Prayer is a vital part of the Christian life. Through prayer, we communicate with God, bring our requests before Him, align our will with His, find strength and peace, and much more. However, many believers struggle to have a consistent, fruitful prayer life. What are some things that can hinder our prayers?
Not praying according to God’s will
One major hindrance to potent prayer is praying for things that are not God’s will. 1 John 5:14 says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” God promises to hear and answer prayers that align with His perfect will. However, He is under no obligation to grant requests that go against His purposes. We may desperately want something, but if it is not part of God’s plan for our lives, no amount of pleading will change His mind. To have a potent prayer life, we must seek God’s will through His Word and listen for the leading of the Holy Spirit, rather than simply throwing up random requests to heaven.
Harboring unconfessed sin
Unconfessed sin in our hearts will hinder our prayers. Psalm 66:18 warns, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Scripture repeatedly makes clear that God does not listen to those who are willfully engaging in sinful activities and attitudes. If we secretly harbor things like bitterness, lust, greed, or hatred, God will not answer our prayers. We cannot live with one foot in God’s kingdom and one foot in the world’s kingdom and expect God to bless this double-mindedness. For our prayers to be potent, we must continually confess and repent from sin through Christ and live in holiness before God.
Praying with wrong motives
Praying with impure, selfish motives will also hinder our prayers. James 4:3 says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” God sees the real motives behind our requests. He is not obligated to answer prayers offered up from a selfish heart, seeking only to gratify our fleshly desires. Rather, Jesus says we must first seek God’s kingdom and righteousness before other needs (Matthew 6:33). Surrendering our own will and desiring to align with God’s purposes is key to potent prayer.
Not praying with faith
Praying while doubting that God can or will answer is another hindrance. James 1:6-7 states, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.” God may delay answering for His own purposes, but we must trust that He hears and will answer according to His perfect will and timing. Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Praying with confident faith in God’s power and love is key to potent prayer.
Not abiding in Christ
Neglecting to abide in Christ is another hindrance. In John 15:7, Jesus declares, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Trying to have a fruitful prayer life without maintaining a close, intimate walk with Christ is like trying to have a conversation with someone while ignoring them. We must continually nourish our spiritual life through Bible study, worship, obedience, and time alone with God in order to have open lines of communication with Him. Sitting down to pray without abiding in Christ throughout the day is unlikely to produce potent prayer.
Unforgiveness
Holding unforgiveness toward others will block our own prayers. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught that we should ask God to “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). If we do not forgive others, we cannot expect God to forgive us (Matthew 6:15). Unforgiveness acts as a wedge between us and God and prevents Him from answering our prayers. For our prayers to flow freely, we must choose to forgive others just as Christ has forgiven us.
Marital strife
Marital conflict can hinder prayer. In 1 Peter 3:7, husbands are commanded to “live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.” If a husband mistreats or dishonors his wife, his relationship with God will suffer. The same principle applies for wives. Unresolved conflict and lack of mutual love and respect between spouses can adversely affect our prayers.
Pride and hypocrisy
Pride and hypocrisy will inhibit our prayers. Jesus strongly condemned the Pharisees for their arrogant, showy prayers that were offered to impress men rather than glorify God (Matthew 6:5, Luke 18:9-14). God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Praying with a selfish spirit that seeks men’s praise rather than God’s glory shows a heart of hypocrisy that God will not honor.
Not praying God’s Word
Our prayers should be grounded in Scripture. God’s Word is powerful and effective (Hebrews 4:12), and praying Biblical prayers aligns our requests with God’s will. For example, we can pray the prayers of Paul for knowledge, wisdom, and strength (Colossians 1:9-14, Ephesians 1:15-21, 3:14-21). Praying prayers throughout Scripture helps anchor our requests in God’s truth versus our own feeble words and desires. Saturating our prayers in Scripture makes them more potent.
Lack of persistence
Giving up too soon is another hindrance. In Luke 18, Jesus told a parable equating prayer to an unjust judge. The widow persisted in asking so long that the judge finally granted her request just to get rid of her. Jesus concludes in verse 1, “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Although God is not like the unjust judge, Jesus emphasizes the importance of persistent, continual prayer, even when answers are not immediate. Quitting too soon can hinder us from seeing prayers fulfilled.
Neglecting to watch and pray
Jesus repeatedly emphasized the need to watch and pray against temptation (Matthew 26:41). Failing to do so leads us into the snares of the enemy. 1 Peter 5:8 says we must “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” If we are not vigilant in prayer and spiritual disciplines, the enemy can gain footholds that adversely affect our prayers and relationship with God. Consistent prayer is our lifeline against the enemy’s attacks.
Not praying in Jesus’ name
Jesus is the mediator between God and man, and we come to the Father through Him. John 14:13-14 declares, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” Hebrews 4:16 urges us to “approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We must offer prayers in Jesus’ name, not our own, trusting in His righteousness and intercession on our behalf. This is key to potent prayer.
Lack of unity and agreement
Disunity can impact the effectiveness of corporate prayer. In Matthew 18:19-20, Jesus promises, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Praying with other believers is powerful, but dissension and unforgiveness among those praying together can hinder united faith and prayers. The enemy loves to sow discord and division to disrupt our corporate prayers.
Not praying according to God’s commandments
Disobedience to God’s moral law is another hindrance to prayer. Proverbs 28:9 warns, “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.” Those who disregard God’s commandments while attempting to pray are foolishly deceiving themselves. For our prayers to be potent, we must submit to the lordship of Christ in every area. Deliberate sin erects a barrier between us and God.
Failing to love others
Finally, failing to walk in love toward others will hinder our prayers. 1 Peter 3:12 reminds believers, “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” Similarly, 1 John 3:21-23 states, “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.” God’s ears are open to those who love and obey Him by walking in love toward others. Failing to love others damages our relationship with God and our prayer life.
In summary, a potent prayer life requires submitting ourselves wholly to God, purifying our hearts, trusting in God’s will and power, abiding in Christ, praying according to God’s Word in Jesus’ name, forgiving others, and actively loving those around us. These disciplines align our heart with God’s heart and open the channels for His power to flow unhindered. As we pursue Him, God will teach us how to pray with persistence, faith, and spiritual effectiveness.
