How does unconfessed sin impact my prayer life? What about an unforgiving spirit?
Psalm 66:17 says, “If I had been aware of malice in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” See also Ephesians 4:29-32. It’s not that we have to be sinless in order to pray, but we must not knowingly harbor bitterness or anger in our hearts and think that our prayers will not be impacted. Our sin can block the channel of God’s blessing. When Jesus told us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12), He was teaching us there is a vital connection between the horizontal and vertical aspects of life. See “Forgiveness and the Lord’s Prayer.
