More Hindrance to Prayer

Last time, we talked about how sin can hinder our prayers. But, some of you will ask, “What sins?” You might say, “I’m a good Christian! I try to do what’s right! I can list all kinds of sins that I don’t do.”

I’m sure you could. You don’t murder, or steal, or get drunk, or cheat on your wife. But God might ask, “What about the secret sins? What about the ones down deep in your heart?” It’s not just the “Big ones” God is concerned about. God is looking for purity of heart.

The Song of Solomon talks about the little foxes that cause the damage.
Song of Solomon 2:15 says, “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” It doesn’t take a massive army to destroy a crop, just a few little foxes.

Perhaps your fox is envy, or gossip, or secret lust. And sure, we’d never gossip maliciously, but we can share prayer requests that are sometimes a little too revealing: “Pray for Deacon Jones. He’s been slipping in his spiritual life, you know.”

And certainly, we would never cheat on our wives, or click on to pornography on the internet, but do we ever let our looks linger a little too long? It’s not the severity of the sin, but the love of it that hinders our prayers to God.

Here’s another possible reason your prayers might be hindered: Your prayers may be hindered because of unbelief. Hebrews 11:6 tells us: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

How does fit in relation to prayer? James 1:6-8 ties it in pretty well. I says: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” A double minded man gets nothing from God.

The words of Jesus in Mark 11:24 also make this clear: “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.”

Way too often, Christians enter into prayer with little faith that their prayers do any good. R.G. Lee put it this way: “Unbelief clips our wings so that we, like crippled birds, flutter near the earth.” Could it be that unbelief hinders your prayers?

Well, what about inter-personal relationships? Perhaps, for instance, things aren’t right in your own home. 1st Peter 3:7 gives this warning, “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them (Your wives) with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”

Why treat your wife with understanding and respect? One reason is so your prayers won’t be hindered. But, you might say, “I’m not running around on my wife. What does she have to complain about?” Well, the Bible says that if you leave a hurt in the heart of your woman, God will not hear your prayer. And maybe that hurt comes from simply not listening, not caring, not paying attention to your wife; and God, in turn, turns a blind ear to you.

You can’t treat people like dirt, especially your wife, and then go before God as though everything is all-right and He will answer. He expects you to get your earthly relationships right.

Here’s another hindrance to prayer: It is an unforgiving spirit. Do you remember how Jesus taught us to pray? In the Lord’s Prayer of Matthew 6:9-13, one of the lines says, “And forgive us our debts, (How?) as we forgive our debtors.” Do you see? We are asking for forgiveness to the same degree we forgive others.

Now just a bit further down, Matthew 6:15 says, “But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Now, don’t take this too far, like you are going to lose your salvation, but you are certainly hindering your relationship with God at the very least. Take care of those earthly relationships, or your prayers will be hindered.

“Please God, forgive me for my sins, well, except for that sin of un-forgiveness. You know what that skunk of a brother-in-law did to me. You can’t expect me to forgive him.” Well, God can! God says, make it right

Mark 11:25-26 makes that so clear, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Every wrong against others which is not made right stands between you and God, and that hinders your prayer.