If God Puts You On Hold-Don't Hang Up

with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the LORD” (James 1:6,7). NIV puts it like this: “But when you ask, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like the waves of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think that he will receive anything from the LORD” (James 1:6,7 NIV).

4. You may be on hold because God may be dealing with unconfessed sin.

Sometimes when we do not hear from God, because of sin in our life. Isaiah says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1,2).

The psalmist also said, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). The blind man said, “The LORD heareth not sinners” (John 9:31).

Remember, God forgives both known and unknown sin(s).

5. You may be on hold because God may be dealing with a broken relationship. Sometimes God does not hear us, nor does He communicate with us because we have sin in our life that has caused broken relationships, or we have allowed broken relationships. “Whosoever is angry with his brother without cause shall be in danger of the judgment: whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, thy fool shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest thy brother have ought against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then, offer thy gift” (Matthew 5:22-24).

Sometimes God has you on hold because you have problems brother to brother, spouse to spouse, parent to child, or child to parent.

If you are on hold because of broken relationships:

1. Pray for forgiveness. “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

2. If you have wronged a fellow Christian, go and make it right.

3. If a fellow Christian has wronged you, you have “ought” in your heart toward a brother.” You must go and make it right. “Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother (Matthew 18:15).

4. If they will not hear you, take someone with you. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matthew 18:16).

5. Make it a church matter. “If he shall neglect to hear him, tell it to the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican” (Matthew 18:17).

6. You may be on hold because of spiritual warfare. This is not a big emphasis in my ministry, but the Bible tells us that sometimes when God does not answer our requests, it is because there is satanic opposition. Daniel prayed for an answer from God but didn’t get it for twenty-one days, even though he fasted. “I set my face unto the LORD God to seek thy prayer and supplication with fasting, and sackcloth and ashes” (Daniel 9:3)

“I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant bread, neither came meat nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all,