Introduction: It is the Lord’s delight to give us what we ask of Him in prayer. Like David, we should all pray. “O God, hear my prayer; give ear to the words of my mouth” (Psalm 54:2).

If Christians did not believe in the efficacy of prayer, there would be no reason for us to ask anything of God and our execution of kingdom vision is a waste of time and energy. God is the one who tells us that we can have confidence that our prayers ascend to Him.

Key Scripture

• Zechariah 7:11-13: “But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. 12 Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the Lord of hosts. 13 Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen,” says the Lord of hosts.

While we can be sure that God does hear our prayers, there are times when He chooses not to heed or answer them. This lesson will offer several conditions that God may not heed our prayers.