And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking . If you have anything against someone, forgive —only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.” Message Translation
The message translation of Mark 11:25 shows us that when praying the prayer of supplication, it is not only all about asking in prayers that gets the job done. There are other factors that affect receiving answers to prayers. One of them is forgiveness. When you stand praying and you have something in your mind against someone, you must forgive them.
Unforgiveness stops your prayers from being answered. There are many Christians who have been wondering why it seems like their prayers are not being answered. If you are in that space, you need to examine your life to see if there is someone who hurt you who you have not forgiven.
Some have determined never to forgive or have anything to do with certain people in their lives because of what they did to them. I would like you to know that if you refuse to forgive, your prayers will not be answered. Give forgiveness as a free gift, do not wait for people to merit your forgiveness before you give it. It controls receiving answers to prayers.
In Matthew 6:12-15, the Bible says “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
God measures out forgiveness to you using the same scale with which you measure forgiveness to people.
Forgiving people is not for their sake but for your sake. Most times people may not deserve for you to forgive them. However, if you think about the fact that not forgiving them will block your prayers according to the scripture, then you must choose to forgive them. Do not hold grudges against anyone.
If there is someone who hurt you, go to such a person now and offer them forgiveness. Tell them that you have forgiven them. God forgave the world and sent us to go and preach forgiveness of sins so the sinners can know that they are forgiven. When you forgive, then God will be willing to hear you.
A lot of people do not get answers to their prayers because they do not pray according to God’s will. And forgiveness is God’s will.
James 4:1-3 says “from whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 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.
One reason why many people do not have the things they desire is because they do not ask. They complain about their problems, they cry about how busy the devil is but they do not come to God with a specific request or petition of what they want God to do. It is important for you to learn to specifically ask for what you desire.
Secondly, when you ask, you must not ask for what heaven has already forbidden you from having. James said, you ask and receive not because you ask amiss. Many prayer requests are a mistake submitted to heaven hence our lord high priest, Jesus Christ does not process it.
The mistake that most people make, for which reason they do not receive answers to their prayers, is that they ask for things that heaven has not permitted for them to have.
James put it this way: ‘You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.’ Lust is simply desiring anything forbidden. Lust means, wanting to have something that the bible has already told you that it is not the will of God for you to have.
An example would be, being in a relationship with someone who is not born again and then praying for God to make the relationship with such a person to work out. God already forbids you from being yoked in relationship with an unbeliever, in 2Corinthians 6:14.
James said such lust cannot be granted, no matter how many times you cry to God in prayer. The rule for what you should ask for is outlined in Matthew 18:18: “Truly I tell you, whatever you forbid and declare to be improper and unlawful on earth must be what is already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit and declare proper and lawful on earth must be what is already permitted in heaven.”AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION
What you ask God to do on earth should be what heaven has already approved for you to have on earth. You cannot just make any request and expect God to answer it. God only grants on earth what He has approved or permitted for you to have in heaven.
It is therefore important to first try to establish whether it is the will of God for you to have what you are asking God before you start asking.
God may not stop you from walking in disobedience outside His will especially when you are stubborn and want to proceed to have your lusts but you will not find joy or peace when you take such steps because you are outside of the will of God.
Last Line: Have you ever wondered what it means to give your life to Christ and be saved? Are you born again? God sent Jesus to die for all your sins so that you will not have to be punished for the same. To be saved means to simply accept Christ Jesus as your substitutionary sacrifice for your sins and to make him lord over your life. Surrender your life to Christ today by asking Jesus to forgive you your sins; ask Him to come into your life and to make you a new person. If you are facing challenges and require counseling/prayers do not hesitate to contact me. I will be willing to assist as much as I can.