The Wrong Way To Pray
The Wrong Way To Pray
To Be Seen Of Men
Matthew 6:5 (KJV) And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Matthew 6:6 (KJV) But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Vain Repetitions
Matthew 6:7 (KJV) But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Matthew 6:8 (KJV) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Hindrances To Prayer
Unconfessed Sin
Psalms 66:18 (KJV) If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
Despising God’s Word
Proverbs 28:9 (KJV) He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.
Your Iniquities Have Separated You
Isaiah 59:1 (KJV) Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
Isaiah 59:2 (KJV) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Hardness Of Heart
Mark 11:25 (KJV) And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mark 11:26 (KJV) But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Self Righteousness
Luke 18:10 (KJV) Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
Luke 18:11 (KJV) The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
Luke 18:12 (KJV) I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
Luke 18:13 (KJV) And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Luke 18:14 (KJV) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
Sin
John 9:31 (KJV) Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Selfish Motives
James 4:2 (KJV) Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
James 4:3 (KJV) Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Not Honoring Your Wife
1 Peter 3:7 (KJV) Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.