Yesterday I began a five-part blog series as to why prayer is hindered. I commenced with the “bottom line”- Wrong actions and attitudes will always cancel our prayers. And it’s in recognizing our wrong action and indifferent attitudes that will determine the breakthroughs we’re looking for.
Here we go… Part 2.
2. Pride and Strife
1 Pet. 3:8, “Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.”
- Agreement is the key word to answered prayer. Friction, fighting, strife and pride grieve the Holy Spirit and keep Him from moving in your situation.
- Matthew 5:23–24 says, “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” (NASB).
- Jesus said “that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by my Father” (Matt. 18:19 NASB).
- The word “agree” means to “form a symphony,” like playing the same song but with different instruments and timing.
- The solution is to reach out to the person who has a grievance against you and do your best to be reconciled. It is then when our prayers qualify themselves to be heard!
- The Holy Spirit was not poured out in the church until they were in one accord. Act 2:1, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”
- One of the most important scriptures in the New Testament pertaining to churches and families… James 3:16 – For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
- When we are in dis- agreement our prayers make no sense! They become unnecessary noise. When there is strife, envy and selfish ambition, we give dominion and authority to Satan. And our prayers are hindered.
- At this point, the only prayer that God will give attention to is the prayer of forgiveness and repentance. Mark 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Anxious to read your thoughts,
Pastor Manny
