Sermon Tone Analysis

Why Some Prayers Are Not Answered

Text: What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you?

Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder.

You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel.

You do not have because you do not ask.

3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

Is anyone among you suffering?

Then he must pray.

Is anyone cheerful?

He is to sing praises.

14 Is anyone among you sick?

Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.

The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months.

18 Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.

(New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version.

(1995).

().

La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.)

New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version.

(1995).

().

La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

Introduction: Prayer is one of the greatest privileges, opportunities, blessings, and responsibilities that we enjoy.

Prayer makes it possible for us to communicate personally with the Creator of our Universe.

Prayer is universally available to all Christian.

Since God is no respecter of persons, prayer is not tied to age, race, wealth, fame, educational status, or geographical location.

All Christians are on equal ground before the Father in prayer.

None are closer to the throne than anyone else.

Through Christ we all have access to God’s listening ear.

Yet, it is no secret that many have not prevailed in prayer.

All of us will confess that our prayer lives are not what they should be.

Each of us can identify with some obstacle that gets in the way of effective prayer.

Why?

One obvious answer is that Satan does not want us to pray.

He will throw every possible obstacle in our way to keep us off our knees.

David Eubanks says, “Prayer is Satan’s major enemy, and Satan is prayer’s greatest foe.

Nothing shakes the foundations of Hell more than the prayers of God’s people.

Yet, it is no secret that many have not prevailed in prayer.

All of us will confess that our prayer lives are not what they should be.

Each of us can identify with some obstacle that gets in the way of effective prayer.

Why?

One obvious answer is that Satan does not want us to pray.

He will throw every possible obstacle in our way to keep us off our knees.

David Eubanks says, “Prayer is Satan’s major enemy, and Satan is prayer’s greatest foe.

Nothing shakes the foundations of Hell more than the prayers of God’s people.

In C. S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters, the demonic Screwtape admonished his nephew Wormwood to persevere in his efforts to lead people to Hell.

Counteracting prayer is the primary strategy that he recommends.

“Interfere at any price in any fashion when people start to pray, for real prayer is lethal to our cause.”

In C. S. Lewis’s Screwtape Letters, the demonic Screwtape admonished his nephew Wormwood to persevere in his efforts to lead people to Hell.

Counteracting prayer is the primary strategy that he recommends.

“Interfere at any price in any fashion when people start to pray, for real prayer is lethal to our cause.”

Introduction: Let’s be honest...some of our prayers have not been answered!

At least, we could say that we have not always received what we have prayed for.

From time to time someone will approach me with some disappointment or frustration in their prayer lives.

I mean, after all, didn’t Jesus say, “Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be open.”

Didn’t he say that?

Claudius (Hamlet, III, Sc. 2, line 97) said, “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.

Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”

Do you sometimes feel like no one’s listening...that you’re not “getting through?”

While we have God’s promise to hear our prayers there are some things that get in the way.

Claudius (Hamlet, III, Sc. 2, line 97) said, “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.

Words without thoughts never to heaven go.”

Do you sometimes feel like no one’s listening...that you’re not “getting through?”

While we have God’s promise to hear our prayers there are some things that get in the way.

So, let’s be honest...some of our prayers have not been answered!

At least, we could say that we have not always received what we have prayed for.

From time to time someone will approach me with some disappointment or frustration in their prayer lives.

I mean, after all, didn’t Jesus say, “Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be open.”

Didn’t he say that?

Introduction: Let’s be honest...some of our prayers have not been answered!

At least, we could say that we have not always received what we have prayed for.

From time to time someone will approach me with some disappointment or frustration in their prayer lives.

I mean, after all, didn’t Jesus say, “Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be open.”

Didn’t he say that?

Let’s be honest...some of our prayers have not been answered!

At least, we could say that we have not always received what we have prayed for.

From time to time someone will approach me with some disappointment or frustration in their prayer lives.

I mean, after all, didn’t Jesus say, “Ask and it shall be given; seek and you shall find; knock and the door shall be open.”

Didn’t he say that?

One may say, “I’ve been praying that my husband will stop drinking, and he hasn’t stopped.”

Or, “I’ve been praying for a job, but I can’t find one.”

Or, “We’ve been praying about our teen’s lack of interest in spiritual things...but nothing seems to change.”

Or, “I’ve been praying for guidance, but no guidance has come.”

On and on such frustrations are verbalized.

Bill Hybels refers to this as the mystery, or the agony of unanswered prayer.

One may say, “I’ve been praying that my husband will stop drinking, and he hasn’t stopped.”

Or, “I’ve been praying for a job, but I can’t find one.”

Or, “We’ve been praying about our teen’s lack of interest in spiritual things...but nothing seems to change.”

Or, “I’ve been praying for guidance, but no guidance has come.”

On and on such frustrations are verbalized.

Bill Hybels refers to this as the mystery, or the agony of unanswered prayer.

Some time ago, I came across a little outline that helps shed some light on this problem.

So, if you’ve been praying and nothing seems to be happening...perhaps you could ponder these points.

Not only does the Word of God urge us to pray it also helps us understand this mystery of unanswered prayer.

Some time ago, someone shared a little outline that helps shed some light on this problem.

So, if you’ve been praying and nothing seems to be happening...perhaps you could ponder these points.

Not only does the Word of God urge us to pray it also helps us understand this mystery of unanswered prayer.

I.

If the Request is wrong...God may say NO

I.

If the Request is wrong...God may say NO

1.

We need to understand that there are such things as wrong or inappropriate prayer requests.