To compromise our commitment to God and His Word by participating in even a few sinful pleasures will render our prayers ineffective (cf.15:29; Ps 66:18; Is 59:2). Prayer without love for God, His Word and His ways is hypocritical and insulting to Him (see 1Jn 3:22).

“When you spread out your hands,I will hide My eyes from you; even though you make many prayers,I will not hear.Your hands are full of blood” (Is 1:15).

“I will not hear.” Sin in our lives will cause God to turn away from our prayers (see Jas 4:3; 1John 3:22).

“For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.” (1Pet 3:12)

(1)Unbelieving mind
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (Jas 4:3-5)

4:6 To “ask in faith, with no doubting” means not only believing in the existence of God, but also believing in his loving care. It includes relying on God and expecting that he will hear and answer when we pray. We must put away our critical attitude when we come to him. God does not grant every thoughtless or selfish request. We must have confidence that God will align our desires with his purposes.

4:6 A mind that wavers is not completely convinced that God’s way is best. It treats God’s Word like any human advice, and it retains the option to disobey. It vacillates between allegiance to subjective feelings, the world’s ideas, and God’s commands. If your faith is new, weak, or struggling, remember that you can trust God. Then be loyal to him. To stabilise your wavering or doubtful mind, commit yourself wholeheartedly to God.

4:6-8 If you have ever seen the constant rolling of huge waves at sea, you know how restless they are—subject to the forces of wind, gravity, and tide. Doubt leaves a person as unsettled as the restless waves. If you want to stop being tossed about, rely on God to show you what is best for you. Ask him for wisdom, and trust that he will give it to you. Then your decisions will be sure and solid.

(2)Unrighteous motives
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. 4Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (Jas 4:3-4)
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