The Becauses of Unanswered Prayers

THE BECAUSEs OF UNANSWERED PRAYERS

Ever come to that point where you are asking, “God, are you there? Do you still answer prayers?” Sure. Good news is you are not alone. We all come to that point every once in a while in our lives.

I assure you, God still hears and answers prayers. His word says when we call, He will answer, He will show us great and mighty things that we do not even know of. So why are prayers not answered?

This is in no way exhaustive on the theme, but I know it will help you to know that prayers are not answered because:

-         We do not ask. The word says, “Until now have ye asked nothing…” We assume perhaps that God should know what we need and should just give them to us. Sure He knows, but yet, He says you should ask. Asking is your responsibility, you cannot abdicate it, or presume God will just do it. ASK, and you shall receive.

-         Of our unbelief. When we ask, we must ask in faith. If you do not believe when you ask, should you even ask at all? It is really a waste of time to ask when you do not believe the One you are asking of will answer, especially if that One is God. Ask, but do not just ask, believe that He of whom you ask, will answer.

-         We do not expect. Hope is the magnet of answers. Every time you ask, you must follow up your asking with expectations. Every day you go on out, you must expect that the answers to your prayers are coming after you that day, and that nothing will stop you from getting those answers.

-         We ask to satisfy our lustful desires. God does not rubber-stamp our selfish desires just because we ask Him. He is not such a God without principles. “You ask, but you receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it on your own lust” so says the word. Have you even pondered on it: Why do I need what I’m asking God for? Maybe in answering that question, you will know whether you should expect to receive or not.

-         We seek things and not a relationship with God. This is a build-up to the point above. God wants for us to have a relationship the type that exists between a father and the child. We should not make recourse to God only when we have need for something. God wants much more – He wants you alone with Him alone like a father to a child.

-         We do not pray the will of God. We do not just receive because we ask, we receive much more because we ask according to His will. There is such thing as God’s will. It is in His word whether written or spoken to you. When you stand upon the foundation of what He has spoken, you WILL receive. Find out what His will is concerning any situation you are in, ask according to that will, and da-dat you get the answers.

-         We do not address the problems, we address God. This is a point I suggest you read with an open mind. “If YOU shall say to this mountain…”,  “…any tongue that stands against you, YOU shall condemn”, etc. There are more than enough scriptures that tell what authority you have been given as a believer. Sad, most of us do not even know we have such authority, talk less of using it. When things come against us, we are asking God to come address the situation for us, when on the other hand, He is waiting for us to command that mountain to move. Speak to your mountain, do not ask God to come address it for you. He has transferred that authority to you, it is your job now, not God’s. I guess I’ll do a special piece on this.

-         We give up easily. Most of us will be ok when we ask for something, and in one day it’s done. We will not have as much problem with one week, we can still afford one month. But when we ask and in one year, answers have not come, can we still wait in faith? What if it takes longer time, maybe two, three, four, five years or more, what happens to your faith? If you give up, you will not go up. It is God that sets the time, not us.

-         We do not have understanding of God’s way of achieving His purpose and are not patient to trust Him. God has His way of doing things. Have you tried to find out the how of His way? I think the major work we have is to continually make efforts to reduce the difference between our way and God’s own way. Know God’s way, understand His purpose and be patient to follow Him. Trust Him.

-         We want to do all things and are not ready to play our part. That kind of explains itself right? It is not only God that is involved in getting us the answers, we have roles to play too, and we must play our part to get our answers.

-         Demonic activities hinder prayers. A lot of us think that just because we can pray then everything must just fall in line. We need to take a shower. Life is much more spiritual than it is physical. Life does not end with what we can see, taste, feel, smell or hear. There is much more. Daniel prayed, and for 21 days the prince of darkness fought the answers from manifesting. God takes care of us, but He wants us to take authority over those forces. We have the authority in the name of Jesus to do that.

-         Unbridled flesh hinder the purposes of God. The flesh is ours to put under. We hold that job every day of our lives to put our flesh and all of its cravings under the control of our spirit. If you’ll give your flesh all it wants, you’ll become like Solomon who discovered that vanity upon vanity, all is vanity, and much more, God’s plan will be thwarted by the activities of the flesh.

-         There are un-confessed and un-forsaken sins in us. We cannot continue in sin and expect that the grace of God will abound towards us. The prayer of sinner is an abomination unto the Lord. If I consider iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. The Lord’s hand is not short to save… but your iniquity has separated between you and Him. Reconnect with Him, He always longs to have you with Him, and you’ll witness an unusual response from heaven to your prayers.

God bless you.