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Building Faith•8 min read

Praying in the Spirit: Why God May Not Be Answering Your Prayers

A practical Christian study of “Praying in the Spirit: Why God May Not Be Answering Your Prayers,” with clear application for faith, relationships, and everyday life.

By Kris EmersonMarch 16, 2026Season 8, Episode 11 · Praying in the Spirit - Why God May Not Be Answering Your Prayers
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Season 8, Episode 11 · Praying in the Spirit - Why God May Not Be Answering Your Prayers

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What to remember
If you want God to hear, if it's really important to you, then here are eight things you can do.
God is saying, if you want me to forget the sin, if you want me to replenish the relationship with love and guide you forward, then do that for other.
This is about God, the Spirit, active in and around a crucial piece of your life.
Key Scriptures
Ephesians 6Psalm 66John 1James 4James 1Mark 11

The story behind the idea

I am faithful, I am holy, I am pious, therefore my prayers have power, as if God's grace is somehow triggered by some level of understanding or behavior. I would like to begin by dealing with the first half of that scenario, and that is what are things God requires of you?

What stands out

I thought I was being self-deprecating in some form of humility. What I was really doing was questioning the power of God to heal and adopt and love. So I've decided to fully sell out all in confidence that by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, God hears me. That helped me overcome where my doubts were sourced, and you should do the same.

Why it matters

Wouldn't it be a devastating reality to live with that kind of strain when it came to the assurances of God? God is saying, if you want me to forget the sin, if you want me to replenish the relationship with love and guide you forward, then do that for other people. In fact, if you cannot extend such to them, please don't ask me for what you're not willing to model in your life to others.

A faithful way forward

For this moment, because of the verse, I do want to lock in just on gentlemen, on husbands. I assume you're praying about your life and your family's life, and God is saying, How have you treated one of my children? Do you know that in the real world, if a son-in-law goes to a dad to ask for something he needs, but he has been mistreating that man's daughter, things will not go well.

Put it into practice

Yes, through the instructions of Scripture, but this is not about that. This is about God, the Spirit, active in and around a crucial piece of your life. Ephesians 6 18, I mentioned it in the intro, talks about praying in the Spirit.

Think about it

Take the idea with you.

  1. 01What idea from this study most needs my attention right now?
  2. 02Where does this challenge the way I am currently thinking or living?
  3. 03What is one faithful step I can take this week?
From Excel Still More

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