How to Prayby R.A. Torrey
Chapter 9: Hindrances to Prayer
SELFISHNESS hinders prayer: A selfish purpose/motive in prayer robs prayer of power. The true purpose in prayer is that God may be glorified in the answer. If we ask any petition merely to receive something to use for our pleasure or gratification, we should not expect to receive what we ask. James 4:3 says,
“When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your own pleasures.”
SIN hinders prayer: As long as we hold on to sin or have any controversy with God, we cannot expect Him to heed our prayers. If there is anything that is constantly coming up in your moments of close communion with God, that is the thing that hinders prayer . . . put it away! Isaiah 59:1-2 says,
“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.”
IDOLATRY hinders prayer: An idol is anything that takes the place of God, anything that is the supreme object of our affection. God alone has the right to the supreme place in our hearts, not our spouse, children, reputation, business or anything else. Ezekiel 14:3 says,
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?”
STINGINESS hinders prayer: Stinginess is the lack of generosity toward the poor and toward God’s work. Proverbs 21:13 says,
“If you refuse to listen to the cry of the poor, your own cry for help will not be heard.”
AN UNFORGIVING SPIRIT hinders prayer: God cannot deal with us on the basis of forgiveness while we are harboring ill will against those who have wronged us. Mark 11:25 says,
“And when you stand praying if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
A WRONG HUSBAND/WIFE RELATIONSHIP hinders prayer: If husbands and wives diligently seek to find the cause of their unanswered prayers, they will often find it in their relationship to one another.
1 Peter 3:7 says,
“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you in the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
UNBELIEF hinders prayer: God demands that we believe His Word absolutely. To question is to make Him a liar. James 1:5-7 says,
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he 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; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.“