The Lord"s Arm

PRAYER

Behold, the Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor His ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore. Isaiah 59:1-2

Staying in constant fellowship with God through prayer is crucial to your success in life. This is the reason why it is so important to be on a lookout for anything that will be a hinderance to your prayer life.

   One of the reasons our prayers may not be answered is because of unconfessed sins in our lives. Nothing will bring a prayer life to a halt faster than unconfessed sin. Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.”

   Offence, bitterness and unforgiveness will also hinder your prayer. When the Lord taught His disciples to pray in Matthew chapter six, He said to them, when you pray tell the Father, “forgive us our offences as we have forgiven those who have offended us.” If you don’t forgive those who offend you from your heart, God will not listen to your prayers.

   Idolatry, or putting something in our lives into a place of prominence over God Himself, can also be a hinderance to prayer. In Ezekiel 14:3, God said, “Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests.?”

   Is there someone or something that is more important to you than God Himself? Anyone or anything that becomes more important to you than God can potentially become your idol. Any object, idea, philosophy, habit, occupation, or sport that has your primary concern and loyalty—or to any degree, decreases your trust and loyalty to God—could potentially become an idol. And it could stop your prayers from being answered.

Prayer: Lord, revive my prayer life, and help me be vigilant and look out for the schemes of the devil to stop my prayer life.

Scriptural Reading: Isaiah 59:1-5

1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save;

Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear.

2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So 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 has muttered perversity.

4 No one calls for justice, Nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

5 They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.

NKJV

The Lord"s Arm