Here is Part 3 of Reasons for Unanswered Prayer:

 

(7) Lack of Consistency in Intercession and Relationship with Christ
*1 Corinthians 14:14-15 says, “14For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

 

*Romans 8:26-28 says, “26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

 

*James 5:16b says, “The effectual fervent (to be active/mighty in) prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

 

*Intercession is when you stand in the gap for someone or a group of people who may not even be able to pray for themselves. It is making up the hedge, building a wall of protection so God will send His angels can keep charge over the person or people of whom you are praying.

 

*Christ is seat at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us. We must take our seat of authority in heavenly places and allow our intercession to align with the intercession of heaven so that His will can be done on earth as it is in heaven. It is about not making our prayers selfish, but praying God’s purposes on the earth, which can only be known through the mind of the Holy Spirit.

 

*Don’t blame yourself if consistent prayer goes unanswered. The Holy Spirit will never enslave you to think if you would have just fasted another day or prayed an extra hour that the outcome would be different. That is the spirit of bondage to fear, not adoption.

 

*If you beat yourself up because you have convinced yourself that a prayer was not answered because you did not fast or pray enough, then you will only be enslaved to your beliefs, which is something of which God is not a part.

 

*St. Augustine said, “Pray as though it all depends upon God, and work as though it all depends on you.” You must be willing to offer your faithfulness to God instead of approaching His throne of grace to fulfill your greatest dreams. If you will delight yourself in Him, He will give you the desires of your heart, but when are in a delighted place, you will pray His will upon the earth!

 

(8) Bitterness
*Matthew 6:12-15 says, “12And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. 14For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: 15But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

 

*Matthew 11:6 says, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.”

 

*Bitterness, an unwillingness to forgive, will always hinder answered prayers. It will limit you into one dimension, never allowing you to go from glory to glory. You will remain stuck for the rest of your life spiritually. You have to be willing to forgive in the same way God has been willing to forgive you!

 

*If we are not careful, we can allow the pains and struggles of our life to make us bitter against God. We have to have the attitude of the three Hebrew children. I know God is able to deliver me from these flames, and I know He will, but if He doesn’t, I will go down knowing that He is able!

 

*Don’t ask God to take away your affliction (growth), struggle (change in identity) or persecution (blessings of the kingdom) *If you suffer with Him, you will be glorified with Him. Being seated in Christ does not eliminate you from trouble, but it changes your reaction to it.

 

*Brokenness leads to surrender or bitterness (2 Corinthians 12:9). You never know the strength of God without weakness.

 

*Time doesn’t heal all wounds. It just gives enough time to cover it up with dirt, but the real heart issue is still there. Give God access to heal and mend, and if you will let Him, He can give you the answers you need!

 

*Sometimes, God just has a better idea in mind or even a delayed yes. So, if a prayer goes unanswered, do not be bitter against the will of God. If you are praying for a job opportunity, or your job is being threatened, pray that God will show you what is His will and pray according to His will so you do not pray yourself into a job that will only make you miserable. Trust Him in the process. If you have a vision for ministry, but it seems like nothing is working, that is o.k. Maybe it is simply a delayed yes, just as with Paul and Silas, who were forbidden by the Holy Ghost to preach in Asia, Mysid or Bithynia (Acts 16:6-7). This sounds like a complete contradiction of Jesus instructed His disciples, “Go into all of the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15) It was because another land at the time was more ripened for the gospel. Maybe God needs to pour more revelation and understanding in your heart before a certain desire of yours is fulfilled. Proverbs 13:12 says, “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Don’t let hopelessness choke the life out of your visions, causing them to die. Let God revive them and allow them to become a source of life for countless others!

 

*Are you comforted, comfortless or comfortable? Comforted is when you allow the Holy Spirit to carry you in His inexplicable, supernatural peace in those challenging, difficult times. Comfortless is when you become bitter and let go of the comforting hands of Yahweh to figure things out in your own human reasoning. Comfortable is when you become complacent with where you are spiritually, just going through the routines of life with no vision, hunger or passion for the greater things of God. 
*Human reason doesn’t grasp faith, but if you will allow faith, it will position you to get the answers and closure you need from God. Trying to figure it all out on your own that much more will only drive you crazy and cause further grief and anguish. Give Him room, and He will comfort and strengthen you!

 

*Have you ever heard a parent say, “You can’t go,” and the child says, “But why”, their response is, “Because I said so.” Is it to deprive their children from fun, or is it because the parents see the bigger picture, and they are simply protecting their children from dangerous positions or making the same mistakes they made.

 

(9) Husband’s Dishonor and Wife’s Rebellion – Disorderly Marriage
*1 Peter 3:7 says, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”

 

*A marriage at odds will hinder answered prayers.

Here is Part 2 of Reasons for Unanswered Prayer:

 

4) Speaking in an Atmosphere of Disagreement
*Matthew 13:57-58 says, “57And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. 58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”

*Matthew 18:19-20 says, “19Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

 

*Jesus was capable of doing anything, healing any disease, saving any lost soul or raising any dead person back to life. However, His will was always hindered in an atmosphere of disagreement or unbelief, which is why He would begin to teach during those times in hopes of creating belief in the heart of a group of people.

 

*You can prophesy and declare until you are blue in the face, but if you are doing so where there is no faith or agreement, you are wasting your time!

 

5) Your Petitions Tempt Christ Rather Than Move Him
*Luke 23:32-43 says, “32And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. 34Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 35And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

 

*Matthew 4:3-11 says, “3And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”

 

*When our prayers are, “If you are who you say you are Jesus, then heal my child,” we are tempting Christ out of a place of desperation rather than moving Him with our faith. God is moved more by our faith than our needs, but our prayers cannot be similar to the devil when he said, “If you are the Son of God, then…”. When we walk with God, we know Him in a relationship. We know exactly who He is, and we cannot question this truth in our minds. It is easy to be overwhelmed when a circumstance is really outside of our control. That is why you put it in the hands of the one who is in control!

 

6) Pride
*James 5:16 says, “And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”

 

*James 4:6 says, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

 

*Luke 18:9-14 says, “9And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

 

*Matthew 6:5-8 says, “5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

 

*Any prayer to God that is from a source of pride rather than humility will never be answered. Some of the key indicators that show you are needing to let go of pride when you pray is when you compare yourself to others, tell God of all your wonderful accomplishments and successes, and when you pray to be heard and with vain repetitions, meaning that you repeat yourself over and over again, such as saying the name of God 100x (which indicates some form of fear because you cannot make your prayers personal, but are more concerned about how others will think of you while trying to make sure you get God’s attention). This type of praying is as a servant rather than a son or daughter. You hope that God will reward you with answered prayers because you have faithful in your service to Him. He is not obligated because of what you have done, but He is drawn to you because you belong to Him!