5 REASONS YOUR PRAYER IS SELFISH AND IN DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD
God is not deaf. But sometimes our prayers are rejected — not because God is wicked, but because our prayers are selfish and disobedient.
James 4:3 says — "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."
Check your prayers with these 5 reasons:
1. YOU ONLY PRAY WHEN YOU WANT SOMETHING — YOU NEVER PRAY TO KNOW GOD'S WILL.
Your prayer is always: "Give me, give me, give me, do for me, bless me."
You never pray: "Father, what is Your will for my life? What do You want me to do?"
That's a selfish child, not a son. A son wants to know the Father's heart.
Jesus taught us to pray — "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done" — BEFORE "Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:9-11.
If your prayer list is 90% your needs and 0% God's kingdom, souls, and His will, it is selfish.
God will not be your errand boy. He is your Father and your King. First seek His kingdom — Matthew 6:33.
2. YOU PRAY FOR GOD TO BLESS WHAT GOD HAS TOLD YOU TO LEAVE.
You are living in fornication and you pray: "God bless this relationship."
You are doing 419, cheating, lying, and you pray: "God bless my hustle."
God told you to leave that cult, that second wife, that corrupt job, but you are praying: "God, protect me inside it."
That's disobedience covered with prayer.
1 Samuel 15:22 — "To obey is better than sacrifice."
You cannot disobey God with your life and then try to bribe Him with prayer. God does not bless disobedience. He calls you out of it.
Repent first. Obey first. Then pray.
3. YOUR PRAYER IS FULL OF SELF, BUT HAS NO LOVE FOR OTHERS.
You pray: "Kill my enemies, let them die, let them suffer."
You pray: "Let me be bigger than everyone, let them see that I have arrived."
Where is love? Where is "Father forgive them"? Where is praying for your enemies?
Matthew 5:44 — "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you."
If your prayer is only about you shining and others falling, it is selfish. God is love — 1 John 4:8. Selfish prayers that wish evil for others are disobedient to the law of love.
A mature prayer says: "Lord, bless me so that I can be a blessing to others. Let my life lift others."
4. YOU PRAY FOR GOD TO DO FOR YOU WHAT HE TOLD YOU TO DO YOURSELF.
You pray: "God give me money" but you refuse to work — Proverbs 14:23 says "In all labour there is profit."
You pray: "God heal my marriage" but you refuse to forgive, you refuse to change your character, you keep insulting your spouse.
You pray: "God give me a child" but you keep aborting, or you refuse medical check that the doctor advised.
You pray: "God make me spiritual" but you never open your Bible.
God will not do for you what He has empowered you to do. Prayer is not laziness. Faith without works is dead — James 2:26.
Stop praying selfish lazy prayers. Stand up and obey what God has already told you to do, then pray for grace to do it.
5. YOU PRAY WITH PRIDE, SHOW, AND MANIPULATION — NOT WITH A BROKEN HEART.
You pray long loud grammar on the microphone so people will say "He can pray." You post your prayer on Facebook Live to impress.
Or you pray trying to manipulate God: "God, if You don't do it, I will leave church. I have fasted 30 days, You must do it."
That's not prayer, that's pride and witchcraft.
Luke 18:10-14 — The Pharisee prayed "I thank thee that I am not as other men" — God rejected him. The tax collector prayed "God be merciful to me a sinner" — God justified him.
God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble — James 4:6.
Selfish prayers command God. Obedient prayers surrender to God: "Not my will, but Thine be done" — Luke 22:42. That was Jesus' prayer.
HOW TO CORRECT IT TODAY:
- Start your prayer with worship and surrender, not with demands. Psalm 100:4.
- Ask, "Father, is this request in line with Your Word?" If it's not in the Word, drop it.
- Include others in your prayer — your family, your church, lost souls, your nation.
- Obey the last instruction God gave you before asking for a new one.
- Pray with humility: "Lord, if this will not glorify You and help others, don't give it to me. Give me what will make me more like Christ."
When you stop praying selfish prayers and start praying Kingdom prayers, heaven will begin to answer you quickly.
God loves to answer prayers that look like His Son Jesus.
Pst Edward Freedom
Lifeboat Rescuing Church, Bariga, Lagos.
#PrayerLife #KingdomPrayers #ObedienceBetterThanSacrifice
