Asking in Prayer - Stumbling Blocks and Solutions

Sometimes the Lord just wants us to put ourselves in park, or neutral and wait on his timing.

I have learned that stumbling blocks to answered prayer can be unbelief, sin and wrong motives

Stumbling Block 1 - Fear Causes Unbelief

Do you believe that you will receive what you are praying for? If you don't then you are praying in fear and unbelief. Nothing is too big, too small or too difficult for God. Nothing! God loves you and I. He wants to give us what we pray for when we ask him correctly. The first step in asking correctly is believing we are going to be given what we ask for. He wants us to believe that we are going to receive what we ask for in the name of Jesus.

Fear comes from Satan. Remember this acronym: False Evidence Appearing Real. You and I are the beloved children of God. We are good enough to be given what we ask for in prayer. With God, the impossible is possible. Satan loves to whisper that we aren't good enough, or that God can't possibly give us what we ask for. That is false evidence! Kick it out of your thoughts the minute you catch yourself thinking it.

Stumbling Block 2 - Sin

The sin stumbling blocks can be anger, idolatry - loving someone or something more than God, indifference to need, hypocrisy, unforgiving spirit, and broken relationships.

As a practicing alcoholic addict my personal stumbling blocks, wrong motives, and solutions were and still can be:

• Anger - Memorize, read, and recite scriptures on anger. Pray with a prayer partner before I blow up (My husband)
• Idolatry - Nothing comes before God. Not spouses, children, drugs, alcohol, food, job, nothing. God is #numberonepriority 
• Unforgiving spirit - Forgiveness comes from unconditional love. I might not like someone's actions, but I still have to forgive the person. Occasionally, this requires praying for the person you are unforgiving about to receive what they need to be happy. Do this daily for 2 weeks. 
• Broken relationships - Yes, I have to apologize for my behaviors and actions towards my fellow human beings. Courage in action is being loving and forgiving regardless of the other person's actions and behaviors. Think of Jesus stopping the stoning of the adulterous woman. Stephen asking God to forgive those stoning him to death, and Jesus on the cross asking forgiveness for those who sent him to the cross. 

How to ask in prayer - Ask with...

• Perseverance - Perseverance means having faith in and focusing on God to make sure of what He wants and what you want to ask for.
• With sincerity - Sincerity means from the heart - in love.
• With humility - Submitting to God in all areas. 
• In faith - Belief with no doubt that the power of God is present in your life.
• While abiding with Christ - Letting Jesus into your whole life, not just part of it. He is the vine and you are a branch of the vine. 
• In Jesus' name - All things come to us through Jesus. We ask in the name of Jesus and ask as Jesus would ask. What would Jesus ask for? 
• With the mind - Use your ability to phrase your prayer in a manner that is to the point, or "short and sweet." 
• In the Spirit - No selfishness or self-centeredness. 

#prayerlife #askingJesus 

"Ask and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you" 

John 14:6

"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

John 14:14

"If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." 

John 15:7

"If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you" 

John 16:24

"Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full"

James 4:7

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

1 Peter 4:1-2

"Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God"

Ephesians 6:18

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."

Resources

1. Prayer Guide 9, Principles of Asking, Walking in Fellowship with God - Disciple's Prayer Life by T.W. Hunt & Catherine Walker

2. Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous

3. NIV Disciple's Study Bible