C. S. Lewis offers some round-about wisdom in his book, The Screwtape Letters. Allow me to extend the devious counsel of the senior demon to his apprentice about how to ruin a Christian’s prayers:
· Get him to pray from selfish motives (James 4:3).
· Make him doubt that God is willing and able to grant his request (James 1:5-8; Mark 11:24).
· Get a man to treat his wife disrespectfully or harshly—that will block his prayers in no time (1 Peter 3:7).
· Sell him the idea that God never refuses the prayer of “faith,” and just watch him flounder when he doesn’t get his way (2 Corinthians 12:8-9).
· Send him into prayer feeling pretty good about himself and looking down others (Luke 18:9-14).
· Urge him to bury that unconfessed sin—to pretend it will just go away (James 5:16).
· Help him dwell on how much others have wronged him, and then withhold forgiveness (Matt 6:12, 14-15).
· Tell him he’s the master of his destiny and answers to no one. That’ll lead to rebellion soon enough, and then God will leave him alone (2 Sam 21:14; Ps 66:18).
· Persuade him to give up quickly if he doesn’t get results—that way he’ll never see God’s blessing (Luke 11:5-8; 18:1-8).
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