Prayer Provisos

Matthew 7:7 Ask, and it will be given you. . . .

(The context, however, is of fathers giving gifts to their children ( Matthew 7:9-11). Loving fathers don’t give their children things they ask for that adult wisdom knows is not good for them.)

Must not be in sin

Psalm 66:18 If I cherished sin in my heart, the Lord wouldn’t have listened.

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.

Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Isaiah 1:15-16 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you. Yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves, make yourself clean. Put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes. . . .

Isaiah 59:2  . . . your iniquities have separated you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

Jeremiah 11:10-11 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words . . . Therefore the Lord says, Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry to me, but I will not listen to them.

Micah 3:4 Then they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them. Yes, he will hide his face from them at that time, because they made their deeds evil.

Must abide in Christ

John 15:7 If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.

Must obey God

Psalm 145:19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

Proverbs 1:25-30 but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof; I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you . . . Then will they call on me, but I will not answer. . . . because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of the Lord . . .

1 John 3:22  . . .whatever we ask, we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do the things that are pleasing in his sight.

Must be righteous

Proverbs 28:9 He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Micah 3:4 Then they will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them. Yes, he will hide his face from them at that time, because they made their deeds evil.

James 5:16  . . . The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

Request must be in accordance with God’s will

1 John 5:14 This is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.

Must ask with godly, unselfish motives

James 4:3 You ask, and don’t receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it for your pleasures.

Must treat marriage partner and others with love and respect

Proverbs 21:13 Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor, he will also cry out, but shall not be heard.

Isaiah 58:4-9  . . . You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be heard on high Is this the fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to humble his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under himself? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? “Isn’t this the fast that I have chosen: to release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh? . . . Then you will call, and the Lord will answer . . .

Malachi 2:13-14 This again you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn’t regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand. Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion, and the wife of your covenant.

1 Peter 3:7 You husbands, in the same way, live with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the woman, as to the weaker vessel, as being also joint heirs of the grace of life; that your prayers may not be hindered.

Must ask in faith

Matthew 21:22 All things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.

Luke 11:8 I tell you, although he will not rise and give it to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence, he will get up and give him as many as he needs.

James 1:6-7 But let him ask in faith, without any doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed. For that man shouldn’t think that he will receive anything from the Lord.

Must ask persistently

Luke 18:1-7 He also spoke a parable to them that they must always pray, and not give up, saying, “There was a judge in a certain city who didn’t fear God, and didn’t respect man. A widow was in that city, and she often came to him, saying, ‘Defend me from my adversary!’ He wouldn’t for a while, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God, nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will defend her, or else she will wear me out by her continual coming.’ ” The Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says. Won’t God avenge his chosen ones who are crying out to him day and night, and yet he exercises patience with them?”

James 5:16  . . . The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

Must ask in Jesus’ name

John 14:14 If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.

John 15:16  . . . I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

John 16:23-24 In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.

John 16:26-27 In that day you will ask in my name; and I don’t say to you, that I will pray to the Father for you, for the Father himself loves you . . .

(Emphasis mine.)