PRAYER IS NOT AN OPTION (part 7)

Jesus’ teaching on prayer was brief but very profound. If we will read it with our spirits, we will find rich insight and wisdom there.
The 3rd law of prayer to consider is that:
“DO NOT BE SELFISH IN PRAYER – BECAUSE GOD IS NOT ONLY YOUR FATHER BUT OUR FATHER”

Luke 11:2
And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, OUR FATHER which art in heaven…
A lot of prayers do not get positive answers because they are full of selfishness. It’s just you and nothing else. You are forgetting that in life you are not an isolated single island by yourself. You are part of a community,society, a nation. Whether you like it or not, Jesus died for the people around you too. If granting your request means all else should suffer then you can be sure you’re not getting that request.

We sometimes pray as if no one else mattered but we; as if we are the centre of the universe. But I am showing you why with all the sweats you still didn’t get answers to those prayers. FOR GOD CANNOT AND DOES NOT GRANT SELFISH REQUESTS.

JAMES 4:3 AMP
You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, because you ask with wrong motives [out of selfishness or with an unrighteous agenda], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires.
God does not grant selfish requests. And Pastor James tells us clearly that the reason why many people don’t receive answers to their prayers is because of WRONG MOTIVES which are led by selfishness.

Consider this:
A child wants to watch a certain cartoon channel. But at that same time, the whole family needs to see an important event happening live. Will the father grant the child’s request because he insists to watch? Infact, it doesn’t matter how long he cries, he can’t have that request at that particular time. True parents don’t grant selfish requests and teach their children to put others first.
Many of us behave like that spoilt child – it’s either ‘your way or the highway’. But your father is a family God – For we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:26)

He loves you but he doesn’t grant selfish requests. HENCE, VET YOUR MOTIVES IN PRAYER.
There is usually selfishness lurking in the heart of the natural man and carnal man. This shows up in our prayers sometimes. But you see, God doesn’t only listen to your prayers from your mouth; He listens to your heart too. And over there, you can’t hide your true motives and intents.
Pass by some prayer meetings and listen to the kind of prayers we pray. Some of them are full of selfishness and wrong motives: We care only about ourselves; everyone else should be destroyed. We want everyone not in alignment with us to be killed. We don’t care about God’s agenda in their lives. We don’t care about God’s purpose on earth. It’s sad. No wonder it seems as though God doesn’t answer prayer – because GOD REALLY DOESN’T ANSWER THESE SELFISH PRAYERS.
Examine your motives. Why do you want what you are praying for? How does it affect others? Search your own heart before you come to God – for he always searches it. You are blessed, child of God.