Psalm 66

If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

(Psalms 66:18)

I want to look at this principle as it appears throughout the scriptures. According to this verse, if we willingly carry unconfessed sin in our hearts, the Lord WILL NOT hear our prayers. Notice, it doesn’t say He CANNOT… it says He WILL NOT. God will not ignore the sin that separates us from Him. He has dealt with it on the cross, but we must confess and repent. Look at what the rest of scripture has to say…

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, Though he may gain much, If God takes away his life? Will God hear his cry When trouble comes upon him?

(Job 27:8-9)

Job poses a question… If a man is a hypocrite, looking good on the outside but filthy on the inside, Will God hear his cry when trouble comes? I would answer that God will only hear a prayer of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE at that point.

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

(Proverbs 15:8)

Here in proverbs we see that the STATE of a persons heart DIRECTLY AFFECTS the way God receives their worship. A person who is upright is a delight, but a person who is wicked is an abomination. This shows it isn’t the outward action, but the inward position of the heart that matters most to God. He wants SINCERITY not HYPOCRISY.

The LORD is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

(Proverbs 15:29)

Again in Proverbs we see the state of the heart being the deciding factor in the question of whether or not God hears our prayers. We read that He is FAR from the wicked. We need to understand that this is because of their UNCONFESSED SIN. It is a fact; sin will separate us from God.

One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.

(Proverbs 28:9)

To put this one in plain English, if we ignore the Word of God, and willfully choose not to hear and obey it, then our prayers will detested by God, rather than received.

When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.

(Isaiah 1:15)

Again, unconfessed sin + unrepentant heart = God does not hear. The Lord wants us to be HONEST. He wants us to confess, and to change our minds. The problem here isn’t that the people were guilty of sin… we are guilty of sin! The real problem is they were acting as though they WEREN’T guilty. Raising hands in worship to God, but their hands are dripping with blood!

You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

(James 4:3)

Here is another side of the equation. This time the heart issue is one of MOTIVATION. WHY are we asking for what we are asking for? Is it so we can use it to please ourselves? If so, we won’t receive what we are praying for.

Carefully read over these verses and ask the Lord if there is some confession and repentance that needs to take place in YOUR life. If there is, get things right, so your relationship with the Lord can be in the right place, and your prayers can be heard.