40 Days of Prayer - Monday, June 24 - Devotion 26

Hindrances to Prayer Pt. 2

Today's devotion is a follow up to Sunday's message on Part 2 of Hindrances to Prayer. Reflect on these final 4 hindrances and trust God to teach you that your prayers may go un-hindered!

1.     Robbing God – Malachi 2:17-3:18

In Malachi, the prophet speaks and tells the Israelites they are robbing God. They are robbing God with their tithes and offerings. Not only are the robbing God with their tithes and offerings, but catch this, when there is cherished sin, not listening to God, wrong motives and doubt, what are they actually robbing God of, His Glory? Don’t rob God, reflect His glory!!!

2.     Pride – Luke 18:9-15  9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 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!’ 14 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.”

The man that was justified before God was the one who was not prideful in His prayer. The one man declared himself righteous before God, the other was declared righteous by God.

 3.     Un-forgiveness – Matthew 6:14-15  14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

 When we pray there must not be un-forgiveness in our heart toward others who have wronged us. If there is God will not forgive us when we ask.  A true sign of a forgiven person is one who forgives others,

4.     Un-healthy Relationships – 1 Peter 3:1-7 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Matthew 5:21-24 (Read)

Un-healthy relationships are a hindrance to God hearing our prayers. When there is not understanding or honoring one another, these are hindrances and God desires we deal with our un-healthy relationships.

Conclusion

Read these following passages and consider why these hindrances prevent God from answering our prayers. If our cravings are not for God, He may very well give us the desire of our heart and how devastating this may be to us! Spend time today asking God to search your heart and reveal things in your life where you are lacking. Heed His words and return to Him in these areas and His promise is He will return to you!

Numbers 11

Psalm 106:6-15