The fourth thing that can prevent our prayers being answered is when we’re praying unscriptural prayers. Jesus said, ‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.’ People who live by the principles of God’s Word don’t pray to win the lottery, or for bad things to happen to others. They know that those are unscriptural prayers that God won’t honour. When we pray, our requests must line up with His will. After leading the children of Israel for forty years in the wilderness, Moses naturally longed to enter the Promised Land and celebrate victory with them; to ‘go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan – that fine hill country and Lebanon’ (Deuteronomy 3:25 NIV). But in spite of his prayers, it didn’t happen. Why? ‘Because…the Lord was angry…and would not listen…“That is enough,” the Lord said. “Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan”’ (v.26-27 NIV). We can sometimes fall into the trap of wanting all the benefits of God’s kingdom, but on our own terms. Prayer isn’t a lucky charm or a religious formula we repeat until we get the results we want. When our prayers line up with the Scriptures and are in harmony with God’s will, He’ll answer them.

What Now?

Think about your unanswered prayer from a couple of days ago. Is there anything about it that’s unscriptural or that goes against God’s will? If there is, accept that God will say no to it. Ask Him to help you pray in line with His will.