10 Reasons Why God Does Not Answer Our Prayers: Part II

We looked at the first five reasons in Part I.

Here is part II.

6. We mistreat people:

Although this passage is specifically referring to how a husband treats his wife, it likely applies to all of us. If we are mistreating those around us, how will God honor what we ask from Him? How many parents would honor the request of a child who does not even show respect to his or her sibling?

“Treat them with respect…so that nothing will hinder your prayers” 1 Peter 3:7 NIV

7. We simply lack patience & persistence:

Sometimes we say casual prayers concerning topics about which we may not be serious. We casually pray for something we think we want and it is not answered. God wants to see how serious we are in our requests. If this evil judge will do what is right because of persistence, how much more will a loving God give us?

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’  “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8 NIV

If God is not answering your prayers, refuse to let go. Check your motives and the purity of your request, and then wrestle Him until He responds. He is faithful.

“So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.  When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.  Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” The man asked him, “What is your name?” “Jacob,” he answered. Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men and have overcome.” Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.” But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there” Genesis 32:24-29 NIV

8. Sin is interfering in out prayer life:

During times of extreme sin, God will apparently no longer honor the requests of His children. Why is this? Most likely because their hearts are so hardened that to answer their prayers would do no good. Also, to answer the prayers of people living in blatant and open rebellion would be a kind of enablement.

`“Although they cry out to me, I will not listen to them” Jeremiah 11:11 NIV

“Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague” Jeremiah 14:11 NIV

The only answer for the people to whom Jeremiah was preaching was punishment (i.e., Neo-Babylonian invasion and captivity).

This was also the case in Isaiah, chapter one:

“I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to Me; I am tired of putting up with them. When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.” Isaiah 1:14-15 CSB

9. We pray in order to show off:

Praying to show off is, in fact, showing off, and therefore cannot therefore be defined as a prayer.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men” Matthew 6:5 NIV

10. We don’t know:

Every list has to have ten points, right? After searching the scripture for answers, I only found nine. But God is sovereign and does things according to His will. I would wager that God doesn’t answer prayers for reasons not listed here. Reason ten is that we simply do not know why God does what He does.

 

Can you find any more?

 

10 Reasons Why Our Prayer Are Not Answered: Part I