#New Mercies Daily!
Message: When Sin Blocks The Heavens
DATE : 23/01/25
BY:EFFIONG ETOK
TEACHER OF THE WORD
Scripture Texts:
Psalm 66:18
“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.”
Isaiah 59:1-2
“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“Anything that is capable of blocking our prayers this year must be confronted and removed. Tear down the wall today, and let God hear our cry.”
MESSAGE:
Have you ever felt like the heavens were silent? You prayed, you cried, but nothing changed. The Bible makes it clear: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me” (Psalm 66:18). Similarly, Isaiah 59:1-2 reminds us that God’s arm is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. The issue is not with His ability but with our hearts. Our iniquities and unrepented sins create a wall that separates us from God.
Anything that is capable of blocking our prayers this year must be confronted and removed. The weight of sin is heavy-it robs us of peace, joy, and the ability to access God’s blessings. Look at David: when he sinned with Bathsheba, he felt God’s distance and cried, “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). His guilt drained him until he repented.
Contrast this with King Saul, who also sinned but chose pride over repentance. When God commanded him to destroy the Amalekites completely, Saul disobeyed by sparing the best of the livestock and King Agag. Though he justified his actions with excuses, his refusal to repent cost him the kingdom and God’s favor (1 Samuel 15:22-23). Anything that blocks our prayers-whether it is pride, disobedience, or excuse-can cost us God’s blessings and purpose this year, God forbid.
Are there unconfessed sins that capable of blocking our prayers this year? God calls us in Isaiah 58:1-2 to cry aloud, confront our sins, and return to Him with humility and repentance.
He does not want hollow actions but hearts fully surrendered to Him.
Prayer Points:
1. Lord, we come before You broken and desperate. Show us every sin hidden in our hearts. Anything that is capable of blocking our prayers this year-pride, anger, or unforgiveness-Father, we surrender them to You,in Jesus name..
2. Lord, teach us to seek You with sincere hearts, not just outward actions. Help us cry out against our sins, return to You, and walk in true righteousness. Any sin that had blocked our prayers , please grant us grace to remove it and restore us to You, in Jesus Mighty name.!
3. Father, do not turn Your face away from us! Have mercy on us, Lord. Restore our joy, hear our cry, and draw us back into Your presence. Do not let anything block our prayers this year, in Jesus Mighty name. Amen!
