The following is an excerpt from our daily devotional series Seven Conditions for Answered Prayer.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us how to pray. He said, “In this manner, therefore, pray.” (Matthew 6:9) And one of the things He taught us to say (as I suppose we all know) is this. ”And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (vs. 12) Forgive us, as we forgive. Do you realize that Jesus ties you down to asking for God’s forgiveness only in the proportion that you forgive others? He is saying that we will be forgiven, as we forgive others.

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Who is praying on the wall?

One major reason why many Christians do not receive the answers to their prayer is a failure to forgive others. I find in counseling, this is one of the commonest sources of blockage to the spiritual life and a failure to receive answers to prayers. It is usually one specific person. I was talking with a lady last night, and I said, “Is there anybody you haven’t forgiven?” She said, “Yes,” and she mentioned a very distinguished person in the Judiciary of the United States. I said, “If you want relief, you’ll have to forgive him. There’s no alternative. If you don’t forgive him, God doesn’t forgive you.” Forgive us, as we forgive others.

Are you willing to forgive? You say, “Brother Prince, I don’t know whether I can.” Well, God might say, “I don’t know whether I can.” What would you say to that? You’d better make up your mind. Forgiveness, my friend, is not an emotion. It’s a decision. I call it this: tearing up the IOU. Suppose somebody owes you $30,000. Alright, tear up that little IOU for $30,000. But do you know how much you owe God? For comparison, try $6,000,000. If you want Him to tear up that IOU, you tear yours up first. Then He will tear His up. You don’t tear yours up, He is not obligated to tear His up. The Scripture is unambiguous. That’s God’s unvarying law. He demands that we forgive others if we would have God forgive us.

Let’s look at what Jesus said in Mark 11:25,26. “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Now that doesn’t leave out anything, and it doesn’t leave out anybody, does it? Remember, this is spoken to Christians, because Jesus is speaking about those who have God as their heavenly Father. Before you pray, forgive.

Here is a very practical example. 1 Peter 3:7 is about the relationship between husband and wife. And it’s a message to husbands. So many men preachers preach and teach about what wives should do, but this is for husbands. “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.”

Did you ever realize that? A wrong relationship between husband and wife hinders the answer to their prayers. This can be on either side, husband’s or wife’s. But when there is a wrong relationship between them, their prayers are hindered. The first thing you have to do in your home, if you want God to answer your prayers, save your children, and provide your needs, you must get right with your spouse. That’s where it begins.

So, while God is full of grace, His standards in these examples are without compromise. The best thing we can do is unconditionally surrender, obey His command, and forgive any and all who have ever offended us. That’s the way to peace, to pleasing God, and to answered prayers.

 Points to Ponder:

• Set aside some time to review and respond to the principles presented in this devotional. Carefully examine your heart concerning the issue of forgiveness.
• Seeking God’s help, make a list of people who have hurt you, and whom you have not forgiven. Your list may even include people who have passed on.

Continue adding notes to your journal and “store” the Bible passages for future study.

Complete Devotional in PDF Format Click Here!

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(Derek Prince was one of the founders of Intercessors for America. Photo Credit: doidam10 via Canva Teams)