[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Hindrances to receiving answers to your prayers (2)

Read: MATHEW 7: 7-11 

Meditation verse: 

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be  opened to you” (Matt 7:7). 

We continue looking at hindrances to receiving answers to our prayers.

1. LACK OF PERSISTANCE IN ASKING: Mathew 7:7 says, “ask, and it will  be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to  you”. To ask means to demand for what you desire. To seek means to  search for or go in search of that which you desire. It goes beyond just  asking. Knocking entails striking a surface noisily to attract attention,  until you get what you want. It can also entail demolishing barriers that  may prevent you from getting that which you desire. Most of us make  a few hard-hearted attempts at asking and give up, then we wonder  why our requests are not answered. In Luke 18, Jesus tells the parable  of the persistent widow, who continually cried out to the judge for  justice against her adversaries. Jesus concluded by asking “and shall  God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him,  though He bears long with them? 

2. LIVING IN SIN: Psalm 66:18 says, “if I regard iniquity in my heart, The  Lord will not hear”. Isaiah 59: 1-2 says “behold, the Lord’s hand is not  shortened, that it cannot save; nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins  have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. Sin will not  only prevent you from receiving answers to your prayers, but it will  also waste your life. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its  end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). 
3. LACK OF PREPARATION TO RECEIVE: Proverbs 23:18 says the  expectation of the righteous shall not be cut off. What you do not  expect, you cannot receive. When you expect something to happen,  you prepare to receive it. Your whole body must be aligned to your  expectation. Your words, mannerisms and actions should align to it.  You cannot speak words that are contrary to your expectation. 

You must also endeavour to walk in love if you desire answers to your prayers.  Without love, our works are in vain. Love is the energy behind your faith. Faith  is powered by God and God is love. So, faith is powered by love.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

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