When God says to ask, he means it and when we come to him he is eager to hear us. However, it is possible for us to err in our approach to prayer and this is made clear in James 4:2,3
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, ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
The words of our text are a strong indictment against some of God’s professed people. It seems incredibly strange that such strong words would have to be directed to church members. Shouldn’t our fellowship always be filled with sweet words and comfort? Well not always. Sometimes and often too we need to hear words that point us on the right path. Though these words may seem harsh, He, who knows our hearts, points out our sins in love. God speaks to us through his word and also through his ministers.
There are times when the minister is under obligation to God and His people to give the word of reproof
without hesitancy as in Ezek. 3:17-18
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.”
So surely, a text like this is not out of place either in our fellowships or in our personal study of God’s word. Before we dive into the message we will glean from this text, let us read the text one more time.
“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. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” – James 4:2, 3
The prayer God cannot answer
We know from experience that we worship a prayer answering God:
“Call on me and I will answer thee” – Jer. 33:3
“O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.” – Ps. 65:2
However, this text makes it clear that there are certain prayers we make that God will not answer. One of which is prayer motivated by selfishness. When we make prayers to God out of a selfish heart, such prayers will not only go unanswered but reflects the extent of sin in our hearts.
Selfish prayers in the bible
When I think of selfish prayers in the bible, I think of Balaam. He probably already knew what God’s will was about the request he received to curse the children of Israel and yet he constantly kept going back to ask. He did this because he longed for the reward and he was eager for gifts. There are many Balaams in our world today. We know what is right, and still, we keep asking for what we know would serve the purpose of exalting us.
Another type of prayer that God despises, is prayer that we engage in for a show. Insincere prayers done to impress others. Prayers with the motive of wanting to be looked at or perceived as righteous. For instance, the Pharisees prayed this kind of prayer.
A third prayer that God will not answer is the prayer to cover sin. The Bible says “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer.” – Ps. 66:18
When we harbor sin in our hearts, or when our requests are to promote our sinful propensities, God cannot hear those prayers.
When we pray with a sinful attitude towards others, not only do we offend God but of course, we do not get his response to those prayers.
Another important point to note is that sometimes our prayers do not get answered because we do not pray them.
“Ye lust and have not; ye kill and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not.”
It is our privilege to come to God in prayer, to bring our needs before him, and as Jesus pointed out to his disciples, “Ye have not, because ye ask not.” God looks upon a prayerless life as spiritual bankruptcy. The reason we are spiritually poor is that we do not daily come to him who is the source of all greatness.
CONCLUSION
Yes, God loves to hear and answer our prayers, and he is constantly inviting us to talk to him but prayer is not a magic wand that commands God to obey us. There are many prayers, for which we may receive a rebuke. We have seen that prayers motivated by selfishness, fuelled by hidden ulterior motives, or based on unbiblical teachings, God will not and cannot answer. So many professed followers of Christ indeed lead a prayerless life. So many of us labour under burdens that God will make right if only we are willing to humble ourselves and call out to him.
Let us search our hearts as we enter into prayer. Are the motives of our hearts pure, are we holding grudges and fighting wars with others, do we prioritize prayer or participate in it sporadically, do we make prayer our first business of the day? or are we guilty of regression in the most important privilege that comes to us?
God's Promises4 years ago
God's Promises4 years ago
