John 9:31 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (KJV)
John 15:7 If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you. (KJV)
Prov 15:8 8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. (KJV)
Prov 15:29 29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous. (KJV)
Prov 28:9 9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. (KJV)
Psalm 66:18 (King James Version)
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Isaiah 1:15 (King James Version)
And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (King James Version)
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Why Prayers Go Unanswered
Ten Reasons Our Prayers Are Not Answered
James 4:1-11
1. James 4:1,2 says, "From whence come wars and fightings among you? come thy not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 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."
There are a lot of reasons we don’t have what we desire and one of those reasons is because we don’t ask. Matt. 7:7,8 declares, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Don’t be surprised if you don’t receive when you ask the first time.
Most of the time we don’t ask because we don’t believe God will give what we ask for. We aren’t used to living by faith, and find it much easier to live by sight. It is more natural to live by sight and it fits this body and mind and our sinful lifestyle much better.
Much of the time we don’t ask because we want to do it ourselves. We don’t like to depend on God, we had rather depend on ourselves because we are filled with the pride of life. We like to be independent, to depend on no one, but ourselves. We want others to believe we can take care of ourselves (self-reliance), while they also see our humility.
Ephesians 3:20 states, "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," This verse is part of a prayer Paul prayed to Almighty God for the people at Ephesus. God can and will do more than we can ask or think. But only according to the power that worketh in us. What does that mean? It means that God will only act in his gracious provision and aid for us in the same proportion as we believe in him. If you don’t believe God will do anything, he won’t do anything. If you believe God will do a certain thing, he will do it. (All of this is according to the scriptures, of course.)
The great prophet, Elijah, didn’t receive when he asked the first time. A careful reading of James 5:17,18 and I Kings 18:44, indicates that Elijah prayed more than once to stop the rain, and more than once to bring the rain again. In II Kings 4:32-35, Elisha stretched himself on the dead child at least two times.
The widow woman in Luke 18: 1-8 cried unto the king until she was avenged. Jesus declares to us, "Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
Don’t be discouraged when it seems God isn’t listening. Keep on praying, seeking, and knocking. God will answer your prayers.
2. James 4:3 states, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
Sometimes we don’t receive what we asked for because we haven’t asked that God be glorified, but that we be satisfied. We might say, "I’ve asked in the name of Jesus, but He just hasn’t given like He said he would." Remember, God always does it right; we have done it wrong. If we haven’t asked for the glory of God, He won’t supply.
For example, all of us have had times of financial trouble. During those times, it is easy to pray that God supply our needs. But how many of us pray that our needs be supplied for God’s glory? If we are praying that our needs be supplied simply so we will have the necessities of life, we are praying in vain.
3. James 4:4 says, "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
The word "enmity" means hostility or opposition. God will not answer our prayers when we try to mix in with the world.
How can we gain things in this world if we don’t mix with the world?
Matthew 16:26 – "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Matthew 6:19 – "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:"
Matthew 6:24 – "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
Matthew 6:33 – "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
God won’t answer our prayers, even if we pray in his name, if we are going to mix with the world and be like the world. That’s why John 15:7 says, "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." We must abide in Christ.
4. James 4:5 tells us, "Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?"
There doesn’t seem to be a particular scripture that says this in these exact words, but the thought through all the scripture is that the human spirit (whether we are saved or lost) constantly draws us toward envy (which is ill will and jealously).
The Spirit that dwells in us is the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit will not intercede "...for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26) if we do not intend to use those things for the glory and honor of God. It is inconceivable that a husband would give his wife money so she could spend a night "out on the town" with another man. It is just as inconceivable that God will allow us to have things we intend to use to gratify the lusts of the flesh.
The spirit here spoken of can be the spirit that is in every man, saved or lost. The human nature that is filled with sin cannot help but yearn toward sin. It is natural, not spiritual to sin, and to continue in sin. Therefore, using the above verse, the person that yields to his natural spirit, becomes a friend to the world, cannot expect God to answer his prayers, nor help him in any manner.
5. James 4:6 states, "but he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
God will not answer our prayers when we are full of pride. One of the most difficult things to see is pride when it is in us. It is not difficult to see pride in someone else, the problem is for me to see my pride. We must pray that God will reveal our foolish pride to us, and we shouldn’t be proud of our humility.
6. James 4:7 declares, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
God doesn’t hear and answer our prayers if we are serving Satan and not Him. The way to have our prayers answered is to submit ourselves to God, then resist the devil. It is impossible to resist the devil without first submitting ourselves to God.
7. James 4:8 says, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways, like water seeking the easiest route. Sometimes God doesn’t want us to take the easiest route, but he always wants us to go His way. And when we go that harder way, God will always supply the things we need, and many of the things we want.
8. James 4:9 states, "Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness."
The Bible says, "He that goeth forth weeping, bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again, rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:6). This Scripture means the one that isn’t afflicted, and doesn’t mourn and weep over lost souls won’t get any sheaves. It takes a burdened heart to get through to the Lord. Not a burden that we have made, but a burden because we see the work of God that He wants us to do.
James 4:10 says to, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." Let God lift us up. Do not try to lift yourself up by your own bootstraps. Matthew 6:27 states, "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?"
10. James 4:11 says, "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge." Sometimes God doesn’t hear our prayers because of wicked gossiping and misunderstanding concerning the law, and how God judges sin. We have no right to speak evil of anybody, even our enemies. We have every right to judge their works by the Bible, being very careful of our own sinfulness, lest we also be drawn away.
If we’ve not asked with a broken, humbled heart, we’ve not asked right at all, we’ve just asked. Asking aright is a very individual thing. We know that when we really pray to the Lord, He will hear and answer our prayers.
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Respectfully,
William Poovey
