WHY MANY PRAYERS ARE NOT ANSWERED?

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Because of Your Unbelief

Author: Creflo Dollar

 

Summary

Many times when we don’t see the answer to our prayers, we believe we lack faith. However, at the point of salvation, every Christian received THE measure of faith. The issue is not a lack of faith but the presence of unbelief. Unbelief cancels out faith and renders our prayers ineffective. When we recognize unbelief is in our hearts, we must get rid of it, or it will stop our faith.

 

 

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1. All Believers received the  measure of faith when they received their salvation (2 Peter 1:1; Romans 12:3).

1. Therefore, if we are not  getting results in our lives as Christians, the issue is not with our faith but  with our unbelief.
   1. For example, a demon was  causing a certain boy to have seizures. The boy’s father brought him to the  disciples, but they couldn’t cast the demon out (Matthew 17:14-17; Mark 9:17-23, AMP).       
   2. Jesus said they couldn’t cast  the demon out because they had unbelief (Matthew 17:17-20, AMP).       
   3. The lack of faith wasn’t the  issue; the disciples had cast many demons out before this incident (Matthew  10:1; Mark 6:13; Luke 17:5, 6).         
   4. They had unbelief because the  situation was so terrible. They were focused on what their senses were telling  them.       

2. We can have faith and unbelief  simultaneously (Mark 11:23; Mark 5:35).
   1. Unbelief is present when the following  is evident in our lives:
      1. Fear. We fear the Word won’t work.       
      2. Worry. We ponder negative thoughts or  expectations.       
      3. Care. When we are stressed out over  a situation, we have become consumed with the problem rather than the solution.
   2. When we have faith and unbelief  simultaneously, we are double-minded (James 1:7, 8).
      1. A double-minded person is unstable  and cannot receive from God.         
3. Abraham demonstrated  single-mindedness when he believed that God would give him a son in his old age  (Romans 4:18, 19).  

1. Overcoming unbelief begins with  overcoming fear-based thoughts.              
   1. If we focus on God and His  promises, we will believe what He has said.         
2. Forms  of unbelief:
   1. Ignorance. When we are ignorant, we  simply don’t know any better.       
   2. Disbelief. When we are in disbelief, we  have been taught wrong doctrine and are holding on to our religious traditions.       
   3. Natural  unbelief. When  natural unbelief is present, we are focusing on what our five senses are  telling us.
3. Fasting and praying trains our  bodies to believe the Word instead of our senses. We fast and pray to rid  ourselves of unbelief