The Bible teaches that a believer is guaranteed access to the Father in prayer.
- Luke 11:13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
- John 16:23 “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.”
So what are the things that interfere with or hinder the prayer of a believer?
- Iniquity – “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” Psalm 66:18
- Carnality (asking for selfing desires) – “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” James 4:3
- Violence/bloodshed – “When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.” Isaiah 1:15
- Rejection of God’s Counsel/advice – “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me. Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD, They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke.” Prov. 1:28-30
- Arrogance/Lack of humility – “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men–extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14
Examine yourself to see if one of these is an issue for you. Don’t let another day go by that your prayers are hindered. As we will see in some of the upcoming posts, prayer is essential in the life of a believer. It is both a great responsibility and a great privilege.
Rooted and Grounded 