Memorise: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: Psalm 66:18
Read: Isaiah 59:1-4 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. 4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.
The fact that God answers prayers is without doubt.
Anytime you call on Him, as long as it is in the Name of Jesus, you can be sure
the answer will come. Jesus in John 14:14 said,
“If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do
it.”
To God, answering prayers is a question of keeping
His word. He said if you call upon Him when you are in trouble, He will deliver
you, and He is bound by His word (Psalm 50:15, Hebrews 6:18). There was once a
contest between the prophet of God, Elijah, and 450 prophets of an idol called
Baal (1st Kings 18:19-24). Each side was to call on their God or god; the goal
was to see which side would receive a response by fire. The prophets of Baal called
on their god from morning till afternoon, but there was no answer. The moment
the man of God called on the Lord, fire fell from heaven. God is still in the
business of answering prayers, but are you still in the business of obeying
Him? Be assured that God is still in the business of stilling raging storms. If
you remove iniquity from your heart, you will call on Him and He will answer
and deliver you.
As much as God desires to answer your prayers, if
you still enjoy a life of sin, your prayers cannot be answered. We must make
conscious efforts to remove all impediments to our prayers. Such impediments
include what the Bible describes as “the sin which doth so easily beset us”
(Hebrews 12:1). The pleasures of the flesh run against God’s expectations (Galatians
5:17). Such pleasures will not allow us to receive answers to our prayers. We
must be weary of gossip because there is great danger in every idle word we
speak (Matthew 12:36). Jesting should also be avoided (Ephesians 5:4). Jesting
refers to unholy jokes. God is not against laughter and humour as some people
wrongly believe. He is pleasantly humorous, but we must keep ourselves from
unhealthy jokes that hinder holy living or make fun of the Holy Spirit. The
Lord is not just looking for those who are calling on Him for miracles and
signs; He is searching for those who will lift up holy hands and a pure heart
before Him (Psalm 24:3-5). He is looking for those who are ready and committed
to walking in His footsteps. God is holy, and He has called us to holy living.
We are to do as He commands because we are light of the world. God in Heaven is
glorified when our light shines in the midst of the darkness of this world. If
you don’t want any impediment of your prayers from now on, you must amend your
ways. If you have been stealing, repent and steal no more. If you have been
involved in questionable transactions and dealings, you have to repent and
forsake such ways. If your life is right with God, your prayers will not be
hindered.
Action Point: Confess every pleasure of the flesh
you have yield to, asking for grace to live above them.
Bible in one year: Genesis 25-26, Isaiah 47:1-13
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