Biblical Leadership: Why Your Prayer Is Not AnsweredSampel

Why God Might Not Answer Your Prayer

In this reading, we uncover the first two reasons why God might not be answering your prayer.

1. You don’t ask.

Even though this entire set of readings is about prayer, and you have every intention to pray over all aspects of your leadership, you may not be doing so. And, if you’re not praying about it, then you shouldn’t be expecting God to answer.

You do not have because you do not ask God. – James 4:2b

You may be thinking that this is ridiculous, but think about the decisions you make in your leadership WITHOUT prayer. Decisions about budget, schedule, staffing, and maybe even your leadership team itself.

Now check this example from the life of Jesus. Be sure to read it carefully:

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles….  – Luke 6:12-13

Did you get that? Jesus, the son of God, spent all night praying to God before announcing who would be part of his inner circle – his leadership team.

The message is clear. Even if you already feel equipped to handle the decisions that come at you each day, you need to still bathe them in prayer. Better to be proactive than to wait until things are not going well to start praying, right?

2. You ask with wrong motives.

Are you familiar with how King Hezekiah prayed for rescue from his enemies who had laid siege to the city of Jerusalem? Hezekiah included an underlying reason for God to answer his prayer – not just praying for military success, his life, or even the lives of his people. It was “so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.” (2 Kings 19:19).

James, brother of Jesus, highlights the motives behind your prayer as a reason why God may not be answering: 

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.  – James 4:3

As we noted earlier, God wants to bless you, but only with those things that are good for you and in line with His will, and not just to satisfy your desires.

Adding the “so that” clause to your prayer is not always obvious or easy, is it? It's best to remind yourself of an earlier promise given by James to help with that:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  – James 1:5

And, as God answers, you will more clearly see how God wants to use even you “so that” His Kingdom is built! 

Reflection and application

1. The first reason for unanswered prayer is not asking. Do you sometimes assume God should be working in your life without your having to ask for it? What areas does that apply to?
2. Jesus prayed all night before announcing his team, and He was the son of God. Do you bring choices related to your leadership team before God in prayer? What might happen if you did?
3. Hezekiah prayed “so that” God might be glorified. James tells us not to pray with wrong motives. What motivated your most recent prayers for help? How would answers to those prayers glorify God?