Why Some Prayers Go Unanswered? – Hindrances to prayer

Both the Bible and real-life experiences show us that God answers prayers. The Bible says: “He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them.” Psalm 145:19. But whether God will answer you when you pray is largely up to you.

Much that is called “prayer not answered” is not real prayer in the first place. Much that goes under the name of prayer is offered merely as a form, with neither care nor expectation that it be answered. Those who pray thus will not care to watch to see whether their prayers are answered. Prayer is human speech about human concerns directed to God. It therefore involves human beings, God, and the course of events past, present, and future.

“Prayer is the opening of the heart to God as to a friend. Not that it is necessary in order to make known to God what we are, but in order to enable us to receive Him. Prayer does not bring God down to us, but brings us up to Him. When Jesus was upon the earth, He taught His disciples how to pray.” –Steps to Christ, p. 93

Do you really understand and know what prayer is? I was surprised recently as I was reading about what some people believe regarding prayer. It is a popular belief that you can pray however you choose. It said that whether you are sleeping, dressed or naked, kneeling down or walking, speaking loudly or silently, God will hear and answer. Is this necessarily true? Although we are to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and can lift our petitions to our heavenly Father wherever we may be, we must not neglect the private time on our knees, nor the formal worship times in the church. Jesus, our Brother, knelt down for prayers; Paul and the entire congregation, and many others did also (Acts 21:5). Do we consider the fact that God reigns as Master of the Universe? How will you come before Him in reverent prayer?

“Reverence should be shown also for the name of God. Never should that name be spoken lightly or thoughtlessly. Even in prayer its frequent or needless repetition should be avoided. ‘Holy and reverend is His name.’ Psalm 111:9. Angels, as they speak it, veil their faces. With what reverence should we, who are fallen and sinful, take it upon our lips!” –Child Guidance, p. 538

There are, however, a number of hindrances to our prayers being answered. The Bible uses the term “prayer” to describe only our words to God, not His response to us, which means some prayers are rejected! But, why?  We pray not to change God’s mind for He is unchanging. Rather, we pray in order to seek to know the will of God and His love for us. To obtain answers requires entering into prayer in the right frame of mind and heart. We can pray with confidence but our prayer should be offered in humility and gratitude.

Christians need to understand prayer not just as a matter of curiosity, as we might admire a stamp collection. We need to be able to distinguish prayer from other religious practices so we can use it properly. Our ability to identify what prayer is, and what it is not, is extremely important.

God’s responses to personal petitions teach us what we can expect when we pray according to His will. Sometimes God grants the request, but sometimes He does not. Sometimes He waits to give us an answer. God may not answer immediately or as soon as we might want (Job 7:11–12). Moreover sometimes no answer is His answer. Frequently God has already given the answers to our inquiries, and we can find them by searching the Scriptures (Psalm 144:3; John 5:39). In this article, we will investigate the conditions we need to meet in order to secure favourable answers to our prayers.

“Teach us to pray”

“Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1. This was a genuine request to Jesus by His disciples.  Jesus gave an answer saying, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” Matthew 6:9–13

“Christ did not give us this prayer to repeat as a form. He gave it as an illustration of what our prayers should be,—simple, earnest, and comprehensive.” –The Youth’s Instructor, December 7, 1899

Christ, in His example, gave something important that should be given heed: “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. . . . And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”  If there is anything a believer should study with deep and intense devotion, it is the subject of prayer. Many have gone astray today and some have abandoned their faith because they did not know how to pray. We came across a man who told us that he could never go to church again for the rest of his life. He said, “I was a very faithful follower of Jesus Christ. I paid my tithes and offerings and tried my best to obey God’s laws, but a couple of years back a man opposed me, claiming my big plot of land belonged to him. Not only that, he sued me in court. I told God, ‘If You help me to win this case I will ever live to serve You, but if You allow that man to take away my large piece of land—my only hope, I will never worship You again.’”

The great question is: Why should we pray? To whom shall we pray? Where and when? How often, and how, should we present our petitions? These are important questions.

What matters to God:

  • Praying to God, not to Mary, saints, angels, or images. Only Jehovah God is the “Hearer of prayer.” Psalms 65:2
  • Praying in harmony with God’s will, or requirements, which are found in the Bible. (1 John 5:14)
  • Praying in Jesus’ name; recognizing His authority. “No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6), said Jesus. Christ is our righteousness.
  • Praying in faith, asking for more faith if needed. (Matthew 21:22; Luke 17:5).
  • Being humble and sincere. The Bible says: “The LORD be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly.” Psalms 138:6
  • Being persistent. Jesus said: “Ask, and it shall be given you.” Luke 11:9. Pray without ceasing.

What does not matter to God:

  • Your race or nationality. God is not partial, but “in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him.” Acts 10:34–35
  • Whether you pray aloud or silently. God answers even silent prayers that others are not aware of. Nehemiah 2:1–6
  • Whether your concerns are weighty or trivial, God encourages you to cast all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).
  • We may pray anytime and anywhere: the Bible does not limit prayer to any particular time or place (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Hindrances to prayer

“There are certain conditions upon which we may expect that God will hear and answer our prayers.” –Steps to Christ, p. 95 

  1. An unforgiving spirit

The number one hindrance to prayer being answered is that we cannot forgive those who trespass against us. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Many professed believers find it very difficult to forgive others their wrongs. Jesus said, “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:15. An inability to forgive hinders prayers. “Fasting and prayer will accomplish nothing while the heart is estranged from God by a wrong course of action. Read Isaiah 58:6, 7, 9–11.” –Counsels on Health, p. 377

“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:24–26. In these words Christ Himself made it clear that those unwilling to forgive others cannot receive answers to their prayers. “If we expect our own prayers to be heard we must forgive others in the same manner and to the same extent as we hope to be forgiven.” –Steps to Christ, p. 97

“He who is unforgiving cuts off the very channel through which alone he can receive mercy from God. We should not think that unless those who have injured us confess the wrong we are justified in withholding from them our forgiveness. It is their part, no doubt, to humble their hearts by repentance and confession; but we are to have a spirit of compassion toward those who have trespassed against us, whether or not they confess their faults. However sorely they may have wounded us, we are not to cherish our grievances and sympathize with ourselves over our injuries; but as we hope to be pardoned for our offenses against God we

are to pardon all who have done evil to us.” –Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 113–114

“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Matthew 5:23–24

  1. Disobedience

Hindrance number two: It can happen that the person praying still leads a life of rebellion. God does not listen to those who continue to offend Him by their actions. “And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.” Isaiah 1:15. (Read Isaiah 59:1-4). “If we regard iniquity in our hearts, if we cling to any known sin, the Lord will not hear us; but the prayer of the penitent, contrite soul is always accepted. When all known wrongs are righted, we may believe that God will answer our petitions. Our own merit will never commend us to the favor of God.” –Steps to Christ, p. 95. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” 1 John 3:22

  1. The prayer goes against God’s will

Forgetting “Thy will be done” is another hindrance to prayer. God does not answer requests that go against His will, or His requirements, which are all written in the Bible (1 John 5:14). For example, the Bible requires us to avoid being greedy. Gambling promotes greed (1 Corinthians 6:9–10), so God will not answer your prayer if you pray to win the lottery. God is not a genie who will be summoned to do your bidding. You can be thankful for this, otherwise you might have to fear what others may ask God to do in your life (James 4:3).

This hindrance occurs when we do not pray according to the will of God (Matthew 6:10). We should always remember to pray for the will of God to be done under all circumstances. Our God is infinite in wisdom; what we think to be the best may not be for our own good. Remember the response of the Hebrew slaves that were sentenced to death because they decided to obey God rather than man. “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” Daniel 3:16–18

These young Hebrews knew that God is able to do all things, including saving them from the burning furnace. But even if not [if He, for whatever reason, should choose not to deliver them], they said, “Be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods.”

There is a very big difference between what we want and what we need. God may not give us what we want, but He will surely give us what we need. “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

Would a loving mother give a sharp razor to her child even if she would cry for it? The mother will surely reject this request, because, she realizes that it is not good for her baby to have one as she may hurt herself. When our loving God, in His infinite wisdom, sees that what we are asking will not help us keep our faith, He may refuse to grant our request. “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” James 4:3. “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.” 1 John 5:14–15. “When you pray for temporal blessings, remember that the Lord may see that it is not for your good or for His glory to give you just what you desire. But He will answer your prayer, giving you just what is best for you.” –In Heavenly Places, p. 82

“That prayer which comes forth from an earnest, believing heart is the effectual, fervent prayer that availeth much. God does not always answer our prayers as we expect, for we may not ask what would be for our highest good; but in His infinite love and wisdom He will give us those things which we most need.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 531

When we abide in Him, we will not ask anything in opposition of His will. Then whatever we shall ask it will be given us.

  1. Doubt and discouragement

Doubt and discouragement are definitely hindrances to our prayers being answered. “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Hebrews 11:6. At some point in life it happens to nearly all, that, even when we are trying to live according to the light we have received, answers to our prayers still seem not to come. This is when many lose their faith, but it should not be so. When the winds of discouragement seem to blow hard on us, that is the exact time when we need to pray. The answers to our prayers will come. Another element of prevailing prayer is faith. “He that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6. Jesus said to His disciples, “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”  Mark 11:24. Do we take Him at His word?

Don’t give up!

“[Jesus] spake a parable unto [the disciples] to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.” Luke 18:1–8

When Jesus went to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He met a very persistent woman who was asking prayers for her daughter who was possessed by a devil (Matthew 15:22–28).

Here was a woman who was desperately in need of Christ’s help, but the closer she came, the stronger the winds of discouragement were blowing on her. As she cried, Jesus initially answered her not a word. The disciples even asked Him very earnestly to send her away.  As she kept on crying, the first answer she received from Jesus was, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” This answer would have utterly discouraged a less earnest seeker.

But she was persistent and refused to be discouraged. She kept her faith and continued following Jesus. Finally, Jesus answered and said unto her, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” Had the woman given up, her daughter would not have been healed. Her faith was tested, but it stood the test and thus her request was granted.

“When upon Mount Carmel he [Elijah] offered the prayer for rain (1 Kings 18:41–45), his faith was tested, but he persevered in making known his request unto God. Six times he prayed earnestly, and yet there was no sign that his petition was granted, but with a strong faith he urged his plea to the throne of grace. Had he given up in discouragement at the sixth time, his prayer would not have been answered, but he persevered till the answer came. We have a God whose ear is not closed to our petitions; and if we prove His Word, He will honor our faith. He wants us to have all our interests interwoven with His interests, and then He can safely bless us; for we shall not then take glory to self when the blessing is ours, but shall render all the praise to God. God does not always answer our prayers the first time we call upon Him; for should He do this, we might take it for granted that we had a right to all the blessings and favors He bestowed upon us. Instead of searching our hearts to see if any evil was entertained by us, any sin indulged, we should become careless, and fail to recognize our dependence upon Him, and our need of His help.

“The servant watched while Elijah prayed. Six times he returned from the watch, saying, there is nothing, no cloud, no sign of rain. But the prophet did not give up in discouragement. . . . As he searched his heart, he seemed to be less and less, both in his own estimation and in the sight of God. . . . And when he reached the point of renouncing self, while he clung to the Saviour as his only strength and righteousness, the answer came. The servant appeared, and said, ‘Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand.’

“Elijah did not wait for the heavens to gather blackness. In that small cloud, he beheld by faith an abundance of rain; and he acted in harmony with his faith. . . . Faith such as this is needed in the world today—faith that will lay hold on the promises of God’s word, and refuse to let go until Heaven hears.” –God’s Amazing Grace, p. 88

“If we do not feel immediate answers to our prayers, we should hold fast our faith, not allowing distrust to come in, for that will separate us from God. If our faith wavers, we shall receive nothing from Him. Our confidence in God should be strong; and when we need it most, the blessing will fall upon us like a shower of rain.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, p. 121

The word of God bids us, “Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18. “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us.” 1 John 5:14

Men and women in the Bible prayed when faced with weighty decisions or daunting challenges. Sometimes they prayed aloud and sometimes silently; they prayed when in groups and when alone. The important thing is that they prayed. As we “pray without ceasing”, He is willing to listen to those who do His will.

There is necessity for diligence in prayer; let nothing hinder you. Make every effort to keep the communication open between Jesus and your own soul. May God help us to overcome and continue instant in prayer according to His will. We are living in perilous times; prayer will increase our faith and prevent us from falling into temptation. Let us wait, work and watch until He appears with glory in the clouds. Maranatha! Amen.

Victor Shumbusho, D.R.Congo

Union Publishing Leader