Sin - Hinderance To Prayer
Unconfessed, unrepentant sin hinders our relationship with God and blocks the effectiveness of our prayers. Obedience and repentance help restore that open line of communication with God through prayer.
This verse suggests that harboring sin causes the Lord not to listen to prayers.
Psalms 66:18 – If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Sin separates us from God and causes Him not to hear our prayers.
Isaiah 59:1-2 – 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.
Turning away from God's commands makes even our prayers detestable to God.
Proverbs 28:9 – He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
God warns He will not hear the cries of those facing judgment for their sinful ways.
Jeremiah 11:10-11 – They have returned to the sins of their forefathers who refused to obey My words. They have followed other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their fathers. Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.
Persistent, unrepentant sin leads to God not listening according to this statement.
John 9:31 – Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
God says He will not listen to prayers when there is unrepentant sin and wrongdoing involved.
Isaiah 1:15-16 – 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. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
God will not answer the cries of those who have done evil deeds.
Micah 3:4 – Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.
Jeremiah 11:10-11 – They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers. Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
Unconfessed sin hinders the power and effectiveness of our prayers.
James 5:16 – Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Psalms 32:3-5 – When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Proverbs 21:27 – The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
Ecclesiastes 5:6 – Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
A righteous lifestyle leads to God hearing prayers, but He is distant from the wicked.
Proverbs 15:8,29 – The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight... The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
This imprecatory psalm suggests that the wicked person's prayer itself is considered sinful before God.
Psalms 109:6-7 – Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin.
The implication is that the prayers of the unrighteous/godless are not heard by God.
Job 27:8-9 – For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
Just as they refused to listen to God, He refused to hear their prayers as discipline.
Zechariah 7:13 – Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of hosts:
Answered prayer is linked to keeping God's commands and doing what pleases Him.
1 John 3:21-22 – Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Proverbs 28:13 – He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Luke 18:13-14 – And 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. I 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.
This parable emphasizes humility and acknowledging sin as a way to approach God in prayer.
Psalms 32:3-5 – When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
This is only one thing that my be hindering your prayers, download my free book to find out the 16 other things that may be hindering your prayers: 17 Hinderances To Prayer.
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Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
- The Christian King
