At dawn one morning, a woman heard a knock on her door. For weeks, she prayed and fasted about her myriad of problems waiting on the Lord like her life depended on it. When the courier arrived that morning, it felt like her prayers were being answered at long last.

“Ma’am,” the courier said courteously, “I tried making this delivery yesterday, and the day before but your phone was off and your gate was locked so I couldn’t get through.” The smile on Alice’s face disappeared immediately. Wide eyed and in utter shock, she opened her mouth to say what was on her mind but she couldn’t find her voice. Her head was spinning. After many months, it seemed that her prayers were finally answered but for two days, provision had come but access was denied.

Hold that picture for a moment.

Like Alice, many believers spent quality time praying in the month of January. Naturally, February and the months that follow should be packed with answered prayers and extraordinary results. Yet a sobering question lingers in the air like incense:

Is it possible to have waited on the Lord and still walk away without receiving desired answers?

The sad answer is YES, not because heaven refused to answer but because like Alice, many believers place barricades that deny them access to the answers they seek.
What are some of these barricades? 

Let’s take a look.

The Mystery of Unreceived Answers

Unbelief: Alice carried passion through the fast but quietly picked up unbelief along the way so while her lips said, “Amen. God will do it,” her heart said, “The miracle is not for me. Nothing will really change.”

Unbelief is like faith having a split personality. It can be masked sometimes but it remains a major hindrance to answered prayers. James calls it being double-minded and warns that such a person should not expect to receive anything from God. Little wonder that scripture states clearly that without faith, it is impossible to please God.

Impatience: We live in a world that wants everything quickly. Alice fell into this trap. Unfortunately, faith cannot be microwaved. Prayers are seeds and when seeds are sown, they do not germinate immediately. Somehow Alice hoped that if she prayed fervently, her prayers would receive speedy answers. But every promise from God has an appointed time so, “Though it tarry, wait for it; it will certainly come.”

Habakkuk 2 vs 3

Misalignment: Sometimes, the problem is we ask for rain but don’t prepare the containers to collect. We pray for opportunity yet avoid preparation. We ask for open doors but misplace the keys of obedience. We seek increase but resist instruction. We desire new levels yet cling to old habits. Alice expected miracles but blocked necessary channels to receive them.

Unforgiveness: This is the thief of our peace and freedom.When we fast from food but keep feeding grudges, we lock our hearts and hinder our prayers from being answered. While Alice prayed her heart out, she carried the weight of resentment towards a bossom friend who had hurt her deeply.

Jesus spoke plainly about this, “When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Mark 11 vs 25

Disobedience: Alice received clear instructions on steps to take to restore her severed relationship with her bosom friend as she prayed, but she didn’t because the pain ran deep. She figured that since she was the offended, it was the offender’s responsibility to facilitate reconciliation.

Spiritual Drowsiness: After the spiritual marathon, it is tempting to relax into autopilot. This is counterproductive because many breakthroughs arrive when we least expect. Alice had prayed but when her answers arrived, she wasn’t ready. Luke 12 vs 37 says, “Blessed is that servant whom his master finds watching.”

Make Room Today
Child of God, this is the season for answers but if there are hindrances on the way, they may not get to you. So,

● Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart.

● Divorce unbelief.

● Embrace God’s process.

● Realign your choices.

● Let go of every offense.

● Be alert, spiritually and physically. Then stand in steady, joyful expectation until your answers come.

Remember, “The eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully His.”
2 Chronicles 16 vs 9