We can see many areas in our prayer life why God would say No, Become Silent or Make us Wait in answering or not answering our prayers and then there are times that we just don't understand.
God is sovereign and can choose to answer any prayer He sees fit. But Scripture clearly indicates that God does not listen to or answer every prayer. In fact, Scripture gives at least fifteen reasons for unanswered prayer. God does not answer the prayer of those: Who have personal and selfish motives. James 4:3.
Who regard iniquity in their hearts. Psalm 66:18
Who remain in sin. John 9:31
Who offer unworthy service to God. Malachi 1:7
Who forsake God. Jeremiah 14: 10-12
Who reject God's call.Proverbs 1: 24-25, 28
Who will not heed God's law. Zechariah 7:11-13
Who turn a deaf ear to the cry of the poor. Proverbs 21:13
Who are violent. Isaiah 1:15 and 59: 2-3
Who worship idols. Jeremiah 11: 11-14 and Ezekiel 8:15-18
Who have no faith. James 1:6-7
Who are living in hypocrisy. Luke 12-1
Who are proud of heart. James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5
Who are self-righteous: Luke 18-11-14
Who mistreat God's people. Micha 3:2-4
One of the people who literally put God "on trial" was a man from the Old Testament named Habakkuk. Habakkuk was a prophet in Judah, and he felt the full weight of the problems, pressures, sins, and difficulties of his family and of his nation. In Habakkuk 1:2, Habbakuk asked the following of the Lord:"How long, O LORD, will I call for help, and You will not hear?"
This was one of those big, deep, tough, "life" questions that Habakkuk was asking God. In the midst of all the chaos surrounding his life, he was basically asking, "God, where were you when I needed you the most?"
Habakkuk was grappling with something each of us deals with as believers: unanswered prayer. He was complaining about the silence of God… and in his heart he desperately wanted to know why God wasn't answering his prayers.
Habakkuk was grappling with something each of us deals with as believers: unanswered prayer. He was complaining about the silence of God… and in his heart he desperately wanted to know why God wasn't answering his prayers.
I'm sure you've probably felt this way before. Anyone who's been walking with the Lord for any amount of time has. We want answers when we pray! And it's frustrating when it seems like God is silent.
"I can't hear you." Sometimes the Lord can't hear us when we pray. And it's not because we need to talk louder or speak more clearly. Sometimes God can't hear us when we pray because according to Psalm 66 and Isaiah 5, there is sin in our life. We haven't forgiven.We'll still holding on to unforgiveness. Wrong Motives. You come with the wrong motives. You do not receive because you ask with wrong motives. (James 4:3 NIV).
"No." Sometimes the Lord says "No" when we pray. And while this can be a very difficult answer to receive, it's still an answer…regardless if we understand His decision at the moment or not. God is able to reveal His strength in you and me when we are broken and weak. So there is a purpose when God says "No."
"Wait." Sometimes the toughest answer to receive from God is "Wait." When this happens, we need to remind ourselves that God is in control and can certainly handle our situation. We need to allow Him to continue working in whatever way He sees fit. And we can't try to take back the situation, but must truly be patient and wait on God's timing! He has us in a holding pattern, just be still and keep doing what you are doing until God say Go,
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