Forgiveness & Personal Prayer
During a sermon series at V1 Church titled “Upper Room,” several leaders taught on the importance of prayer in a Christian's life. In the first part of this sermon series, Long Island campus pastor – Daniel Santise passionately discussed the necessity of personal prayer as a fundamental element in having a genuine relationship with God.
Pastor Daniel said ministers often get prayer requests from people because of the perception that “God listens” to leaders more. He emphasized that pastors have no special access to God and struggle similarly. A major obstacle to answered prayer and a strong personal connection with God is identified as unforgiveness in the heart.
Heart Problem
In Mark 11:22–25 Jesus tells His followers to have faith to move mountains. He said you can ask anything of God, but when you pray, first you are to forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against so that your Father in Heaven can forgive you, too. Pastor Daniel lists unforgiveness as a major hindrance to prayer.
Scripture instructs Christians to believe in their hearts (Romans 10:10) because what is in your heart can also block your prayers. Proverbs likewise advises people to guard their hearts above all else. The prayers of His children are heard by God, so when there is no response, unbelief or unforgiveness could be the reason.
One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to convict of sin (John 16:8). Holding unforgiveness is one of those sins that we must examine ourselves for. Pastor Daniel noted that people often accept the Holy Spirit's conviction when they make an intentional mistake, but when someone hurts them and offense kicks in, that leads to unforgiveness that also needs to be checked.
Judgment or Grace
People tend to judge others harshly, but then want grace and mercy for themselves. Jesus is clear in Mark 11:25: “When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
“A sign that you do not have a prayer life is that you are busy judging everyone else,” Pastor Daniel maintained.
Jesus on the cross did not use that as an opportunity to condemn, rather He prayed: “Father, Forgive them for they know not what they do” — Luke 23:34.
Anyone seeking to be successful should be aware that forgiveness is the key to personal prayer.
About the Author
Jeannie Ortega Law is a chart-topping singer, evangelist, media personality and author from New York City. She can be reached on social media: @JeannieOrtega or emailed at Info@JeannieO.com
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