I have been struggling as of late. God has been good to me and has protected and instructed me as I have gingerly stepped through a minefield of decisions. So, why am I struggling? I pray every day and I wait for answers, yet there is always this feeling that I have left something “undone”. Have you ever felt that way? I haven’t written anything for a week or so, because I have been having to work double shifts at work due to Covid absences and it has been hard. I was just about at the end of my rope of discouraging thoughts when I ran across something on my computer. Frankly, I don’t know if this is something that I once wrote or adopted from someone. I usually have references as to the authors of tidbits like this. Well, for better or for worse, I want to share it with you because it helped.
Seven Hindrances to Prayer
1. No Praise or Thankfulness for what God will do or what He has already done. Phil 4:6
2. Not Praying at all but expecting God to know what you want and/or trying to figure things out on your own. You pray as a last resort. Prayer needs to be our first choice. James 5:13-19
3. Doubt! Not asking in faith. God tells us to “ask” and to ask in Jesus’ Name which means we must be walking in Him presenting all that He is. It is like a bank account. I can’t cash a check unless I have money in the bank. However, if one who has the money makes out a check to me, then I can cash it at his bank even though I have no funds. We don’t have righteousness in heaven but Christ does and he invites us to “cash” the check he has written us. Matt 7:7; Matt 18:19; Matt 21:22; James 1: 6-7.
4. Un-repentant or Hidden Sin – keeping sin hidden; secretive. We are to confess, repent and then move on in Christ. James 5:15-19, James 4:4
5. Un-forgiveness – God does not hear our prayers if we have resentment and unforgiveness against another brother or sister in the Lord. Matt 6:14-16; Matt 18:21-35
6. Not abiding in His Word in order to know and do His Will. Our prayers have no power because we let Satan distract us with the everyday cares and worries of life; complaining about them rather than praying in faith and for His Will to be done. John 15:7-11
7. Selfishness; Self Absorption: Wanting God to bless our schemes…our solutions or plans, expecting Him to give us the things that we crave. James tells us when we ask we do so from wrong motives only caring about our own gain and pleasures. James 4:1-3
I know it sounds something like a quick-fix checklist, but honestly, any of these things can stand in the way of powerful prayers that God will answer. Think about it…
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