Four Hindrances to Acceptance of Prayer


1.  If the object is to spend what we are asking to receive on the pleasures of our sin nature.  In such cases our "submissive supplicating" is actually wicked, evil in God's sight.

(James 4.3) You ask, and do not receive, because you ask badly, in order that you may spend on your pleasures.


2.  If we see within ourselves a course of sinful conduct and, for whatever reason, do nothing to execute an about-face.  In such cases the Lord will not listen to us.

(Psalm 66.18) If I had regarded iniquity in my heart, Jehovah would not have heard.


3.  If our "prayers" are protracted repetitions made without thought.  Quantity of words does not move God to bend an ear.

(Matthew 6.-7) when you pray, do not be babbling vain words, as the nations; for they think that they shall be heard in their much speaking.


4.  If we do not keep on supplicating in reliant trust that God keeps His Word.

(Matthew 7.7-11) Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For each one that asks receives, and the one that seeks finds; and to the one knocking, it will be opened.  Or what man of you is there, if his son should ask a loaf of him, not a stone will he give him, will he?  And if he should ask a fish, not a snake will he give him, will he?  Therefore, if you, being evil, know to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father, the One in Heaven give good things to those that ask Him?

(Luke 11:-5-13) "Who out of you shall have a friend, and will come to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves.  For a friend of mine arrived to me from a journey, and I do not have what I may set before him.'  And answering from within that one may say, 'Do not cause me troubles.  The door has already been shut, and my children are in bed with me.  I cannot rise up to give to you.'  I say to you, Even if rising up he will not give to him because he is a friend, yet because of his shameless insisting, rising up he will give him as many as he needs.  And I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone asking receives, and the one seeking finds, and to the one knocking, it will be opened.  And what father of you, if the son asks for bread, will he give him a stone?  And if a fish, will he give him a snake instead of a fish?  And if he should ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?  Then if you being evil know to give good gifts to your children, how much more the Father out of Heaven will give the Holy Spirit to the ones asking Him."

(James 1.5-8) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, the One giving to all bountifully and not reproaching, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, doubting nothing.  For the one doubting is like a wave of the sea, being driven by wind and being tossed; for do not let that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-souled man, unstable in all his ways.




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The author implores checking his commentary against Scripture using the tools of biblical interpretation.  Please be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

Copyright © 2006 by Thomas John Dexter.  All rights reserved.  The matter of this work may be reproduced for distribution, but it is not to be sold.  The author's commentary is subject to change as he grows in knowledge and wisdom concerning the Word of God.

Scripture taken from the KJ3—Literal Translation Bible - 2005 Edition.  Copyright © 2005.  By Jay P. Green, Sr.  All rights reserved.