Getting Your Prayers Answered

Last night at prayer meeting the pastor spoke on getting your prayers answered. It was such an encouraging and informative message that I wanted to share some of it with you.
In the first place, there are some things that will hinder your prayers from being answered. Psalm 66:18 says If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. If we are holding onto or even hiding sin in our lives, it will hinder our prayers. Did you know that even a sour marriage relationship can interfere with answer to prayer? Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. That's I Peter 3:7. Even asking for the wrong reasons can keep our prayers from getting answered, as James 4:3 tell us. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
So how do we get our prayers answered? God has plenty to say about that as well. Jeremiah 29:13 tell us And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. There are times when my kids ask for something, but I don't give it to them. It's not necessarily bad for them, but I know they don't really want it. I don't say yes simply because their heart is not totally in it.
Last year Stephanie really wanted a cell phone. She not only asked for one, but she found the one she wanted, she found a great deal on the phone, and she pointed out a list of reasons why it would be a good thing for her to have a cell phone. Then she had to convince her dad. Terry was very noncommittal about the whole thing. Stephanie chose her times wisely, but when she had a chance she would ask. And plead. If he seemed inclined to turn her down, she would stop him by suggesting that he not give an answer now, but just think about it for a while. And then she would ask if there was anything she could do for him. She made it clear her heart was in this request.
How many times do we say a perfunctory prayer over something and then never mention it again? God desires us to communicate with Him, and even though He already knows what's on our hearts He wants to hear from us. One way to get your prayers answered is to "seek Him with your whole heart". Show Him what it means to you.
Next Thursday I'll cover some other ways to get our prayers answered.