WHY SOME PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED

SCRIPTURES

Isaiah 42:10; Psalm 16:6; Revelation 3:8; Psalm 31:1; Psalm 27:7; Proverbs 16:1; Psalm 65:2 Isaiah 38:1-5; Matthew 21:22; James 1:6-8; 4:3; Isaiah 59:1-2; Ezekiel 14:3; 21:13; Ephesians 4:31-32.

CONFESSION

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18); because he that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

EXHORTATION

This message is in two parts:

• The Lord will hear your prayers.
• Why some prayers are not answered.

Song:

I cannot call on your name and end up in shame.

No way; no way!

I cannot cry before God and cry before men.

No way; no way!

I cannot kneel before God and bow before men.

No way; no way!

Quite a number of persons – young and old – male and female are in a big mess and great dilemma; so serious a situation that they are crying, lamenting, wailing and weeping, and desperately in need of God’s supernatural interventions.

1. Many people are in desperate situation and they are saying: “O Lord! If you’re indeed my God; show yourself”.
2. Many people are looking up to God for intervention and they are saying: “If you’re indeed my God; answer me”.
3. Many people are challenging God to prove himself as God in their matter and they are saying: “If you’re indeed my God; answer me speedily”.
4. Many are wondering why things have not changed for them and they are saying: “O God. I cannot be calling your name and be put to shame”.
5. Many want a word from God to reassure them and they’re saying that: “If you’re indeed my God; O Lord, give me a word to reassure me that you (God) are still on my matter”;
6. Many want God to answer them by his mercy and they are saying: “If you’re indeed my God; answer me by your mercy”.
7. Many want to know why their prayers are not being answered and they are saying: I want to know why my prayers cannot be answered; If you’re indeed my God, O Lord; hear me and answer me;

When we cry unto the Lord; we want him to answer us. In Psalm 65:2, the Bible says that: “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.” The truth is that apart from the Almighty God, nobody else can answer a prayer – no pastor, no general overseer, no prophet or any other man of God for that matter can – no matter how highly anointed he or she might be; it’s only God that can answer prayer. Psalm 27:7 says: “Hear O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.” Again, when we call on God; it is entirely his prerogative to answer; we cannot force him. If perhaps, it happens that we get an answer through God’s “permissive will”, then we are surely going to pay dearly for it, as was the case of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:1-5). For instance, during the extra period of fifteen years that God added unto Hezekiah, we learnt that all his sons became eunuchs for life. It is also real that we cannot arm-twist God. Therefore, it is dangerous not to cry unto the Lord.

There are certain people in seven categories that the Lord wants to touch their cases:

• Those who are in desperate situation
• Those who are looking up to God for intervention
• Those who are challenging God to prove himself as God in their matter
• Those who are wondering why things have not changed for them
• Those who want a word from the Lord to reassure them
• Those who want God to answer them by his mercy
• Those who want to know why their prayers are not being answered

In Proverbs 16:1, the Bible says, “The preparation of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord”.  God will take you out of that horrible place to the top in Jesus name. A man is made up of spirit, soul, and body. When the body breaks down, the body and soul will collapse. When the spirit is gone; the body and soul is very useless. But when we investigate the realm of the soul, there are some ‘soulish’ seats therein. The realm of your soul is the seat of power, emotion, and intellect. God has given us the brain to think and conceive new ideas. But because of our new birth in Christ Jesus, our spirit man now taps into the spirit real for revelations. By implication, it means that whatever plans we make; it is God that has the final say.

It is true that God wants to answer our prayers, but there are some things that we must understand – those things that do hinder prayer.

The Bible says in Isaiah 59:1 & 2 that: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ears heavy that it cannot hear: but my iniquities have separated between me and my God and my sins have hid his face from me, that he will not hear”.

What are those things that can hinder prayer? They are:

• When you do not believe that God can answer prayer or is able to grant your request – Matthew 21:22; James 1:6-8.
• When you ask God for something with a wrong motive or your request is based on selfish intent – James 4:3.
• Un-confessed sins separate us from God – Isaiah 59:1-2.
• When you set up an idol in your heart and it comes between you and God – Ezekiel 14:3. What is an idol?
  • An idol is anything that is not of God
  • An idol is anything that takes your heart from the things of God
  • An idol is anything that takes preference in your heart above God.
  • An idol is anything that entices you more than the things of God.
• When you do not answer those who cry to you for help and you are in position to help the person – Proverbs 21:13; Psalm 41:1-2.

In fact, it is not everyone that comes crying to you for help that you would be able to help. But if conveniently or sacrificially you can help and you refuse; the same way you would be treated.

• When you do not remain in God; and the word of God does not remain in you – John 15:7.
• Unforgiveness, malice, wrath, and some other vices – Ephesians 4:31-32.

Admittedly some cases of forgiveness may be a little bit difficult, but we should try to forgive all the same to avoid our prayer from being answered.

I pray that all those stumbling blocks on our way that may want to hinder our success shall be removed in Jesus name.

PRAYERS:

1. O Lord! By your righteousness, answer my prayers in Jesus name.
2. O Lord by your mercy; let my requests be granted in Jesus name.
3. O Lord! By your unfailing power, let my supplications come unto you in Jesus name.
4. O Lord! Lead me wherever I go each day in Jesus name.
5. By the mercy of God, I receive answers to my good dreams in the name of Jesus.
6. Anointing for better understanding of God’s word for answered prayers; fall on me in Jesus name.
7. Excellent spirit for performance and breakthrough; possess me now in Jesus name.
8. O Lord! By your grace and mercy, let my prayer come before the throne of grace in Jesus name.
9. O Lord! By the power in your word, let my prayer Altar and that of my family be restored and renewed in Jesus name.
10. Lord! Let great and effective opportunities for my life manifest in Jesus name.
11. Supernatural anointing for answered prayers; fall on me and my family in Jesus name.
12. Astonishing direction of God from above; locate and guide me for answered prayers always in Jesus name.
13. O Lord! Sanctify my eyes to see beyond the natural and the physical in Jesus Name.
14. O Lord! Any hindrance to my productivity and efficiency; break by fire in Jesus name.
15. Access doors to the throne of grace and opportunities, begin to open unto me in Jesus name.
16. O Lord God! Let your helping hand for good and great success locate me and make my family in Jesus name.
17. O Lord! Show me your divine direction to reach my goal in life with ease in Jesus name.

JESUS IS LORD