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Why Prayers Go Unanswered

Sermon Notes | October 12, 2025


Consider the obvious- HAVEN'T PRAYED!

"Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

John 16:24

It is possible to ASSUME too much


WHAT BLOCKS ANSWERS TO PRAYER?


  1. UNCONFESSED SIN

"If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened"

Psalm 66:18

"Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear."

Isaiah 59:1-2

Principles

  • First pray for a change of CHARACTER

  • All successful prayer begins with CONFESSION of known sin.

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

James 5:16


  1. UNFORGIVING SPIRIT

"Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.'This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.'"

Matthew 18:33-35

.Our relationship with OTHERS must be right before our relationship with GOD can be right (Matthew 5:23-24)


  1. UNSURRENDERED WILL

"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

James 4:3

. Asking the wrong MOTIVE

. Intercessory prayer deals with two WILLS

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

2 Peter 3:9

When we pray in Jesus' name

  • Saying, ' This is how it LOOKS to me, but....'

  • Keeping ONE EYE open

  • To STOP giving ORDERS

  • God doesn't just see me, he sees the CROWD (Psalm 33:13)

  • To think of OTHERS (Romans 8:28)


  1. GOD IS SOVEREIGN

Principle:

  • If all our prayers were ANSWERED, then you (not God) would be in CONTROL.

"When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

James 4:3


CONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVE, SUCCESSFUL PRAYER


  1. CONTRITION

"if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

2 Chronicles 7:14


  1. WHOLEHEARTEDNESS

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:13


  1. FAITH

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Mark 11:24


  1. Righteousness

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."

James 5:16


  1. OBEDIENCE

"And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."

1 John 3:22

"Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.'Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench."

1 Kings 18:37-38

"After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."

Acts 4:31



 
 
 

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