Today’s Scripture: Psalm 19:12-14
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. – 1 Peter 4:7
I watched a football game in which the quarterback threw a pass to one of his teammates, who headed for what appeared to be an easy six points. As he raced toward the end zone, two huge linebackers caught him from behind.
I thought, It’s the same in our life of daily discipleship! We’re frequently tackled as we endeavor to live the Christian life. Take prayer, for instance. What are the primary obstacles to a powerful prayer life? Let’s consider three possibilities.
First, from Psalm 66:18: “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened…” The apostle John put it another way: “[We] receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him” (1 John 3:22). Sin blocks our forward progress in prayer.
A second obstacle is unbelief. James tells us to go to the Lord in prayer, but he says we must “believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7).
A third hindrance is neglect of the Word: “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law–even his prayer shall be abomination” (Proverbs 28:9, KJV). Neglecting the Word of God and its application to your life will hinder your prayers because prayer is based on faith, and our faith is firmly built on the Word of God.
Prayer
Lord, search my heart and convict me of any sin that may be hindering my communion with You.
To Ponder
When our prayer life isn’t what it should be, we should investigate these three areas: sin, unbelief, and a neglect of God’s Word.
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