On Prayer

Ask any Christian if they believe that prayer is powerful and the answer will be an enthusiastic 'yes!'  Ask the same person how their prayer life is going and the answer is not always so enthusiastic.

Here are five things that may hinder us from an effective prayer life.

1. Disbelief

Hebrews 11:6 says '...he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.'  Therefore there are three beliefs that are foundational for our prayer lives: 

A.   God is Approachable - '...he who comes to God'

- why would I pray to a God who I don't believe I am able to access?

B.  God is God - '...must believe that He is'

- why would I pray to a God who does not have the power to answer my prayer?

C. God is Good - '...He is a rewarder...'

- why would I pray to a God who I believe wants to harm me?

2. Disengagement

Just as a motionless car requires no fuel and a retired soldier requires no weapon, so too a faithless Christian requires no prayer.  When I am not taking steps of faith in response to the call of God on my life I have no need to pray.  Faith fuels prayer.  

3. Disappointment 

Disappointment has been defined as 'Dissatisfaction that arises when hopes are not realized'  If I believe that my TV is not working, I become dissatisfied with it and discard it.  So too, when a person believes that their prayers are not working, they become dissatisfied and discard it from their life.  In such times we can forget that 'no' or 'not yet' are reasonable answers at God's disposal.  

4. Distraction

Have you noticed that whenever you come to pray, suddenly a thousand things come to mind that vie for your attention?  Considering that 'traction' is what propels me forward, if I was the devil I would be eager to 'dis' your traction and keep your prayer life stagnant.  

That's why Jesus taught us to pray in our room with the door shut (Matt 6:6), stilling ourselves from the racket of life.  On this thought Charles Spurgeon writes, “Quietude, which some men cannot abide because it reveals their inward poverty, is as a palace of cedar to the wise, for along its hallowed courts the King in his beauty deigns to walk”

5. Disqualification

I'm convinced that guilt is the greatest reason why people do not approach God.  However Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to come boldly to the throne of grace!  When I view God as a 'guilt giver' I will run from Him.  When I view God as a 'grace giver' I will run to Him.  

Charles Finney writes, "Persons never need hesitate, because of their past sins, to approach God with the fullest confidence. If they now repent, and are conscious of fully and honestly returning to God with all their heart, they have no reason to fear being repulsed from the footstool of mercy."