Our Prayers Can Be Hindered

We must understand that our thoughts and actions can hinder the effectiveness of our prayers.

In James 4.1-3, we are told that when we pray with impure or selfish motives, God does not hear our prayers. James writes, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

In 1 Peter 3.7, we are told that the ill treatment of one's spouse may hinder one's prayers. Peter writes, "Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers."

In 1 Samuel 28.18, King Saul is told that his prayers were not heard by God because of Saul's disobedience. Samuel tells him, "Because you did not obey the Lord or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the Lord has done this to you today."

In Isaiah 58 the people of Israel wander why God has not heard their prayers and answered them. The gist of God's response to this charge is that the people have come to him very insincerely and full or arrogance and self-interest and not in humility and worshipful reverence. God, through his prophet, says, "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."

In Matthew 6.5-8, Jesus says, "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. . . . But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Let us approach God with himility, sincerity, transparency, and a deep-abiding faith.

Prayer to the Lord of the Church

In Ephesians 6.18-20, Paul asked, "With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak."

The prayer of Edward Osler:

Lord of the church, we humbly pray

For those who guide us in Thy way,

And speak Thy holy word;

With love divine their hearts inspire,

And touch their lips with hallowed fire,

And needful grace afford.

Help them to preach the truth of God,

Redemption through the Saviour's blood;

Nor let the Spirit cease

On all the church His gifts to shower:

To them, a Messenger of power,

To us, of life and peace.

So may they live to Thee alone,

Then hear the welcome word, "Well done!"

And take their crown above;

Enter into their Master's joy,

And all eternity employ

In praise and bliss and love.

The Power Was There All the Time

Herbert Jackson tells the story of when, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push.

After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave his car running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.

Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the swtich, and to Jackson's astonishment, the engine roared to life.

For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting the power to work.

J. B. Phillips paraphrases Ephesians 1.19-20, "How tremendous is the power available to us who believe in God." When we make our firm connection with God, his life and power flow through us."

Reflections on Prayer

Francis de Sales: "He who prays fervently knows not whether he prays or not, for he is not thinking of the prayer which he makes, but of God, to whom he makes it."

P. Y. Forsyth: "Not to want to pray is the sin behind sin."

E. M. Bounds: "To pray is the greatest thing we can do, and to do it well, there must be calmness, time, and deliberation."

Edward J. Farrell: "The penalty of not praying is the loss of one's capacity to pray."

George H. Gallup, Jr.: "Any revitalization of faith in this country will have to start with prayer, in which we gain a sense of the living presence of God."

A Prayer to the God of My Life

The prayer of Psalms 42 & 43 (NIV):

As the deer pants for streams of water,

so my soul pants for you, O God.

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

Where can I go and meet with God?

My tears have been my food day and night,

while men say to me all day long,

"Where is your God?"

These things I remember as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go with the multitude,

leading the procession to the house of God,

with shouts of joy and thanksgiving

among the festive throng.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

My soul is downcast within me;

therefore I will remmeber you

from the land of Jordan,

the heights of Hermon--from Mount Mizar.

Deep calls to deep

in the roar of your waterfalls;

all your waves and breakers

have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs his love,

at night his song is within me--

a prayer to the God of my life.

I say to God my Rock,

"Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?"

My bones suffer mortal agony

as my foes taunt me,

saying to me all day long,

"Where is your God?"

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him.

my Savior and my God?

Vindicate me, O God,

and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;

rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.

You are God my stronghold.

Why have you rejected me?

Why must I go about mourning,

oppressed by the enemy?

Send forth your light and your truth,

let them guide me;

let them bring me to your holy mountain,

to the place where you dwell.

Then will I go to the altar of God,

to God, my joy and my delight.

I will praise you with the harp,

O God, my God.

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

Resurrection Prayer

(A prayer by Francis Ridley Havergal)

Oh, let me know

The power of Thy resurrection!

Oh, let me show

Thy life in clear reflection!

Oh, let me soar

Where Thou, my Savior Christ, art gone before!

In mind and heart

Let me dwell always, only, where Thou Art!

Oh, let me give

Out of the gifts Thou freely givest;

Oh, let me live

With life abundantly because Thou livest;

Oh, make me shine

In darkest places, for Thy light in mine;

Oh, let me be

A faithful witness for Thy truth and Thee.

Oh, let me show

The strong relatiy of gospel story;

Oh, let me go

From strength to strength, from glory unto glory;

Oh, let me sing

For every joy, because Thou art my King;

Oh, let me praise

Thy love and faithfulness through all my days.

Comments on Prayer

Henri Nouwen: "As we are involved in unceasing thinking, so we are called to unceasing prayer."

Abraham Lincoln: "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day."

Eugene Peterson: "In prayer, we are aware that God is in action and that when the circumstances are ready, when others are in the right place, and when our hearts are prepared, he will call us into the action. Waiting in prayer is a disciplined refusal to act before God acts."

Prayer & Spiritual Warfare

During Operation Desert Storm, the Iraqi war machine was overwhelmed by the Coalition Forces' ability to strike strategic targets with never-seen-before accuracy. Unknown to the Iraqis, the Allied Supreme Command had dropped Special Operations Forces (SOF) deep behind enemy lines. These men provided bombing coordinates for military targets and first-hand reports on the effectiveness of subsequent bombing missions.

To avoid unintended targets, pinpoint bombing was often required. A soldier from a SOF unti standing on the ground would request an aircraft high overhead to drop a laser-guided missile. Using a handheld laser, the soldier would point at the target. The missile would hone in on the soldier's target for the hit.In much the same way, the prayers of Christians focus the attention of the spiritual forces on high.

(Written by Steve Schertzinger, in Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching.)

Do You Believe In the Power of Prayer?

When a nightclub opened on Main Street, the only church in that small town organized an all-night prayer meeting. The members asked God to find a way to shut down the club. Within a few minutes, lightning struck the club, and it burned to the ground. The owner sued the church, which denied responsibility.

After hearing both sides, the judge said, "It seems that wherever the guilt may lie, the nightclub owner believes in prayer, while the church doesn't."

(Selected)

A Teacher's Prayer

A prayer by Ralph S. Cushman:

I do not ask

That crowds my throng the temple

That standing room be priced;

I only ask that as I voice the message,

They may see Christ.

I do not ask

For churchly pom or pageant,

Or music such as wealth alone can buy;

I only ask that as I voice the message,

He may be nigh!

I do not ask

That men may sound my praises

Or headlines spread my name abroad;

I only pray that as I voice the message,

Hearts may find God!

I do not ask

For earthly place or laurel,

Or of this world's distinctions any part;

I only ask when I have voiced the message,

My Savior's Heart!