What hinders my prayers from being answered?

Chuck Smith, Effective Prayer Life, chapter 2: So many times when my prayers aren’t answered I want to blame God. In reality, the fault is mine. There’s sin at my door. David said that if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord does not hear me when I pray (Psalm 66:18). Sin, as Isaiah said, breaks your connection with God. It’s like cutting the telephone cord. You may dial the number all you want. You may speak in eloquent and very persuasive terms. Yet, you’ve cut the cord. The message is simply going into the ground and not getting anywhere. At that point prayer becomes deceptive. Many people say, “I know I’m not living as I should be, but I still pray.” But their prayers are of no value. Their relationship with God has been severed because of the sin within their lives. Their sins have separated them from their God. Scripture, King James Version: Psalms 66:18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:". From Chuck Smith's books, used by permission of The Word For Today.

Verified. Every scripture quotation on this page has been checked word-for-word against the King James text. Last reviewed 2026-10-15.