Problems With Prayer

Matthew 6:9–10 NKJV

9 In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

Luke 22:42 NKJV

saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”

John 14:13–14 NKJV

13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

I want to talk to you about problems with prayer.

C.S. Lewis once identified what he thought were two patterns of prayer in the New Testament.

The first is exemplified in the first two verses we just read. This pattern is concerned primarily on the will of our Father.

The second pattern is shown in the third passage which seems to be an invitation to pray however we will want in the name of Jesus and we will have it.

These two patterns seem to be at odds with each other. Do we pray only God’s will for it to happen or do we pray for whatever we want in the name of Jesus?

Have you experienced unanswered prayers? What about when it seems like God is silent or unresponsive to your requests?

I think this is an experience that many, and if not all, of us have had.

We need to understand that there is more going on behind the scenes than we often consider. This is important because as long as we are following Christ in this world, prayer is something we need to engage in.

Identifying the problems with prayer will enable us to hold fast its promise and potential.

Perspective Offers Persistence

1 Kings 18:25–29 NKJV

25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made. 27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. 29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

This story gives us a glimpse of a common response that people have when they are faced with silence or no answer. But extreme measures, religious gymnastics, or praying louder doesn’t make it any more likely that our prayers will be answered.

The true challenge we have, and the problems we face with prayer, is related to the fact that each of these “problems” are external to us.

What if we could learn to account for these problems so that we can pray with greater confidence and clarity?

Identifying these problems and learning to navigate them will enable us to pray with more persistence and purpose.

Facing the Problems With Prayer

There is a framework that we can use to evaluate prayer and to help us understand what might be the cause that our prayers are not being answered.

The three points, and this framework, is something I heard briefly mentioned by Pete Greig. Though I haven’t read it, I think he writes more extensively on this in his book God on Mute.

Let’s look at three external factors that seem to create problems with prayer.

God’s World

Job 38:1–7 NKJV

1 Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: 2 “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? 3 Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me. 4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding. 5 Who determined its measurements? Surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? 6 To what were its foundations fastened? Or who laid its cornerstone, 7 When the morning stars sang together, And all the sons of God shouted for joy?

It was God who created the world and its rules and laws. We need to recognize that and respect the fundamentals of God’s world.

Prayers that work against the way that God created the world are not likely to work.

Illustration: Football team to win…when I pray for God to help me break the laws of time and space when I am stuck in traffic or late. Or keep my pinky toe from being smashed by gravity.

These things are not likely to happen.

This doesn’t mean that we don’t contend for miracles or God to do supernatural things. When Elijah prayed after the prophets of Baal he spoke with God and then fire fell from heaven.

One of the problems with our prayers is that we are praying for things that are contrary to the way that God created the world.

God’s Will

1 John 5:14–15 NKJV

14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

The second “problem” with prayer lies in the difference between our will and God’s. And often the way we view God’s will.

Sometimes our theology on this is what causes the problem. When we take a Calvinistic all-in approach to the sovereignty of God we consider prayer in a deterministic way.

We think that our prayers won’t matter because “God is on the throne.”

We don’t consider how that works when we suffer or experience evil or we see natural disasters, disease, and death. When we say, “God is on the throne” are we saying that God did this? And if we follow that line of thinking does it mean that before we prayed God already knew if He was going to answer or not?

We don’t stop praying even if God is omniscient and knows what we need. Just like we, in the words of C.S. Lewis, don’t stop asking for someone to pass the salt…we don’t say, “If God would have wanted me to have salt, He would have determined for me to have it.”

Another problem with prayer and God’s will is that sometimes His will requires our suffering.

Illustration: Jesus in the Garden. His suffering led to our salvation. It was God’s will that He suffer and die on the cross because it was God’s will that those who believe in Him would be saved.

Sometimes the answer to our prayer is that we suffer and our theology and view of a “good God” doesn’t allow for that. But God works all things together for our good, even if it requires that we suffer if necessary for a period of time (Romans 8:28, 1 Peter 1:6).

The Scripture is the clearest place to find the will of God. But in the application of His will in the particulars of our lives, part of the dynamic of prayer is discovery of God’s will.

It is in prayer where we discover God’s “yes”, “no”, and “not yet”. It is where we learn to submit and align our will to His so that ultimate good comes forth.

God’s War

Ephesians 6:10–18 NKJV

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

There is a very real enemy of our soul who wants nothing but to contest God’s will at all times.

There were times that sickness was attributed a person being demonized by a spirit of infirmity, deafness, lameness, and more (Luke 13:11, Mark 9:25, Acts 8:7, Acts 10:38). These conditions were not just natural or DNA or the result of a virus. They were spiritually inflicted.

There are times when we pray to God and He answers instantly, but the enemy seeks to intercept and stop us from receiving them.

In Daniel 10, Daniel had a vision that was troubling to him. He fasted and prayed for three weeks. With no answer. After the three weeks he had a visitation.

Daniel 10:10–14 NKJV

10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words. 13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”

God dispatched the angel with the answer to Daniel’s prayer immediately but the answer was delayed 21 days because of demonic activity.

What if Daniel would have quit? Do you think that he might have been tempted to think God wasn’t answering him?

That is the goal of the devil - to get you to quit and give up.

He can’t stop God’s will. But he could stop you from experiencing everything God has for you if you give up faith and hope and stop praying and seeking God. So don’t let him!

Conclusion

The first step to addressing the problems we have with prayer is to identify them.

Sometimes our prayers don’t get answered because we are praying against the rules of God’s world.

Sometimes our prayers don’t get answered the way we want because we are praying against God’s will.

And sometimes we just need to persevere in faith and exercise our spiritual authority because we are dealing with the spiritual forces of wickedness.

I believe that when we pray and do not see the outcome we believe we can consider these things and adjust our strategy accordingly.

When we do this we will be able to pray with more confidence and more effectively address the obstacles to our prayers. We’ll be less likely to give up due to discouragement because we can start looking for what might be the cause.

Ultimately, I believe this will lead to more answered prayer and greater faith to keep moving forward.