7 months ago
Prayer is a direct communication with the omniscient God. It embodies showing immense gratitude for the goodness of the Lord in our lives. Prayer also covers submission of our supplications, requests and petitions to the Almighty God.
Many a time, it looks as if our prayers are not answered by God. A single prayer request may go unanswered for a very long time. What actually blocks answers to our prayers?
In the book of Daniel 10:13, the Bible makes it clear that our prayers are immediately answered in the spiritual realm. What then delays the actual receiving of the answer in the physical realm? There is a strong spiritual battle going on in the heavenlies against the prayers of God children. The principalities in the unseen realm grabbed the answer to Daniel prayer. It took the intervention of angel Michael to wrestle the answer from the prince of Persia and hand it over to Daniel.
(1) LACK OF PERSEVERANCE IN PRAYER.
Perseverance is the strong believe that the answer to your prayer request will definitely come from God at the right time. This hope inspires the person to continue to pray until the answer is received. If Daniel had not persevered in his prayers, Michael wouldn't have been sent to intervene in the most critical moment. To receive answer to a prayer, the person praying must persevere until the answer comes down from heaven.
(2) SECRET SIN.
Another thing that blocks or hinders prayer is secret sin in the life of the person praying. If you pray in sin without repentance, the answer to the prayer may still come but the forces of darkness will never allow you to receive it. They will argue with the angel carrying the answer that you are living in sin and doesn't deserve to receive it. The demonic forces will quote Bible verses to support their case. For example Isaiah 59:2 put it clear that " the Lord's hand is not shorten to save you but your iniquities have blocked his ears from hearing your prayer". So it is advisable to pray for forgiveness first before making any prayer request to the Almighty God.
(3) UNBELIEF AND DOUBTFULNESS.
Unbelief is another factor that hinders our prayers. He who comes to God must believe that he exists and reward those who diligently seek him. When a person has a strong doubt about a man of God, it can also hinders his or her prayers under the same auditorium. When Jesus went to his hometown, the people didn't believe in him and began to make several excuses. In Mark 6:6, Jesus marvelled because of their unbelief and could not perform mighty signs and wonders.
In another scenario, a man brought his sick child to Jesus to be healed. The man had unbelief in his heart but Jesus saw it and told him plainly. The man asked the Lord to help him from unbelief.
Mark 9:24
[24]And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Faith is the direct opposite of unbelief. We need faith to receive answers to our prayers from heaven.
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