Hindrances to
Prayer
The apostle Paul asked the Galatians, "You did run well. Who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?" (Gal. 5:7) We ought to be on guard against spiritual hindrances. One particular area where we need to be on the alert is our prayer life.
Most of our failures and needless pain can be traced to the lack of prayer on our part. Joseph Scriven, in the well-known hymn, "What a Friend we have in Jesus" says, "O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear! All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer." Our greatest Example, the Lord Jesus Christ, engaged much in prayer. Often He prayed all night and He was found praying way before dawn, so much so that His disciples asked Him, "Lord teach us to pray." What are some factors that hinder our prayer?
Disobedience: If we are in willful disobedience to God's Word and are living in sin, our prayer will not be effective. The psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." (Ps. 66:18) God says, "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid His face from you that He will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2) We first need to repent and forsake our sin and then we will have a clean slate before our God, Who promises, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
Drowsiness: Often sleepiness robs us of our time in prayer. The disciples at a crucial hour in the Garden of Gethsemane, were overcome by sleep and did not engage in prayer. (Matt. 26:40-45) Even on the Mount of Transfiguration, the three disciples were "heavy with sleep." (Luke 9:32) How do we guard against sleep stealing over us during prayer? We need to make time for prayer when we are most alert. If necessary assume the right posture that is least likely to make one drowsy. Oswald J. Smith engaged in fervent prayer as he walked back and forth in his room. What the Lord said to the disciples, he is saying to us, "Why sleep ye? Rise and pray lest ye enter into temptation." (Luke 22:46)
Distractions: It is amazing how easily distractions can interrupt our prayer. The phone rings or someone will need attention or thoughts of pending business begin to make inroads. We need to see to it that our prayer time is not disturbed. Let the family know that we are praying and have an understanding that you are not to be interrupted except in an emergency. Pastor Chuck Smith has a little paper and pencil and if a thought of something that needs his attention comes to his mind during prayer, he jots it down and continues to pray, not allowing distracting thoughts. Make time, ideally first thing in the morning, for prayer before other matters demand our attention. The early disciples were in danger of being distracted by a new problem that arose in their assembly. They handled it by entrusting the matter to faithful men and said, "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." (Acts 6:4) They averted a major distraction to their prayer and teaching ministry.
Doubt: The Lord Jesus taught the disciples an object lesson from a fig tree which He made to dry up and He said, "Verily I say unto you that if ye have faith and DOUBT NOT, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, it shall be done." (Matt. 21:21) We are admonished in James 1:5-8 about the matter of prayer, "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering." About doubting prayer, we are told, "Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." How do we overcome doubt? By more prayer. The father of a demon-possessed boy cried out, "Lord, I believe, help Thou mine unbelief." (Mark 9:24) We are told, "the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith!" (Luke 17:5) It is God Who increases our faith and dispels doubt.
If we do not know the Lord Jesus, prayer is a meaningless ritual. First give yourself to God and receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and then you can engage in prayer. After you have fulfilled that prerequisite, recognize that prayer is a vitally important matter. Beware of disobedience, drowsiness, distractions and doubt.
p
