THURSDAY August 8, 2024
Hindrances to Prayer
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.
Psalm 66:18
It is important to understand that God is holy, and He will not answer prayer if a person is willfully living a life of sin. Some sins are less obvious––they are hidden sins within a person’s heart. Did you know unforgiveness is a sin before God? It will hinder our prayers. If a person harbors hate in their heart, how can God answer their prayers?
Examine your heart before God. Is there someone you need to forgive? Although forgiving someone is difficult, Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, taught His disciples a serious consequence of unforgiveness:
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).
Let the Lord work through your forgiveness. Do your part and leave the results in God’s hands. Make sure that your heart is right before Him. That is what matters most. Disunity, envy, bitterness and jealousy are all sins in the heart that will hinder a believer’s prayers. We need to be in unity with other believers, both in prayer and as we serve alongside each other. What did Jesus reveal to believers gathered together in unity to pray?
“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20).
God works through unified believers; He is in the midst of them! Prayer is too important to be hindered; we all want our prayers to be answered. What is hindering your prayers? Do not let unforgiveness or any other sin become an obstacle to your prayer life. What actions will you take today to make your heart right before God?
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
~Psalm 51:10~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
