Hindered Prayer - Effective Prayer

10 Things That Hinder Prayer:

James 5:16 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 

James 5:16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results. (NLT)

1. Praying from an unrepentant heart.

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

2. Praying while ignoring the poor.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.

3. Praying for show.

Matthew 6:5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

4. Praying repetitive, empty words.

Matthew 6:7-8 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

5. Praying with bitterness in your heart toward someone.

Mark 11:25-26 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.

But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

6. Praying without knowing God through Jesus.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me.”

7. Praying without faith.

James 1:6-7 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord

8. Praying without asking for a specific request.

James 4:2 “You do not have because you do not ask.”

9. Praying with wrong motives.

James 4:3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives so that you may spend it on your pleasures.

10. Praying while mistreating your spouse.

I Peter 3:7 In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat her with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God's gift of new life. If you don't treat her as you should, your prayers will not be heard. (NLT)

(Also see Malachi 2:13-16)

10 Things that make prayer effective

1. Praying while delighting in the Lord.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.

2. Praying in secret.

Matthew 6:6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

3. Praying by asking, seeking and knocking.

Matthew 7:7-8, 11 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.…If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

4. Praying in agreement with other believers.

Matthew 18:19-20 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.
Check here for some thoughts on "agreeing in prayer" 

5. Praying in faith.

Mark11:24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them and they will be granted you.”

6. Praying in Jesus’ name.

John 14:13-14 Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

7. Praying while abiding in Christ and His Word.

John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8. Praying while fasting.

Acts 14:23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. (also see Matt. 17:21)

9. Praying from an obedient life.

I John 3:21-22 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

10. Praying according to God’s will.

I John 5:14 This is the confidence we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.