able to do anything, change anyone and intervene in any circumstance. So what do you do if you don't have adequate faith? You read the Scriptures! Romans 10:17 says "Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of the God." Before you pray it might be helpful to review the passages of Scripture where God parts the Red Sea, helps the Israel's break down the walls of Jericho, helps David defeat Goliath, helps Gideon defeat an army of 132,000 with only 300 men, etc. As you read how God is willing and capable of doing the impossible, your faith will grow. And you'll believe God for whatever it is you're praying about.