The Sin of Prayerlessness

Can you imagine someone claiming to be your best friend and never talking to you? Whatever existing friendship would certainly be strained. Similarly, a relationship with God is impoverished without communication.

Prayerlessness is sin. We need to be honest about this. The prophet Samuel made this clear when he promised the people of Israel that he would pray for them:

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you (1 Samuel 12:23)

Samuel recognized that a failure to pray for God’s people was a sin against God. If you are a pastor, a group supervisor or a J-12 leader, let me tell you upfront, failure to pray for the people whom God has given you is a sin that you need to turn from.

When leaders do not pray for God’s people, we are sending out a signal in the spirit realm that we really don’t care for the people we are leading. Lord Jesus saw such people “like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 9:36) The Pharisees were too busy with their own stuff to really bother about God’s people.

Failing to pray is an indicator of a lack of love for the Lord. Prayerlessness indicates that worldliness has slowly crept inside unnoticed.

I have often seen that healing, deliverance and prophetic meetings draw the biggest crowds because everyone is expecting healing, deliverance, prophecy etc. (nothing wrong with that). However, ask people to attend intercession, and the general feeling is that they will miss out on something.

Can I tell you something? When prayerlessness is prevalent in our lives, we are also guilty of failing to love one another, and this is mostly demonstrated in the lack of intercession for one another.

Lord Jesus warned us in Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.” Prayerlessness will allow the arrows of temptation to hit us, which will lead us deeper and deeper into the mire of sin.

Father, in the name of Jesus, forgive me for the times I have failed to pray.

Father, in the name of Jesus, let every barrier and obstacle to prayer in my life be uprooted.

Father, in the name of Jesus, let the spirit of prayerlessness in my life be consumed by Your fire.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I shut every demonic door that has been opened to hinder my prayer life by the Blood of Jesus.