Hindrances to Prayer — Bill McLeod

The Call to Prayer and the Example of Christian Marriage

Let's read our scripture from 1st Peter chapter 3 if you have a Bible with you. Likewise you wives. Verse 1 1st Peter 3. Likewise you wives be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the word.

They also may apart from the word be one by the conduct of the wives. While they behold your chaste conduct. That's what that old English word conversation means here while they watch while they behold your chaste conduct coupled with fear.

Whose adorning. Let it not be that outward adorning of plating the hair and of wearing of gold or putting on of apparel. But let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible. Even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

For after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God Adorned themselves being in subjection unto their own husbands even a sorrow bade Abraham calling him Lord whose daughters you are.

As long as you do well, and you're not afraid with any amazement likewise you husbands dwell with them according to knowledge giving honor unto the wife as Unto the weaker vessel and is being airs together of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindered.

Finally you all of one mind having compassion one of another love us brethren be pitiful be courteous. Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing but contrary wise blessing. Knowing that you are there unto call that you should inherit a blessing for he that will love life and see good days.

Let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak. No guile. Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers.

But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. Peter chapter 3. The twelfth verse says. And it's a quotation from Psalm 34. It says the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers.

But the face of the Lord is against them. That do evil. My subject tonight is hindrances to prayer. What are things that you know hinder God that prevent God from answering our? prayers. Because you know all across the country Christians are telling us what I pray.

But I don't really see much happen and if they don't say it They're bearing witness to it in their own heart. They realize that this is so pray much and God doesn't seem to do very much in return. And why is this?

Spurgeon used to say that prayer was the rope that pulled on the bell that rang in the ears of God. I Rather like that. It's not that God is sleeping. But he said I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them.

Let your request be made known unto God in spite of the fact that your Heavenly Father knows what things you have need of before You ask him he still says let your request be made known. So we ought to be pulling on that rope that rings that golden bell in the ears of the Lord.

Pray without ceasing. Indeed the Word of God says we should do that. Now first of all, let's look at the importance of prayer it is seen in this. That the Christian life begins with prayer. Romans 10 13 says that whosoever shall call Upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

So the Christian life begins with prayer it ends with prayer like Stephen in Acts chapter 7 as he was dying He cried out Lord Jesus receive my spirit and then it's carried on by prayer first. 517 says pray without ceasing in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ.

Concerning you the importance of prayer is seen in that prayer when it's answered it brings glory to God. It says so in John 15 7 and 8 Jesus said there if you abide in me and my words abide in you. You shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you.

Listen carefully now herein is my father glorified. That you bear much fruit so shall you be my disciples. In other words answered prayer glorifies God. It glorifies God then it brings joy to men. Jesus Christ said it in John 16 14 He said hitherto have you asked nothing in my name.

Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full. Now, I don't believe it's possible for a Christian to know the fullness of joy if he is not having answers to prayer. It's all linked up together answers to prayer.

Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full. And then prayer leaves abiding fruit. Fruit that will abide that will last. We often have pastors, you know complain that the fruit doesn't seem to last and we had a very graphic and sad example experience of this in some meetings in Texas.

Just before we came about five weeks before we showed up for the meetings revival meetings. This particular church had usually had five Crusades a year and ours was a third and we're supposed to be two more following our visit there, but he had an evangelist there and They set a new record for Southern Baptist.

And if you remember that the Southern Baptist got forty thousand churches in their annual. They don't even miss churches have less than four hundred members because that's a small church. They have over two thousand churches that have anywhere from a thousand to twelve or fourteen thousand members.

They set records among the Southern Baptist. You've got to go some but that church in little Rio Honda, Texas. They set a record in one week of evangelistic meetings a single church crusade. They had over 1 ,600 people profess conversion.

Now the pastor wrote he was absolutely thrilled at what had happened. We were likewise thrilled here. We're going to go down there. I'll get into this great gang of new converts and be able to teach them the truth of the spirit-filled life the crucified life.

Well, we got there and as we got off the plane and met Gene Horton, he looked so sad I couldn't understand it and he was sad and he took us down in the motel and then he said I've got a great need in my life.

And I said well brother Gene I said just keep your heart open in these days of revival ask God to speak you will pray for you. And he said is there anything wrong with right now? And I said no and he came at the motel and literally fell in this place and facing the carpet and he called upon God and you know God revived him and They told us what happened five weeks after those over 1 ,600 people have professed conversion.

There was not one attending the church. Not one had been baptized. Not one had come into the church. And he was broken. Do you know why? The evangelist they had preached the gospel, but he had a rock band with him and that got the crowds and Gene said I knew I shouldn't have done it as A matter of fact his wife got so hostile, but she wouldn't even attend the meetings and she wasn't over her stuff.

Hostility when we got there. Oh. She was upset because she knew it was wrong. But you know, they're saying well anything that'll get a crowd is right. It isn't right. I Mean that proves it. But anyway a Binding fruit comes through and through prayer.

You remember in John 15 the Lord Jesus Christ said you have not chosen me. But I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth food and that your fruit should remain. That's abiding fruit.

And how do we get that kind of foot? What's the next statement that whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name? He may give it to you. So abiding fruit dear people is gained through prayer not through gimmicks and fancy programs and all this kind of thing that's where we've gone wrong.

A friend of mine was chairman of a large evangelistic crusade in a Canadian City and He told me that literally thousands of people came forward during that crusade. He said our church got a hundred and seventy-five cards.

We were excited and thrilled. He said we followed them all up and got exactly two out of a hundred and seventy-five and he said these two were people already attending the church and Already saved he didn't run down the evangelist, but there was certainly something wrong abiding fruit.

Do people come through prayer? I'm talking remember about the importance of prayer. In Scotland, they have a saying that a house that has no prayer in it Doesn't have a roof on it. Does your house have a roof on it?

What about your life? Does your life have a roof on it? Or are you exposed to the elements? No prayer, perhaps no believing prayer. Prayer has been called the breathing of the soul. Lamentations three the Prophet Jeremiah said hide not thine eyes at my breathing at my cry and From that state of lamentation three comes the saying that prayer is the breathing of the soul.

If I had to think before I breathe physically I'd die every time I went to sleep. I Don't have to I mean the breathing mechanism just works and When he talks about his praying being his breathing you see what he's getting at.

Before I answer the telephone I ought to pray after I answer the telephone I'll pray before I write a letter I should pray and you know when I write a letter ought to pray about it before I answer that doorbell or you know, I ought to pray.

Before I talk to people pray as I drive my boat or fish ought to be praying. Driving a tractor a car should be prayed. Washing dishes ironing shirts, whatever the Bible says pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks for a prayer.

Remember now is that breathing of the soul and Jesus Christ said my house shall be called and it's a quotation from Isaiah my house should be called a house of prayer for all people if you don't know how to sing and don't know how to put words together at least you can pray and God's house is to be a house of prayer for all people.

There's a denomination in Canada a small group out in Western Canada. I've never met any other people in the in the East here. They started out as a sound Evangelical group in Russia. They were called spirit wrestlers because they were so mighty in prayer.

They do not call their buildings churches. They call them houses of prayer and I've seen them right over the door. It's written house of prayer. But they don't have any power in prayer anymore. They don't have the gospel anymore.

Very few of the people know what it means to be saved anymore. And although it says in the door house of prayer, there's there's no real prayer there at least very very little. They've lost out. They've lost out.

Promises Concerning Prayer

The importance of prayer we've been talking about that for a few moments. Let me give you some promises concerning prayer. Here's a great one Psalm 65 to all thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come.

It's just like a title for God. Oh the God that answers prayer. Oh Thou that hearest prayer unto thee shall all flesh come. The God with whom you and I have to do is a God who answers prayer. Don't ever forget it.

Or Jeremiah 33 3 where the Saint where the Lord said Call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things. Which thou knowest not have you ever been challenged by that? It's a promise by that promise God has given to us his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to Life and godliness to the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue.

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these. By these you and I should become partakers of the very nature of God through the promises by prayer. Call unto me. God said are you calling?

Are you seeing God answer prayer daily? Then in the New Testament, you remember in Matthew 7 Jesus Christ said Asking it shall be given you seek and you shall find knocking it shall be open unto you for Everyone that asks receives and he that seeks finds into him that knocks it shall be open.

What a promise. What about our text first Peter 3 12 the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers with all these and Many many more promises concerning prayer. Why is it that there's such a dirt Among the people of God insofar as answers to prayer are concerned.

Andrew Murray. While he's been dead many many years, I suppose he's been dead 60 or 65 years now from South Africa great man of prayer. He wrote a number of books on the subject and he said and I was surprised when I first read this many years ago.

He was saying that wherever he went and he turned the world. Preaching the deeper life the revival message and so on he turned the world. He said everywhere I go preachers are telling me that the prayer level is awfully low back then.

Why? There has to be a reason for it. All right. Now David talks about he says in Psalm 66 18 if I regard one translation says if I conceal. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Now that's very plain and I'm glad the Bible is as plain as it is if I regard if I look with complacency on Iniquity in my heart if I compromise with sin in my soul. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me and I can pray all I want and God will not listen.

Now Job talks about this problem. He says I cry loud. I cry out of wrong, but I'm not heard. I wonder why. Self-righteousness, that's why and then Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 59. He said the Lord's hand is not shortened.

It's not after feeder dried up that it can't save. He said his ear isn't heavy. That is his ear is not thick, you know, sometimes when I said something my children didn't pay attention. I said what's the matter?

You got a thick ear? God doesn't have a thick ear. Now that's not the problem He says but your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not Hear that's the problem.

And Jeremiah said also when I cry and shout he shuts out my prayer. Jeremiah, yes because of the sins of the nation and God said therefore pray not bow for this people. Don't pray for them. They're beyond prayer and God said to Ezekiel though.

They cry my ears with a loud voice. I will not hear so there are and of course the context shows that the reason was Israel was extremely rebellious against the Lord. So sin prevents God from answering prayer.

I think just last night I said this that prayer was not to change God, but prayer was rather to change me. So that God could safely. You know, I'm thinking now of God's moral nature. His justice and holiness and all this consistent with his moral nature so God can answer prayer for me.

He can't do this. God doesn't want to encourage me in sin if I'm living in known sin. God doesn't want to encourage me to stay in my sin by answering prayer for me. So God withholds a blessing until I face up to the problems in my life.

You see God loves us so much. He won't do anything to encourage us to go on and sin and rebellion and unbelief. So obviously from these texts and many others in the Bible sin prevents God from answering prayer.

Sin Against Other People and the Responsibility to Witness

All right. Let's ask now. What kind of sin? Well, you know, it might be sin against some other person. It might be just this for example. It might be your attitude to other people for example in Isaiah chapter 1 the Lord said when you spread forth your hands I'll hide my eyes from you when you make many prayers.

I will not hear your hands are full of blood. Now did he mean that the nation of Israel were all a bunch of murderers? Not really there were some there of course. But after all they didn't have Joseph.

Joseph became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord. He was one of their kings and Hezekiah was a godly man and they had revivals under some of these men. Not really. But something else.

Ezekiel chapter 3. Ezekiel chapter 33. The Lord used that illustration about the watchman. He said son of man I've made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Now if you see the sword coming and you fail to blow the trumpet that people will die.

But their blood I'll require at your hands. You'll have blood on your hands. Now Paul picks this up and you remember Paul was preaching and it says the people finally opposed themselves and began to blaspheme.

So, what did he say? The Bible says he shook his raven and he said your blood be on your own heads. I am clean. Now he was thinking of Ezekiel chapter 3. Ezekiel chapter 33. Isaiah chapter 1. In Acts chapter 20, he said the same thing again when he talked with the elders from the Ephesian church.

He said I Am pure from the blood of all men for I have not shunned to declare to you all the counsel of God. He's saying the same thing again and You and I as believers in Jesus Christ our watchman and Many of us have never ever tried honestly trying to win another soul the price.

We have neighbors and we've got unconverted loved ones and relatives and this kind of thing and they we've never ever tried. To win them to Jesus Christ. I was chaplain for an American radar base in Canada when they had them in Canada.

They don't have them now on the pine tree line. And I remember one time a man was a captain in the American Air Force. He formed a long distance and said you better come out and talk to my wife. I think you can sell her a bill of goods.

Now he was a professing Christian. She was not so. I went to their home and sure enough. She was ready to receive the Lord and the three of us now and she gave her heart to Jesus Christ when she got through.

She she marched forward stood about an inch from her husband. Their nose were about that close and she looked him in the eyes and he tried to back up and she said We have been married 12 years. You and I have lived in the same house for 12 years.

And you've never once told me how to receive. And his face was just scarlet and he said well, honey know about the prenuptial arrangements when we got married. I wasn't gonna interfere with your religion.

She said You know I wasn't happy. You know I haven't been to the Lord.

And you never told me. And you keep telling me you love me. You don't really love me. You know I just don't. I was just kind of watching.

Well I knew a man who'd been a Christian 25 years. And he had never once in 25 years ever shared his faith with anybody. And one of the reasons why some of us are so unhappy in the Christian life Is because we have blood on our hands.

We've never really tried to warn another person. Bill Orr was telling me a story About a friend of his Who was a TV repairman. And one day a man phoned up And said his TV wasn't working. Could he come?

And Bill's friend said well I can't come till Thursday. The fellow said well I wish you could come today. He said I'd sure like to have it as soon as possible. He said I don't think I can. So he hung up.

But the Lord began to talk to him. And the Lord told him to rearrange his schedule. So he did. And phoned the fellow back and said I'll be over later today. So he got there And he got talking to the fellow And he led him to Christ Right there.

So they had a time of rejoicing together. Then he turned and he began working on the TV set. And they were talking back and forth. And suddenly he noticed the fellow wasn't talking. And he whirled around and the guy was dead In the chair.

He was gone. Now he could have waited till Thursday. That would have been too late. And there are people all around us. There are some people that no preacher will ever reach. That you could reach Because they have confidence in you.

If you're living a Christian life. They've watched you maybe for years. They may even put themselves in your way Hoping that somehow you'll stumble over them And say some word to them about Jesus Christ.

Oh listen the devil is a first class liar. I've seen it in my life. I remember one time God led me to go to a home To try and lead this man. And I was about 35 And somehow I couldn't get around to it.

We talked about this and we talked about that And talked about something else. And finally I got the kind of discouragement I'm going to get out of here. And so I did what a lot of us do When we're not faithful to the Lord.

We read the Bible and pray. You know something. You could make 10 ,000 house calls And never read the Bible And never pray in a single home And still do the will of God If you preach the gospel. That's what he asks us to do.

Not read the Bible and pray. You see on the other hand You could make 10 ,000 house calls And read the Bible and pray in every home And never once do the will of God. Because he says we're to preach the gospel.

So I read the Bible and prayed And felt a little better And started for the door. And just as I got to the door The lady asked me a question about the Bible. And it was such a direct question. And it led right into the gospel.

And finally the two of them got saved. And then she said to me If I hadn't asked you that question You wouldn't have told us how to be saved. Would you have? Well you can fancy how embarrassed I was. But I needed to be told that.

And another time there was a lady. The children were coming to Sunday school. And they weren't there for a couple of Sundays. So I couldn't get them on the phone if I remember right. Anyway I called at the house.

And the lady seemed to be so happy. The Lord said now talk to her about her soul. But she seemed to be so happy the devil said Oh she's a Christian look at her. Look how happy she is. She must be a Christian.

You don't have to talk to her. And you know I was down at the door ready to go. Well I'd read the scripture and prayed Felt a little better. I'm down by the door. And she's standing there all smiled so happy I'd come the children will be back.

They've had the flu or something. They'll be back next Sunday. So glad you called pastor. All smiles you know. And the Lord said speak to her. And so I said do you mind if I ask you a personal question Are you a Christian.

And she turned her back like this. And put her head like this just on the door. And she started to cry her heart out. And then finally through herself she said I want to be a Christian but I don't know how.

So I let her to the Lord. Within a month her husband became a Christian. We baptized her to them and took them in as members of the church. The devil is a first class liar. And I don't doubt at all he's talked every last person in this building At some time or other out of witnessing To another soul about Jesus Christ.

That's his business. He's a liar. Do you understand it. He is. And he's doing his level best to keep you and I From getting involved in a vital Soul winning or witnessing ministry. So if there's blood on my hands How can I expect God to bless my life And answer my prayers.

This may be the problem. Remember when you spread forth your hands. When you make many prayers I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. It might be your attitude to your life's partner. Well that comes up in 1 Peter chapter 3.

Marriage, Forgiveness, and Unhindered Prayer

Likewise your husbands dwell with them according to knowledge. Giving honor unto the wife As unto the weaker vessel. And as being, listen to this little phrase now As being heirs together of the grace of life.

Christian husband you can't travel alone. You've got to take your little wife Into every, you know all that you do. She's your partner. We call it sometimes the better half. And that's not too unscriptural a term.

You know There's been many many cases like Well we see this in revival so often. Where you know people get talking honestly about things. And quite often the fellow He makes him a ring he's going to go on a fishing trip we'll say Or go hunting or something.

He doesn't tell his wife but there's a half a dozen guys That got all the rings about 3 months ahead. Maybe some of these other guys tell their wives. And finally one of the other fellow's wives Tells this guy's wife that her husband's going to go Hunting with her husband.

And she's mortified because her husband never told her see. So then she sits waiting and you know the steam Builds up the pressure builds up over the weeks. She's waiting for her husband to tell her. And the night before he's going hunting He says honey would you mind making me a big lunch.

I'm going hunting tomorrow and then she blows her top. I knew it two months ago. But I had to hear it from Ruby. Why didn't you tell me. But dear people this goes on all the time. Some men tell their wives absolutely nothing.

They're so independent they won't tell them anything. They can ask All the questions they want. They won't get an answer. Just get kind of sucked off listen. I did that too one time and God really dealt with me.

About when I was first out preaching. My wife would come and she'd say What does this verse mean in the bible. Oh I'd say oh come on. I mean anybody would know the answer To that and I'd just walk off.

Now I was a big shot counseling everybody in the country Telling them what the bible meant. But when my own wife asked me I didn't have an answer. And God really dealt with me about that As being heirs together Of the grace of life.

And sometimes the wife is like this she's independent. And she lives a little life all by herself. I met a man from Saskatoon one time And his wife they lived in Regina. And his wife had died of cancer.

They didn't have any children. And he got so depressed over all this. The doctor advised him to move out. So he moved to Saskatoon. And there I met him and led him to Christ. And he says you know my first wife.

He said I don't understand her. He said she was a wonderful wonderful woman. But he said you know that every night She used to go into one of the rooms And lock the door. And she would never tell me What she was doing in that room.

Until one day I think he said He climbed the ladder and peeked through the window. Did you know what she was doing? She was reading the bible and kneeling and praying. And he was heartbroken. He said why wouldn't she share it with me?

Now he was on a Christian seat. I suppose she thought Oh he won't understand. So I won't tell him. So she had never shared salvation with him. And the first time I talked to him He received Jesus Christ into his heart.

She could have led her own husband to Christ. But she didn't. You can't afford, you don't travel alone. When you take those vows before God and man You've taken somebody into the innermost Recesses of your heart.

And you are now heirs together of the grace of life. And if you don't live that way Then your prayers will be hindered. That's what it says. And the Greek word here is the same word That Paul used in 1 Thessalonians 2.

Wherefore we would have come unto you Even I Paul once and again. But Satan hindered us. And your prayer life Will be hindered If the relationship here is not right. Or it may be some other person Outside the family even.

And you remember the Lord said in Matthew chapter 5 If you bring your gift to the altar And you remember that your brother has something against you. It doesn't say you remember That you've got something against somebody else.

You've heard around the circuit. That so and so is mad at you. That so and so has something against you. It's your duty then Jesus Christ said You go to that person. You don't wait for them to come to you.

You go to that person. I'm not preaching something to you. I didn't have to do it myself.

He says first be reconciled to your brother And then go And offer your gift And God will accept it. Then in Mark chapter 11 The Lord Jesus Christ said When you stand praying forgive If you have anything against anybody Forgive.

And then he said if you do not forgive Then your father will not forgive you. And of course naturally your prayer life is hindered Because God will not forgive your prayers. Because you are not forgiving those other people That you think have sinned against you.

And people it's got to go all the way. I remember one night I was asked to go And counsel in the home Took a preacher friend of mine there. And what had happened. This poor fellow had fallen into sin of adultery.

They were a Christian couple Probably in their thirties. And he had shared this with her After God straightened out his life. And she went berserk. She beat on the wall with a fish. She was kicking stuff around.

She fell on the floor And she was biting the carpet with her teeth. She acted like a demented person. And when we got there She was screaming and screeching And pointing at him And calling him Horrible filthy dirty rat.

She wasn't going to live with him anymore. And she went on and on like this. And I just let her talk for a while. And I said you know what Jesus Christ calls you. She said what I said a wicked servant.

She looked at me. So I told her that little parable That Jesus told About the man. He owed $50 ,000 And he never had a nickel to pay. And so the creditor said Okay let's wash out the slate. You don't owe me a dollar.

It's all over. Then he found a fellow who owed him $5 And he took him by the throat And demanded payment. And the fellow couldn't pay. So he threw him into jail. So then the creditor to whom he owed $50 ,000 Heard about it and he came and said You wicked servant I forgave you all that debt Because you asked me.

And you wouldn't forgive that little bit. Into prison you go until you pay the last The uttermost farthing. And I said sister listen. That $50 ,000 represents your sins against God. The $5 represents Your husband's sins against you.

And God forgave you the $50 ,000 And you will not forgive the $5. You are a wicked person. You know what happened. She just broke. Now he was sitting over here. And she was sitting there. Dear people listen.

I'm not condoning adultery. It's an evil thing. He was not practicing A course of adultery. He got tempted into it and fell. And I'm sure it never happened again. She was sitting there And suddenly just a faintest Glimmer of a smile passed over her face As she looked at him.

And he literally flew like a rocket zoom right over here. And he fell on his knees at her feet And he put his head in her lap. And she ran her hands through his hair And it was all over. And through her tears she said I always planned to forgive him.

But I just wanted him to know how bad it was. Well Do you have that forgiving spirit. Kind tender hearted forgiving one another Even as God for Christ's sake Has forgiven you. That's what it says in Ephesians 4 and 5.