The 10 Conditions & 10 Hindrances Of Prayer|Not Every Prayer Is heard

Millions of prayers are said every minute. Even unbelievers say a prayer when they’re in trouble. But many of these prayers are not heard.

The good news is that the Bible teaches us the conditions for prayers that God hears. And since He is the I AM we pray to, He has a right to educate us on how to pray and how not to pray.

Isaiah 58 provides a perfect example of praying that achieves nothing. God’s people sought Him day after day with fasting, asking for justice and seeking to know His ways. But God challenged them for exploiting their workers, fighting and quarrelling after fasting.

He told them, “This kind of fasting will never get you anywhere with me.”

“No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help.” (vs 6-7)

Pause.

How many Christians are fasting and praying yet they neglect the things God is saying above? This means that the way we live and serve others has a direct connection to God hearing our prayers.

Here is what God says will happen when His people practice His kind of fasting;

“Then your salvation will come like the dawn,
and your wounds will quickly heal.
Your godliness will lead you forward,
and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.
Then when you call, the Lord will answer.
‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply. (vs 8-9)

As you can see, God is waiting to answer without delay but many times we’re in no state to receive His answers. Lord have mercy on us!

10 Conditions & Hindrances To Prayer

Condition #1: In The Name Of Jesus (John 14:13-14)

Some Christians fear praying in the name of Jesus when asked to pray especially in the marketplace! In their quest not to offend people, they nullify their prayers because they’re ashamed of Christ.

Jesus is the way to the Father and His name is powerful. His name heals diseases, casts out demons and gets our prayers heard. God elevated His name above all other names. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Not only that, Jesus is our High Priest, who has already gone ahead of us into God’s presence. Whenever we pray, we join Him in the prayers He is making on our behalf before the Father. (Romans 8:34) Without Christ we’re not worthy to speak and stand before God.

Hindrance: Approaching God on our merit and not asking in Jesus Christ’s name.

Condition #2: In The Spirit (Ephesians 6:18)

When we pray according to God’s Word with the Spirit’s guidance, we’re sure God hears our prayers. The Holy Spirit knows the deep things of God and teaches us to pray as we should. (Romans 8:27)

Hindrance: In The Flesh

We pray in the flesh when we ask for things that are against the nature or character of God. We also pray in the flesh when we ask with wrong motives to get what will bring pleasure to us. (James 4:3) We pray in the flesh when we ask only for physical things like food, clothing, shelter yet Jesus said they’ll be added after seeking His kingdom and its righteousness. (Matthew 6:33)

Condition #3: In Thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6-7)

When Jesus healed ten lepers, only one came back to thank Him. Do you take time to thank God for all He has done? Or do you think you deserve the blessings you have?Even in hard times, we thank Him. (1 Thessalonians 5:18) Count your blessings. God has done so much for you. Oh brethren, thank God!

Hindrance: In Complaint

The children of Israel perished in the desert because they complained and murmured against God and His servant Moses. Rather than express gratitude for God’s deliverance from Egypt and God’s promises for the future. (Numbers 11)

Condition #4: In Faith (Mark 11:24)

None of us has seen or touched God but we believe He exists and He rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) Do you take time to study God’s Word and discover who He is and what He has promised?

Faith comes by hearing and studying the Word of God.

The truth of God’s Word calms our fears, restores our hope and fuels our faith. We believe in God’s report, not the report of our thinking, prevailing circumstances or what others say.

Also, we grow in our faith when we go through trials and endure to the end. Hard times push us to God, force us to depend on Him and teach us to obey His commands. Even Jesus learnt obedience through the things He suffered! (Hebrews 5:8) When all this is happening, our faith grows and our prayers become more powerful, fervent and continued. Stand on God’s promises like our father of faith Abraham did.

“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become the father of many nations…Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought great glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he has promised. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” (Romans 4:18-22)

Father Abraham believed God would do what He had promised though he didn’t see how. He had confidence and assurance of what he could not touch or explain. We can learn a lesson from Abraham.

When we continue in faith, without wavering and doubting, God calls us righteous. We receive His reward and bring great glory to Him.Faith keeps us obedient. Faith keeps us going during delays and tests. Faith keeps us at peace in heart and mind. And faith keeps us hopeful as we wait for the answer to our prayers.

It was faith that Jesus commended most in those who came to Him for healing. He often said, “Your faith has healed you…. may it be done according to your faith.” Amazingly, we don’t need a mountain of faith but faith as small as a mustard seed. (Matthew 17:20)

When you have faith, you stop trying to bring about the answer to your prayers.

And when you pray, God expects you to wait, thank Him for the answer and only do what He tells you to do, by faith. Sometimes we even have the audacity of telling God how and when He should answer. It takes faith to surrender the battle to God and leave it there.

When you pray, believe God has heard your prayer. Take God at His word. Expect Him to answer, in His way and time. Trust Him. He is able. He’ll come to your rescue. Nothing is impossible with Him.

Hindrance: In Doubt (James 1:5-7)

When we doubt and waver in our faith in God, we cannot receive the answer to our prayer. Our loyalty is to God who can do the impossible. Fight doubt by holding on to the Word of God. (Mark 11:22-23)

Condition #5: In Forgiveness (Mark 11:25)

When we approach God, we plead the blood of Jesus to wash our sins, those we’re aware of and those we’re not aware of. That’s confession. (1 John 1:9) Then ask him for strength to turn away from sin and commit not to repeat the same sin. That’s repentance. (Proverbs 28:13. Revelations 2:5)

To be forgiven by God, we must forgive those who’ve wronged us and ask those we’ve wronged to forgive us.

Jesus says, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14) If God has not forgiven you, your prayer will not be heard!

Hindrance: In Unforgiveness. “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the LORD would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love for me.” (Psalms 66:18-20)

Now that we’ve received His forgiveness, let’s forgive others too.

Condition #6: In Obedience (1 John 3:22)

We show our love for Christ when we obey His commands.

Jesus said, “Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me…” (John 14:21) To obey is to believe His teachings and apply them in our lives. Obedience is to do God’s will as revealed in the scriptures and by the leading of the Holy Spirit. A person who will continue to pray must live a holy life. Without holiness, we cannot see God. (Hebrews 12:14)

In another place, the Bible says, “It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:2)

Without holy living our prayers will not differ from those of a Moslem or a Hindu. Being separated from the world and not allowing it to corrupt us makes our prayers answer-worthy.That’s because we can’t pray if our conscience accuses us.

When our character and conduct are not Christ-like, our prayers become shallow and dull. God forbid we should become those who praise and pray to God with their lips when their hearts are so far away from Him! (Isaiah 29:13)Let’s remember obedience is for our good.

God’s intention is not to burden or bind us to demands we can’t bear. His commandments are not burdensome, for Jesus’ yoke is easy and His burden light. He knows what’s best for us. He is our loving Father and desires that it may go well with us in the land of the living. And because we are new creations in Jesus and have the seed of God in us, we can obey and overcome the world. (1 John 5:4, 3:9.)

It’s the prayer of a righteous man that brings results.

God delights in the prayers of those who lift holy hands and cherish clean hearts and clear conscience. They have surrendered their will, desires and agenda to God. His ear is always attentive to their cries and will be quick to answer them.

Hindrance: In Disobedience

“It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (Isaiah 59:2) Most of the prophets in the Bible called upon the rich and powerful not to oppress the poor, the widows, the orphans or the foreigners. “Those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor will be ignored in their own time of need.” (Proverbs 21:13)

Condition #7: In Sincerity, Truth & Clear Conscience (Psalms 145:18)

God hears prayers that are offered to Him in sincerity. The earnest prayer – one that has the right motives – is powerful and moves God to act.

Apostle James brings out this truth when he writes, “And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure.” (James 4:3)

When we come to God in prayer, tell Him with the Psalmist, “Put me on trial, LORD, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart.” (Psalms 26:2, 139:23-24)

Our hearts can be deceptive hence the need to allow the Word of God by the Holy Spirit to expose those things in us that are not right. (Jeremiah 17:9-10) and only the Word can reveal what’s happening in the depths of our hearts. (Hebrews 4:12)

Hindrance: Praying with wrong motives

We should live for the pleasure and glory of God not our own. And this is only possible when we allow His Word to expose what’s in our hearts and allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse our conscience.

Condition #8: According to God’s Will (1 John 5:14-15)

Apostle Paul gives us a way to know God’s will in Romans 12:1-2. God does not change His nature. He is who He says and does what He says. We’re blessed to know His will as revealed in the scriptures. And when we allow these truths in the Bible to change our thinking, we shall know, walk and pray in the will of God.

Hindrance: In Opposition to God’s Will

Prayers that contradict the Word and nature of God will go answered. We waste our time and delay our deliverance each time we pray in ignorance of what God grants and does not grant. Hence the need for us to pursue His will, as revealed in the scriptures, always.

Condition #9: In Persistence (Luke 18:1-8, 11:5-8)

Though we live in a world that is full of injustice, we serve a just God. Our bold and determined and shameless persistence will move God to act on our behalf.

Often, we give up too soon on our prayers when an answer seems to tarry. We stop asking, knocking and seeking, then wonder why our prayers we not answered.

One time, a gentile woman pleaded with Jesus to heal her daughter but Jesus gave her no reply. Then Jesus told her how he came to help the Jews and that it isn’t right to take the food of the children and give it to the dogs. But the woman pleaded her case.

She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even dogs are allowed to eat the scraps that fall beneath their Master’s table.”

“Dear woman,” Jesus said to her, “your faith is great. Your request is granted.” (Matthew 15:27-28)

Matthew Henry[1] comments on this story saying, “When the answers of prayer are deferred, God is thereby teaching us to pray more, and pray better. It is then time to enquire wherein we have come short in our former prayers, that what has been amiss may be amended for the future. Disappointments in the success of prayer, must be excitements to the duty of prayer. Christ, in his agony, prayed more earnestly.”

It takes faith to keep going to God over the same issue. And if you desire what you ask for, don’t give up so soon. Instead, keep going to God, for your hope, trust and faith is in Him alone. He knows your deepest desires and how best to fulfil them.

Stay in His presence, for only in His presence will He meet you.

Fervent prayer rides on the total surrender and abandonment to the sufficiency of Christ. Then we shall realize, as Matthew Henry[2] says; “Those that will deny Christ nothing, shall find that he will deny them nothing at last, though for a time he seems to hide his face from them.”

The Holy Spirit who groans on our behalf before the Father can teach us that kind of earnest and persistent prayer. He alone can teach us what to ask for and what to let go of, so we can always pray according to God’s will.God’s delays are not his denials.

I believe God is pleased with our patience and determination because our faith in Him keeps us focused on Him.

Therefore, let us make up our minds to keep knocking, seeking and asking when we bring a request before our heavenly Father. If our requests don’t mean much to us, we’ll soon give up on them. But if they matter to us, we’ll keep asking until God gives us an answer – whether a yes, wait or no!

Hindrance: Giving Up Too Soon

Jesus says, “And so I tell you, keep asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)

Condition #10: In Unity (Matthew 18:19-20)

Our unity as believers pleases God. Jesus prayed for us to become one as He is one with the Father. When we reach this kind of unity in prayer, great things begin to happen.

When the early believers united and shared everything, the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders and they enjoyed the goodwill of all the people. “… And each day the LORD added to their fellowship those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47)

Two are better than one. If one can chase a thousand, two will chase ten thousand. (Deuteronomy 32:30) We need one another. We need to pray with one another. And we need to pray for one another.

We keep living in unity when we walk in the light. For “… if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses is from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Such unity must be real. It must come from the heart and is better nurtured in an environment of love without strife, bitterness, hatred, gossip and arguments.

Apostle James says that if you are sick, call the elders of the church to come and pray over you and such a prayer will make you well. Why not pray alone for God to heal you? Or why not go to a spiritual healer?

Some churches have undermined the role of elders and lifted pastors, prophets and apostles and reduced their congregations to a one-man’s show rather than the corporate governance of the elders. If a pastor is accountable to no one and accepts no correction or rebuke from the elders, how will a church grow and flourish?

Every church needs godly elders to manage the affairs of the church, teach and pray for the members.In the next verse, he makes another very key point. “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (James 5:16)

Hindrance: In Division. Prophet Hosea asks, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” (Amos 3:3) Not for long.

Our prayers become more effective when we pray together with people we agree with.

That’s why a husband and wife who are not in agreement will not offer fruitful prayers. Apostle Peter tells the husband to, “Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.” (1 Peter 3:7)

Therefore, don’t neglect the habit of meeting and praying together, as some people do. (Hebrews 10:25)

Examine your prayer life today. What might be hindering your prayers?

Thank you for reading this article. I welcome your comments and questions – as iron sharpens iron, let’s sharpen each another.

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This chapter is adapted from the book The Privilege of Prayer by Hirwa G. Israel.

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Bible illustration is from Sweet Publishing; http://sweetpublishing.com/freebibleimages.org

[1][1] Henry, Matthew. 1706. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)

[2] Henry, Matthew. 1706. Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)