Prayer is an important part of the Christian faith. It allows us to communicate with God and align our will with His. However, there are times when it feels like our prayers go unanswered. This can lead to discouragement and even doubt. In this article, we will explore some of the common things that can block our prayers and keep them from being effective. Understanding these obstacles is the first step to overcoming them so our prayers can flow freely to God.
Unconfessed Sin
One of the biggest barriers to effective prayer is unconfessed sin in our lives. Scripture tells us that God does not listen to sinners (John 9:31). Now, we are all sinners and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). However, when there is blatant, unrepentant sin that we are refusing to address, it can hinder our relationship with God. Common examples include harboring unforgiveness, living in sexual immorality, or nurturing addictions. These behaviors and heart attitudes build a wall between us and God.
Thankfully, Scripture also tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Coming before God in humility and asking Him to reveal any areas of unconfessed sin is crucial to maintaining an open line of communication with Him. As we allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and repent, we knock down that wall of separation.
How to Overcome It
– Ask God to search your heart and reveal any areas that need to be confessed
– Make time to listen to God and allow Him to show you any behaviors, thoughts, or attitudes not pleasing to Him
– As areas of sin come to mind, confess them before God, repent, and accept His forgiveness
– Walk in openness and humility daily, quick to confess any sins that arise
Spirit of Disobedience
Closely related to unconfessed sin is walking in disobedience toward God. Maintaining a spirit of willful disobedience again blocks effective communication in prayer. We see this illustrated plainly in scriptures like Proverbs 28:9, which says, “If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable.” Ouch! God desires our obedience over our sacrifice. Bringing requests before God while blatantly ignoring His commands shows arrogance versus humility.
Disobedience can take many forms. It could be refusing to forgive someone when God has clearly commanded us to forgive (Matthew 6:14-15). Or it could be continually indulging in media or relationships God has instructed us to remove from our lives. Rationalizing and justifying our disobedience rather than surrendering our will to His will grieves the Spirit of God.
How to Overcome It
– Examine areas of your life God may be speaking to you about but you have resisted surrendering to Him
– Ask God to soften your heart and give you a willing spirit to follow His commands (Psalm 51:10)
– Make a commitment each day to obey God in every area He instructs you
– When you realize you’ve sinned, quickly repent and ask forgiveness rather than make excuses
Wrong Motives
James 4:3 tells us, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” Our prayers are ineffective if the motivation behind them is purely selfish. Examples include praying for a raise so we can buy more stuff or praying for a spouse so we won’t feel lonely.
Now God does want us to bring our personal requests before Him and even ask for things that bring enjoyment. But the key is our heart motivation. Why are we asking for that new car or bigger house? Is it coming from a place of want versus need? Of discontentment versus gratitude? We can’t fool God. He sees our real motivations even when we try to cover them up with religious-sounding prayers.
How to Overcome It
– Examine your real motivations in prayer. Ask God to show you the true desires behind your requests.
– Yield your personal goals and dreams to God’s perfect will, asking Him to align your heart with His purposes.
– Pray for things that align with God’s kingdom values like serving others, sharing the gospel, humility, and obedience.
– When praying for personal needs, do so from a place of contentment and trust in God’s provision.
Poor Treatment of Spouse
For those who are married, an important key to effective prayer is honoring your spouse. In 1 Peter 3:7, husbands are instructed to treat their wives with understanding and honor so their prayers will not be hindered. This principle applies to both husbands and wives. When we dishonor our spouse through criticism, control, neglect, or betrayal, it puts up a barrier in prayer.
God designed marriage to reflect the relationship between Jesus and the church (Ephesians 5:32). When we bring division, injury, or disgrace to our marriage relationship, it distorts that sacred reflection. We cannot walk in loving communion with God while simultaneously wounding the person who is called to be our closest human companion. Genuine repentance and restoration of the marriage bond is needed for prayers to flow freely.
How to Overcome It
– Ask God to reveal any ways you may be dishonoring your spouse, even unintentionally.
– Seek forgiveness from your spouse for any harm you’ve caused and commit to change with God’s help.
– Make the choice each day to speak life, honor, and respect into your spouse through words and actions.
– When conflict arises, be quick to offer grace, make amends, and restore intimacy in the relationship.
Doubt and Unbelief
On the flip side of willful disobedience is crippling doubt and unbelief. We all struggle at times to believe God is who He says He is. However, when we consistently approach God with suspicion, skepticism, or cynicism, it hinders our prayers. Scripture tells us the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind (James 1:6). Such unstable people cannot expect to receive anything from the Lord.
God calls us to approach Him with childlike faith. That means simply taking Him at His word and believing He is good, He loves us, and He wants to give us good gifts when we ask (Matthew 7:11). Approaching prayer full of doubt results in instability and ineffectiveness.
How to Overcome It
– Ask God to forgive you for doubting Him and increase your faith.
– Read and meditate on scriptures about God’s goodness, power, love, and promises.
– When doubt creeps in, rebuke it in Jesus’ name and declare truth about God’s faithfulness.
– Thank God in advance for answering your prayers according to His perfect will.
Not Abiding in Christ
In John 15, Jesus uses the imagery of a vine and branches to illustrate our relationship to Him. He declares that apart from abiding in Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Prayer is included in that “nothing.” When we try to walk independently from God, prayer becomes hollow.
Abiding involves ongoing communion with Christ through prayer, worship, studying the Word, fellowship with other believers, and listening to the Spirit’s voice. It’s maintaining an intimate connection to the Vine (Jesus) through faith. As we abide in Christ, His life flows through us and our prayers bear fruit. Without that vital linkage to the Vine, our prayers wither.
How to Overcome It
– Confess times you have operated independently from God and reaffirm your commitment to the Vine.
– Start each morning inviting the Spirit to guide you and acknowledging your dependence on God.
– Include worship, scripture, and listening to God as part of your prayer life.
– Stay connected to other believers for encouragement, accountability, and communion.
Prayers Not God’s Will
We can be faithfully praying about a matter for years, but if it’s not God’s will, the answers will be blocked. Scripture reminds us that even if our prayers are fervent, they won’t be effective if not within God’s will (James 4:3). God always knows what’s best for us, even when it doesn’t make sense to us in the moment.
When God closes a door in response to our persistent prayers, we may feel confused or disappointed. But we can trust His omniscience and sovereignty. He sees the full picture when we only see in part. Continuing to stubbornly demand our own way can hinder our relationship with God. Instead, we must surrender to His will.
How to Overcome It
– Sincerely tell God you want His will over your will in this situation.
– Release the outcome to God and trust Him fully, even if it’s painful.
– Ask God to align your heart with His purposes during this time.
– Look for ways God may want to use this closed door for growth or His glory.
Lack of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is an essential part of the Christian walk. Colossians 3:13 tells us to bear with one another and forgive any complaint we may have against someone else. Just as God has freely forgiven us, He instructs us to freely forgive others when they hurt or offend us. Holding onto bitterness and resentment blocks the flow of grace in our own lives.
Unforgiveness acts like a poison we drink hoping the other person will die. But in reality, we’re the ones harming ourselves. This poison blocks our fellowship with God and hinders our prayers. That’s why Jesus said if we do not forgive others, our Father in heaven will not forgive our trespasses (Matthew 6:15). Walking in forgiveness is key to open communication with our Father.
How to Overcome It
– Ask God to soften your heart and give you a willingness to forgive.
– Make a choice to forgive those who’ve hurt you, even if you still feel angry.
– Send prayers of blessing on anyone you are struggling to forgive.
– If needed, seek godly counsel to walk through forgiveness.
Poor Treatment of Others
One remarkable passage on prayer in the Bible is Zechariah 7:8-14. In this scripture, God rebukes His people for praying empty prayers while simultaneously mistreating others. He calls them to pursue justice, mercy and compassion, saying if they do, He will draw near when they call on Him. But when they closed their ears to the cries of the poor and oppressed, their prayers were hindered.
This remains true today. We cannot be in close relationship with God while being cruel or indifferent toward those He loves. Things like bigotry, indifference toward the poor, gossip, slander, and lack of compassion erect a wall between us and God. It’s impossible to truly love God while hating or mistreating His creation. To open blocked prayers, we must open our hearts toward others.
How to Overcome It
– Ask God to reveal any prejudice or cruelty in your heart that needs to change.
– Read scriptures about loving your neighbor, helping the poor, and pursuing justice.
– Commit to treating all people with value and dignity as image-bearers of God.
– Look for tangible ways you can increase in mercy and compassion toward others.
Lack of Gratitude
Gratitude is so key to the Christian life. When we maintain an attitude of gratefulness toward God, it keeps our perspective aligned with truth. Thanking God for His presence, gifts, and answered prayers keeps us humble and dependent. A lack of gratitude often signals a heart that has slipped into entitlement, selfishness, or even resentment.
Scripture tells us to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving in our hearts (Psalm 100:4). Likewise, the psalmist declares he will come before God with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30). Thanksgiving fosters intimacy with God. Complaint poisons that relationship. Keeping our hearts overflowing with gratitude clears any blockages hindering our communion with God.
How to Overcome It
– Examine areas where you may have slipped into complaint versus gratitude.
– Make thanksgiving a regular practice – when you wake up, in prayer, at meals, at bedtime, etc.
– Keep a journal of God’s blessings and past answers to prayer. Refer to it when needing perspective.
– Reflect on the cross and Christ’s sacrifice if you start feeling entitled.
Conclusion
Prayer is one of the greatest gifts we have as believers to commune with our Creator. But there are many obstacles that can hinder this precious spiritual connection. Examining our own hearts is crucial to identifying and overcoming anything blocking our prayers. Let’s humbly invite God’s searchlight into our souls. As we eliminate sin, walk in faith and obedience, forgive others, and maintain hearts of gratitude, we’ll find our prayers are no longer hindered. God delights in our authentic prayers that flow freely from a heart in tune with Him.