Without prayer any relationship with God is impoverished because vital communication is lost.
Reasons for prayerlessness
Unbelief
Psalm 14:1–4 parallel Psalm 53:1–4 See also Job 21:15; Romans 3:11
For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Will the workers of iniquity never learn? They devour my people like bread; they refuse to call upon the LORD.
Self-reliance
Jeremiah 17:5 See also Zephaniah 3:2
This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes mere flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.
Worship of other gods
Deuteronomy 32:17–18 See also Jeremiah 2:5–6, Jeremiah 2:8
They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, to newly arrived gods, which your fathers did not fear. You ignored the Rock who brought you forth; you forgot the God who gave you birth.
Guilt as a result of disobedience
Genesis 3:9–12 Adam and Eve did not respond to their sin by praying. On the contrary they sought to hide from God; Jonah 1:1–6 Jonah tried to run away from God.
Tiredness
Luke 22:45 See also Matthew 26:40 parallel Mark 14:37; Matthew 26:43–45 parallel Mark 14:40–41
When Jesus rose from prayer and returned to the disciples, He found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
Discord in relationship
Examples of prayerlessness
Joshua, after a great victory
Joshua 7:2–5 Joshua devised his own plan in attacking Ai and did not seek the LORD until after he suffered a disastrous defeat.
King Ahaziah, turning to idols
2 Kings 1:16 See also 2 Kings 1:1–6
And Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word? Is that why you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.”
The nominal religion of Israel
Isaiah 43:22 This verse implies that prayer involves effort--the people only paid lip service to God. See also Isaiah 1:14, Isaiah 64:7
But you have not called on Me, O Jacob, because you have grown weary of Me, O Israel.
Israel trusts in other people rather than God
Israel's failure to repent of their sins
Daniel 9:13 See also Isaiah 9:13; Jeremiah 5:3
Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquities and giving attention to Your truth.
The lack of an intercessor among God's people
Consequences of prayerlessness
Alienation from God
John 15:6 See also Psalm 73:27
If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
God's judgment
Zephaniah 1:4–6 See also Jeremiah 10:21
“I will stretch out My hand against Judah and against all who dwell in Jerusalem. I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the idolatrous and pagan priests — those who bow on the rooftops to worship the host of heaven, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but also swear by Milcom, and those who turn back from following the LORD, neither seeking the LORD nor inquiring of Him.”
Disloyalty to Jesus Christ
Matthew 26:74 parallels Mark 14:71, Luke 22:60, John 18:27 Peter had previously failed to pray in Gethsemane.
At that he began to curse and swear to them, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed.
Spiritual poverty
James 4:2 See also 2 Kings 17:15; Jeremiah 2:5
You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.
Ineffective ministry
1 Samuel 2:12 This literally means they had no fellowship with the LORD; 1 Samuel 12:23; John 15:4–5
Conflicts with others because of unfulfilled desires
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.