What really is prayer?
A heartfelt expression of our desires to God is prayer. Worship is an expression of heartfelt appreciation and respect for God. Prayer and worship can go together.
While no one fully understands the mysteries of our relationship with God, we do understand He has revealed himself because He loves us. 6 things that hinder our prayers are mentioned below:
As we learn HIS preferences, we learn to get HIS response.
When you confess, the listener learns. However, that’s a favour God won’t need. God knows everything. God knows the act, circumstance and motive. There is nothing invisible to him. God cannot ignore UNCONFESSED sins. God has a pathological allergy for those who experience His love but don’t repent of sin. An attitude that lacks repentance is rebellion. Confession to God simply means acknowledging the wrong, and willingness to change by his grace.
“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2).
Forgiveness is the hallmark of divine presence. God’s revelations are coloured in hues of forgiveness. God created us in His image, sin distorted it. HIS Holy Spirit transforms us into the nature of Christ. Any expression of prayer is a self-defeating religious exercise when coupled with bitterness. God cannot answer prayers built on feelings of UNFORGIVENESS. While those who may have wronged us deserve to be punished, we must forgive them and let God deal with them. It’s appropriate to let the law take its course of action against a crime. A wise person will protect oneself from being hurt again by people we forgive. It’s unwise to hold revenge against the Sinner. It’s here that God expects us to trust HIM to compensate for lost time, privileges, wealth or even peace. But we must not play God’s part or take law into our own hands. We might never be able to forget the wrong someone may have done to us but we sure can forgive and stop those memories from influencing our thoughts. While we cultivate gratitude for good memory we must also build the culture of being thankful to God for His protection from those who err against us.
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14 (NIV)
It’s true that our money, efforts, social status or even our religious standing may not impress God. Our faith in God is something God will not ignore. Every time you walk in faith, you’ve got heaven’s attention. God responds to faith. Lord Jesus very overtly and explicitly did the most unusual miracles in response to the substance of faith He saw in certain people. Faith puts God to action and UNBELIEF prevents God.
I have seen loved ones with tears request their dead to come alive in funerals. Those tears flow in pain knowing the dead won’t answer. People who make prayers to God without assurance treat divine presence as if Christ is still in the grave. Get rid of every crucifix and get filled by His Holy presence; the Holy Spirit.
“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” (James 1:6-8)
The selfie generation cannot see beyond visible actions while God is more focused on invisible intentions. Popular awards in the world go to the greatest actors and performers, while God grants no Oscars. He rewards reality, honesty, integrity. While the world is focused on perfecting the visible self-image, God honours the transformation of the invisible inner being. Be successful in a society that transacts on good-looks and stay aware that God measures hidden motives. Prayers built on foundations of UNACCEPTABLE motives usually experience silence from heaven.
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:3)
Marriage is a sticky topic, especially when there is strife. Even if you get to figure out the husband’s truth and the wives truth, the real truth may still remain evasive. In human history, divorce rates have never skyrocketed as now. Hurting each other, being offended or being unfaithful is unfortunately as common as marriage itself. but God doesn’t take it lightly. HE says if you are UNTOWARD to each other “I won’t hear you”.
“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)
UNFATHOMABLE mystery. That’s it- mystery infinite. There could be such times we pray and seek answers but hear nothing. Sometimes in the sovereign plan of God, He won’t tell. He simply won’t. The “silence” zone. It’s not a location anybody likes. Nobody wants to be there. Abraham, Moses, Job and the list goes on. Some for hours and others for years. Even Jesus was stationed there. Hours on the cross with a “silent” heaven. That’s where we simply trust HIM and stay faithful.
”We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. (Romans 8:28)
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Very beautiful powerful message and it is touched my heart, Thank you so much Pastor, May God bless you all and our Bethel AG family
How wonderfully you have put the word of God…. simplified to understand. Wish to abide and implement God’s word in our lives and pray that God can use us and our youth for His purpose.
God bless you and keep you protected from all danger, harm and persecution.
Praise the Lord Pastor .Thank you for chosing this Topic All of us struggle waiting for God to answer .
Over the years I have learnt to hear that sudden quiet voice of instruction . Yes missed it many times too .
The Scriptures are very clear . Will keep in mind of what God wants from us and not vice versa .It is always a pleasure to hear you explain THE BIBLE .
Amen praise the lord
Please pray for my financial breakthrough as I’m waiting in faith let god do the miracles..
Thank you lord
It’s wonderful message and thought provoking and eye opener
I really enjoy and learn from your messages Sir
May good God give you more wisdom and knowledge to speak and convict us through your intense message it’s my prayer
Pastor, for the glory of God I would like to share a small testimony, I got an offer letter after lot of prayer and efforts in March 2020 for a job in Bangalore, but they were silent till June 29 and merely said after lock down we will consider, however, when I heard that I was to join on July 4 last year, my heart could not contain the joy, God is still helping in many ways with a lot of struggles, by the way, miss the live services.
Prayers and Best Regards,
I really desire God’s grace in my life that I can forgive all those who did wrong to me….Please Pastor help to pray for me…I want God to answer my prayers. ..
WE ASK NOT, SO WE GET NOT.
It is hard to reap good as we fail to take the help of the Holy Spirit. We need to increase our relationship wd the God Almighty and wear his character. It’s hard but not impossible with the help of the Holy Spirit.
WHAT A FRIEND wE HAVE IN JESUS.
Thank you for the beautiful blog.
I want to forgive those who did wrong to me. I want God to answer my prayers. …Please pray for me Pastor. …
learnt a lot from this message brother. unconfessed sin which we too don’t remember unforgiveness and having wrong motives has kept us in silence ad unanswered prayers.
thank you Pastor.mayvGod richly bless you
Thank you pastor. A touching message on prayer. Thought provoking. Praise God
Thanks pastor for a very good topic God bless you I really like your teaching I have learnt a lot and this topic also very encouraging. God bless you
Thank you Jesus for talking to us through this passage. Thank you Pastor for taking your time and illustrating it so beautifully at a time we need mental and spiritual support. It’s so relevant. I knew God will answer our prayers. But at times when we are drowned and lost, God answers silently. “A right word spoken at the right time is fitting for the soul” as given in Proverbs. Thank you ones again Pastor
Thank you Jesus for talking to us through this passage. Thank you Pastor for taking your time and illustrating it so beautifully at a time we need mental and spiritual support. It’s so relevant. I knew God will answer our prayers. But at times when we are drowned and lost, God answers silently. “A right word spoken at the right time is fitting for the soul” as given in Proverbs. Thank you ones again Pastor
Wonderful assurance for not giving up..we as humans tend to quit when we dont get immediate response as per our expectations…I have also learnt to wait on the Lord..He is faithful, Sovereign.,…He will never leave or forsake us…Its all about our Faith ..May Lord give us unwavering faith …Amen
Pastor All you messages makes us to introspect ourselves. Many seem it’s meant just for me.
Thank you pastor for the message,it is very encouraging.Praise the lord
Waoo… Praise God we depend on Him even if no answer yet we follow him… Its nothing but the love of Holy Spirit that overflows for my saviour.
Thank you my Lord my God.
Thank you lord Jesus christ for the wonderful msg sent to people who are reading this through your people. Pray for the pastor and his team who are sharing your inexhaustible words, which gives light to our path and life to your people. Thank you pastor . God bless you
Much needed one. Thank you Pastor. Awaiting for more emails to come with your blessed words 😍
Thank you for the wonderful gift of encouragement and guidance.
Thank you for conveying Gods message. It is awesome. Clear n precise.