HINDRANCES IN OUR PRAYER LIFE
1. If my heart, hands and lips are not pure (Ps. 24:3, 4) Only when my heart, hands and lips are pure, will I ascend the hill of the Lord. Pure in your attitude and thoughts (heart). Clean in your walk and how you do things (hands). Pure in your talk (lips).
2. A lack of forgiveness (Matt.6:12, 14, 15; Mark 11:25-26; Eph.4:32; Col.3:13)
An irreconcilable attitude is one of the most common hindrances in prayer. When you have something against anyone, you block God’s ear from hearing you.
3. Inadequate study of the Word (1 Joh. 3:22; Joh.15:7)
4. A too-busy lifestyle (Luke 21:34-36; Matt.6:28-33; Hag.1:6,9) When we do not have time for prayer.
5. Unbelief and doubt
When we don’t believe (Matt.21:22)
When we doubt (Jam.1:6-8)
When we don’t believe in the power of prayer (Mark 11:22, 24; Jam5:15-16)
When we don’t trust that God hears our prayers (Ps.145:18-19)
6. If we don’t seek God with our whole heart. (Deut.4:29; Jer.29:12-13)
7. A lack of a humble heart and attitude (Matt.6:5-7; Luke 18:11-12)
8. Selfish goals (James 4:3) Our highest motivation in prayer should always be to glorify the Lord like in John 14:13.
9. Unconfessed sin in our lives - those which are not always so obvious (Is.59:2, 12; Is.1:15-17)
* Do I pretend that I am better than others
* Is my holiness fake.
* Am I truthful in all my words and actions.
* Do I exaggerate
* Am I trustworthy
* Do I gossip
* Do I always complaining
* Am I jealous of other people’s accomplishments
* Am I pure in my thoughts
* Am I irritable
* Am I touchy
* Am I self-conscious
* Do I pity or protect myself
* Any form of Pride and Proud in my life
* Am I impatient
* Do I struggle with anger
* Do I fear anyone
* Am I world minded, care more what the world thinks about me than God
* Do I need to do restitution to anyone * Did I steal from God: time, money, talents?
* Do I always confess Christ openly
* Do I spent enough time studying the Word of God and praying
* Do I spend intimate time with the Lord
* When I have a problem, do I use my tongue or my knees to solve it
* Do I have a compassion for lost souls
* Is the Lord Jesus still my first love
10. Idols in my heart (Ez.14:3-5) An idol is anything or any person that has a more important place than God in my heart.
11. A wrong relationship between husband and wife (1Pet.3:7)
12.Not having enough “alone time with God” “Go into your closet and shut the door” (Luke 5:16; Is.26:20; Matt.6:6)
God, through His Holy Spirit cannot talk to a running and “always-on-the-go” person
13. A lack of discipline (Dan.6:11-12; Mark.1:35; Ps.5:14; Ps.55:17-18; Ps.63:2; Ps.88:14)
14. When your moral life doesn't line up with the Word of God (1Cor. 15:33; Mark 7:20-23; Gal. 5:16; Ex.20:14; 1 Thes. 4:1-8; 1 Cor.6:18-20; Rom.1:18-24)