"And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned . . .," Jos 7:10-11.

Scripture gives us many references to prayers which were not answered. Also tells us why. In most of these instances God also tells us how these conditions can be altered so that prayer will be answered, or He tells why these petitions will not be granted.

In the words of our text we find the Lord reproving Joshua for bowing, "down his head as a bulrush," saying, "Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned . . .," One man had sinned and brought God's displeasure upon the whole Christian community. This sin must not be covered! It must be identified! It must be sought out and put out of the camp!

It is possible that one person who brings a reproach upon God and His Word can gain the support of the Christian community by lies and deceit and cause God's displeasure upon a whole Christian community. In such a case this sin must be sought out and put out of the camp before God's blessing will rest upon them.

The prayer of Moses was not answered by granting his request! "The man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth," Nu 12:3. "The Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend," Ex 33:11, and yet for one act of disobedience God told Moses, "Ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them," Nu 20:12.

Moses was sharply rebuked by the Lord saying, "Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter;" when he besought the Lord saying, "I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan," De 3:23-26. His petition was not granted because Moses said, "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" Nu 20:7-12. The Lord was not sanctified and, "no flesh should glory in His presence," 1 Co 1:29.

The Lord tells us of another reason He will not answer prayer in Isa 59:1-2. "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that He will not hear."

These sins are listed throughout the rest of that chapter such as, "your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity."

In this case the Lord tells us the remedy in the previous chapter, Isa 58:5-14. The Lord is not pleased with a man to "afflict his soul . . . to bow down his head as a bulrush." The Lord tells us, "to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free . . . break every yoke . . . to deal thy bread to the hungry . . . bring the poor that are cast out into thy house."

Oh, beloved, see how pleased our God is with obedience! He tells us if we do these things, "Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am."