Does God Hear Every Prayer?

Do you think God hears every prayer?

We would like to think God hears every prayer, but the Bible makes plain that’s not always so.

There are times when God may choose not to listen, when He pays no attention to our prayers.

Isaiah tells us our iniquities (unconfessed sins) separate us from God so that He will not hear. David says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened….”

Unconfessed sins, sins that we cherish or hold on to, separate us from close, personal fellowship with God. 
 


James puts it this way: “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts….”

Isaiah, David, and James all address the impact of unconfessed sins on our prayer lives.

We must take initiative to confess our sins and be forgiven, to wash our hands and purify our hearts if we want God to hear our prayers and have personal fellowship with us.
 


That’s why this is such a significant verse to pray.  Can anything be more important to us than having our prayers heard and walking in close fellowship with God?




Scripture References:
James 4:8
Isaiah 59:2
Psalm 66:18
1 John 1:9
Psalm 65:1
1 John 1:3