We’ve all experienced unanswered prayers at some point in our lives. It may sometimes cause us to question why. We may even wonder if God is mad at us and sometimes we think maybe God doesn’t love us or maybe God favors others. So the question is this, “Do you want your prayers answered?” Joyce Meyer tells us how.

Joyce isn’t one to mince words. She doesn’t add fluff or sugar coats God’s word. Instead, she gives it to us straight up, served with a side of faith and humility. During a speaking event about unanswered prayer, Joyce asked, “Who are you mad at today?” The audience she was speaking to was suddenly quiet as they thought about her question.

She continued to tell them that being mad at someone isn’t going to change them one iota. In fact, all that anger is allowing the devil to get his roots deep into your soul. The longer we stay angry, the easier it is for the devil to get a foothold into our lives.

Now we’ve all experienced someone offending us at some point in our lives, but the longer we allow it to fester, the bigger problem it creates in our hearts. Joyce said the devil works hard in our lives to get us angry because it can separate us from God.

Holding a grudge against someone will definitely affect our prayer lives because of what Jesus said in Matthew 6:14, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Jesus had just finished teaching his disciples how to pray and followed up the prayer stating that God will forgive us as we forgive others. WOW! What an epiphany!

Joyce continued to say even if someone hurt you on purpose, let it go, and give up the resentment. Then your heavenly father will forgive you because when we go to God in prayer, we need to be sure there is nothing standing between us and God.

She said, “Something I suggest you do at night before you lay down, just ask yourself, ‘am I mad at anybody? God, am I mad at anybody?’” She added, “Get to the point where you refuse to go to bed or leave your house being mad at anybody.”


She is so right! We need to examine our hearts every day. Is there anger? Is there bitterness? Is there resentment? Take it to Jesus and let it go. Forgive them and let God his job in the life of that person who wounded you. Then you will have confidence that God is listening to your prayers.

“If you are angry, do not let it become sin. Get over your anger before the day is finished. Do not let the devil start working in your life.” Ephesians 4:26-27