We have ears to hear （２）

As I just said, the first reason that some prayers are not answered is disobedience.


2. Hidden sins

The second reason is hidden sins. It is repeated in the Bible that whoever hides his transgressions will not succeed. Some people may think that some sins have to be hidden to avoid troubles. But this is wrong.
You cannot hide your sins forever－they will be revealed someday. David understood this from his own experience and wrote in Psalm 66, Verse 18, "Were I to cherish iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not listen to me."
Earlier in his life, he did not care, and he committed terrible sins.
He thought that he had to hide them from everyone. However, hiding his transgressions actually led to serious pain in his heart.


Matthew
5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.


The sins, the Lord mentioned here, are sins committed in eyes, sins inside your thoughts or corrupt motives. It may seem less critical, but this is actually one of the major reasons that your prayers are not answered. I hope we can reveal all of our sins in the light of the Lord, so that the Lord can richly answer our prayers.

In a gathering of brothers and sisters, just associating with each other instead of holding a meeting ruled by the Holy Spirit is another kind of hidden sin. There are so many reasons for your prayers not being answered. We have so far seen disobedience and hidden sins. The third reason is indifference－indifference of the saved people.



3. Indifference

Proverbs
1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
1:25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my
reproof:
1:26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;
1:27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:
1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the
LORD:
1:30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.
1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.


Still many believers do not pay much attention to the salvation of their family, relatives or friends. In the Revelation, the Lord commanded us to pay diligence to repentance. We should always repent diligently so that we can be awakened from the sin of our indifference.


Isaiah
62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
62:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.


There are so many reasons that your prayers are not answered, among which I have mentioned disobedience, hidden sins and indifference.



4. Disregard for the Laws

The fourth reason is found in the disregard for the laws of the Bible.
It is because people do not respect the Bible, which is the word of the Lord, that their prayers are not answered.


Proverbs
28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.


If you refuse to follow the word of the Lord obediently and end up distraught and miserable, it is because you have been depending on your own values and emotion. For those who pray, the Bible is the most important treasure. Without living by the words from the Bible, we cannot live a life that fulfills the will of the Lord.