Chuck Smith discusses the reasons why prayers may go unanswered, emphasizing that sin in our hearts can create a barrier between us and God, as stated in Psalms 66:18. He explains that God's inability to answer is not the issue; rather, it is our own separation from Him due to sin. Additionally, he highlights that sometimes we do not receive answers simply because we do not ask, or our motives may be selfish. Smith encourages self-examination of our hearts and motives in prayer, reminding us that true prayer seeks alignment with God's will.

"WHY PRAYERS APE NOT ANSWERED" Intro: God answers prayer, this is the main incentive to pray. Yet it must truthfully be said that many prayers go up that bring nothing down. Why is it that our prayers are sometimes not answered? I. SIN, IN OUR TEXT, "IF I REGARD INIQUITY IN MY HEART, THE LORD HEARETH ME NOT." A. Isaiah 59:1-3 - God's hand is not short that He cannot save, neither His ear heavy that He cannot hear. 1. The problem is not on God's side. a. We are so ready to blame God for any problem that comes along. 1. I wonder why God did that to me. 2. God sure did mess up my life. 3. I messed up my life. b. It is not God's inability, His hand is not short c. He has no hearing problem. 2. Sin has separated you from God. a. Sin always separates you from God. b. Separation from God is spiritual death, the soul that sinneth it shall surely die. c. Prayer is becoming one with God for the accomplishing of His purposes. It is communion, fellowship. 1. God can never become one with sin. 2. What fellowship hath light with darkness. d. Daniel began his prayer with a confession of sin. 3. Sin breaks your connection with God. a. It cuts the line. b. All the dialing in the world won't get you through. c. All the sweet persuasive talk is of no avail. B. Prayer becomes deceitful prayer. II. JAMES 4:2 - YOU HAVE NOT BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT. SOMETIMES, BELIEVE IT OR NOT THE PROBLEM IS JUST THAT SIMPLE. YOU'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT, YOU'VE CRIED ABOUT IT BUT YOU HAVEN'T PRAYED ABOUT IT. A. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you might consume it on your own lusts. 1. Selfish motivation can hinder answers to my prayers. What I am asking for may be good and proper. But why am I asking? a. Parents praying for their son's salvation. b. Wife praying for husband's conversion. c. Pastor praying for revival. 2. The purpose of prayer is not to get my will done. This positive confession teaching is heresy in it's worst from. They would change to Lord's prayer to "My kingdom come, my will be done on earth." a. In the garden, Jesus prayed, "Nevertheless not what I will, but Thy will be done." b. If I find my prayer is not being answered, it is often wise to examine my motives, it may not always be easy. The heart is deceitful. B. But what if my motives are pure and I am asking according to His will and I still have not received an answer? 1. Many times God delays His answers to my prayers and next Sunday we will be looking at the reasons why answers are often delayed.