TEN Things that Hinder Prayer
My Love Dare entries, for your info, are composed of personal summaries and emphasis, thoughts on the Dare, and extracts of parts of the book. Not exactly identical to the actual book- which phrases things in a more concise, easy to read manner. So I highly recommend you purchase the book. It has a journal within so you can record your Love Dare journey with your spouse. :)
A few of us might be consolidating orders to buy the actual book from America to give out as Christmas gifts. It might be cheaper to buy in bulk together from online. ;) Feel free to let me know if you're interested.
TEN THINGS THAT HINDER PRAYER
1. Praying without knowing God through Christ. Is God angry, hateful, judgemental, vengeful, mean in your eyes? Then you've not known Him through Christ yet.
2. Praying with bitterness in your heart toward someone. See MARK 11:25,26. Are you still bearing a grudge somewhere? Do you still struggle with unforgiveness or anger? You need to let go of those for prayer to be effective. Need to realise we love and forgive because we're loved and forgiven much.
3. Praying for show.
It's not how long, how hard or how flowery the language used. Prayer is powerful when it's sincere and comes from simple childlike faith.
4. Praying repetitive, empty words. Read Matt 6:7,8. Your Heavenly Dad knows what you need before you pray. It can only manifest when we declare Christ's victory and know that in our heart.
5. Prayers not prayed. See James 4:2. Basically, in Singlish, don't ask, don't get lor.
6. Praying with a lustful heart. See James 4:3. Are you asking with the wrong motives that are not aligned to God's will?
7. Praying whilst mistreating your spouse. See 1 Peter 3:7!!!!!!!!! Peter talks about how mistreating our spouse causes our prayers to run aground. Emphasis on husbands. Wives are reminded to be gently, loyal, respectful to their husbands- responsive to their needs, as well as to be unanxious and unintimidated by circumstances.
8. Praying whilst ignoring the poor. See Prov 21:13. We're blessed to be a blessing. Are you spending your blessing only on yourself? Is this good stewardship? Do you offer your first fruits?
9. Praying with an unrepentant heart. Do you still cherish the old life and the things of the flesh more than the resurrected life you now have in Christ? Are you storing new wine in old wineskin?
10. Praying with a faithless heart. See James 1:6-8. If you ask but don't expect because you doubt somewhere inside of you, you'll harvest what you expect, you'll reap what opinions you have of God.
LOL! So many requirements! Defeated before you even start praying!
ReplyDeleteHi PJ!
ReplyDeleteLOL! I dun think they are requirements actually. As long as we pray from victory and revelation, it's cool!
But a lot of people question why they pray and pray - pray hard, pray long but God never seems to come through for them. This post is to reply to those people who've posted such queries.
The thing is a lot of it these points are not self-requirements but biblically and mostly based on NT.
It doesn't mean that praying hard and long means your prayer is effective. Effective prayer is when you speak His Word to your problems, not speak the problem to God (see recent post put up today). Also, it is true that there can be barriers to our prayers - not God imposed but self-imposed through negative thinking or through our hardness of heart towards others.
It is fine if we are really operating in grace already but some people need to see ohhhh this area is blocked because of this issue, so they can leave it at the foot of the cross and walk from grace in that area of their life. You know what I mean?
I apologise if it feels like it stumbles rather than uplifts. I honestly thought it would help some people see which areas need letting go and letting God =D I got it from the "Love Dare" book which is such a good read.