Why Doesn

1
Why Doesnt God HearMy Prayers?

• And when ye spread forth your hands,
• I will hide mine eyes from you yea, when you
• make many prayers, I will not hear
• - Isaiah 115 -

2
God and Prayer

• We are told to ask (Mt. 77-8)
• We are exhorted to make our request (Phil. 46)
• So, why doesnt God hear my prayer?
• Let us consider five areas of prayer relative to
  this question

3
Why God Doesnt Hear

• God may give a different answer than you expect
• Moses got a different answer (Deut. 326)
• Job got a different answer (Job 3020)
• Paul got a different answer (2 Cor. 128)
• Gods plans for us may be different than what we
  want (Acts 166-10 Rom. 19-13)
• Our prayer may not be the Lords will
  (Mt. 2639 Jas. 415 1 Jn. 514-15)

4
Why God Doesnt Hear

• Your prayers my be hindered
• By improper relationships with others
• Pride (2 Chron. 3310-13)
• Neglecting the needy (Prov. 2113)
• Wrong-doing (Ezek. 817-18 Mt. 523-24 614-15
  1834-35 1 Jn. 420)
• Spousal mistreatment (1 Pet. 37)

5
Why God Doesnt Hear

• Sin may have closed Gods ears
• Unrepentant sin closes Gods ears (Psa. 6618
  Prov. 1529 Isa. 115 591-2,20 Jer. 119-11
  149-11 Mic. 34 Jn. 931 1 Pet. 312)
• When man doesnt hear God, God doesnt hear man
  (1 Sam. 818 Prov. 124-31 289 Zech. 713)
• Does Gods word abide in my soul (Jn. 157
  1 Jn. 322)?

6
Why God Doesnt Hear

• We may not be following Gods prayer rules
• We do not believe (Jas. 15-7 514)
• We do not ask (Jas. 42)
• We do not have the right motives (Jas. 43)
• We do not persist (Jas. 517-18 see also Lk.
  115ff 181ff)

7
Why God Doesnt Hear

• God may not be listening because he is not your
  father
• Some people believe God is their father when he
  is not (Jn. 844)
• I must have God as my Father (Mt. 711 Rom.
  815 Heb. 416)
• Am I born again of water and Spirit (Jn. 33,5
  Eph. 526 Heb. 1022 Tit. 35)?

8
Answered Prayer

• We must accept the answer God gives
• We must be in a right relationship with God and
  man
• We must remove sin from our life
• We must follow Gods prayer rules
• We must have God as our father