Prayer, advice for effective (2)

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Scripture provides guidance concerning what attitudes and actions are appropriate for effective prayer. It also identifies a number of motives which are likely to lead to prayers being unanswered.

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Hindrances to prayer

Sin

Isaiah 59:2 ESV

but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

See also Ps 66:18; Je 14:10–12; La 3:42–44; Mic 3:4

Disobedience

Zechariah 7:13 ESV

“As I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says the Lord of hosts,

Selfishness

James 4:3 ESV

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Injustice

Isaiah 1:15–17 ESV

When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

Lack of faith

James 1:6–7 ESV

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

Qualities that lead to effective prayer

Humility

Luke 18:9–14 ESV

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up 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, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

See also 2 Sa 7:18; 2 Ch 7:14; Ps 51:16–17; Is 57:15; Mt 8:8

Obedience

1 John 3:21–22 ESV

Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

Righteousness

Proverbs 15:29 ESV

The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Single-mindedness

Jeremiah 29:13 ESV

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Faith

Matthew 21:21–22 ESV

And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”