Unanswered Prayer--Why?
A Study in the Scriptures
"...Ye ask, and receive not,
because ye ask amiss..."
James 4:3
Copyright © 1976 by Diane Dew
I. Why do many prayers go unanswered?
A. The fault may lie in the petition itself.
1. Unbelief. Jas 1:6, 7
2. Wrong motive. Jas 4:3
B. Sin or disobedience may be the hindrance.
Psa 66:18 Prov 15:29; 28:9
Isa 59:1, 2 Jer 5:25 Jn 9:31
1. Selfishness. Prov 21:13
2. Pride. Hos 5:5-7
3. Unforgiveness. Mk 11:25, 26
4. Disharmoney in the home. Mat 5:23, 24 I Pet 3:7
5. Religious hypocrysy. Mat 5:23, 24
6. Rebellion against hearing God's Word. Prov 1:24, 25, 28 Zech 7:11-13
7. Covetousness; idolatry. Ezek 14:1-7(covetousness=idolatry, Col 3:5)
8. Deceit; injustice. Jer 5:25-31
C. An effective prayer life is conditional upon a personal walk and relationship with Jesus.
1. Obedience. 1 Jn 3:22
2. Righteousness. Psa 34:15, 17 Prov 15:8, 29 Jas 5:16
3. Humility. 2 Chron 7:14, 15 Psa 9:12; 10:17; 102:17 Mat 23:5, 14, 27, 28 Lu 18:13, 14
4. Faith. Mat 21:22 1 Jn 5:13-15
5. The fear of the Lord. Psa 145:19
6. Abiding in Christ. Psa 91:1, 14, 15 Jn 15:7
D. A Satanic hindrance withheld the answer to Daniel's prayer for 21 days.
Dan chapter 10, esp vv 12, 13 (also see Eph 6:12)
III. Sometimes God chooses to delay the answer to our prayers.
Jer 42:2-4, 7 Lu 18:7
A. This may be with the intention of working into our character a specific quality desirable in his sight.
1. Patience. Jas 5:11
2. Obedience. Heb 5:8
3. Humility. 2 Corin 12:7-9
B. Though Job was "perfect & upright" in the sight of God (see Job 1:1, 8; 2:3), God allowed him to suffer tremendously--but not without purpose. Job 23:10
IV. God answers prayer according to His time & will (Psa 40:1). But we must be persistent in seeking Him for answers to our requests.
Gen 32:26-29 "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me ... and he blessed him there."
Song of Songs 3:1-4; 5:2-6
Isa 62:6, 7 "...keep not silence, & give him no rest..."
Lam 2:18, 19 "...day & night: give thyself no rest..."
Mat 7:7 "Keep on asking...keep on seeking...keep on..." (Greek tense denotes continual action)
Mat 15:22-28 she "kept praying" (note the verb tense)
Lu 11:5-13 "because of his importunity (persistence)"
Lu 18:1-8 "by her continual coming"