How does Prayer work?

[CaliforniaLiberal]

One part of Christian belief that has always puzzled me is the concept of Prayer. If you please, could you enlighten me?

In times past I have prayed when feeling in despair and grief. It seemed to have no effect that I could detect.

How does it work? Is there one correct way to perform prayer? How is an all powerful God swayed by prayer?

Have I been praying incorrectly?

If you are in a life and death situation and you plead with every atom or your being for protection and assistance but forget to add "In Jesus Name, Amen" at the end of your prayer is it less effective?

If, in your terror, you promise to lead a lifetime of piety and strict observance but forget your promise after surviving, will you punished?

If God already knows everything you think and feel, everything about your circumstances, does he still wait to be asked to give you what you need?

How do requests from humans change God's course of action that he would have followed without having heard the prayer?

I guess the big question is - If God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnibenevolent, wouldn't he already be doing everything for you that he can?

[Aces and 8s]

Short answer...

It doesn't.

[Dano3467]

You have pull a wild card on this subject, do I have all the answers, Sadly NO, but then again, I don't think any mortal does. That being said, maybe I can shed (maybe) 1 lumins of light for you in my example. (maybe)

OK bare with me. Has my prayer/prayers been answered before, short answer is yes.

Meat & potatoes : when you/me are in the true word/spirit of the word, and your hart is right with him, (many will not make this journey, or stick w/it) this is IMO the difference between an answered prayer, & not. ( this only MO)

A selfish prayer IMO will not be answered, or not the way one might want.

Also, many a prayer will not even be seen by the one praying, but can still come to fruition.

Lastly, I myself have had many a prayer not answered, IMHO, and think at times I am not allowed to alter HIS course/plan with my wishes, I mean who here is most important, you.....or GOD...

My advice would be to seek like minded people in your church, you my already be in a study group, and that can help you on your long journey.

The short/quick answer for you, I don't believe exists.

One more thing, be open to his will & thought's, many times it's our own thought's that ruin it for us... be there done that.

We are all sinners, but Grace is the forgiveness all believers seek, best of luck to you...

[RAMCLAP]

It is relational. When Jesus said, "my Father" the word he used was Abba. It is not the Formal "Father". It is the familiar "Daddy". Prayer is essentially having a conversation with your Daddy in Heaven. However, Jesus also taught us that you are to have the highest respect knowing that His name is Hallowed. So, he isn't our cosmic butler who exists to give us whatever we want. So, try not to come to Him with your list of demands. Come to Him as your Father and have a relationship with Him. Many times, if not most times His answers aren't immediate. Also, many times the answer is, "no". But we are still to be relational with Him. He wants the best for us as any father wants for his children, and He wants to take part in our lives. Prayer is how He chooses to conduct that relationship.

[Dano3467]

^^^yes

[colossians323]

One part of Christian belief that has always puzzled me is the concept of Prayer. If you please, could you enlighten me?

In times past I have prayed when feeling in despair and grief. It seemed to have no effect that I could detect.

How does it work? Is there one correct way to perform prayer? How is an all powerful God swayed by prayer?

Have I been praying incorrectly?

If you are in a life and death situation and you plead with every atom or your being for protection and assistance but forget to add "In Jesus Name, Amen" at the end of your prayer is it less effective?

If, in your terror, you promise to lead a lifetime of piety and strict observance but forget your promise after surviving, will you punished?

If God already knows everything you think and feel, everything about your circumstances, does he still wait to be asked to give you what you need?

How do requests from humans change God's course of action that he would have followed without having heard the prayer?

I guess the big question is - If God is Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnibenevolent, wouldn't he already be doing everything for you that he can?

What do these passages mean to you?

Matthew 6:6-14 5 When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

78 So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

91011121314 For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

[mossy]

praying never worked for me.

[Sleighter]

I believe in a loving God who knows each and every one of us and wants what is best for us. However, like a loving parent he won't simply indulge our every whim or desire and instead takes a longer view at what will help us to become what He plans for us.

Also, my church teaches some unique doctrine about receiving blessings, answers to your prayers, etc.

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.

In other words, there are requirements for some blessings, which is a fair way to handle things in my opinion. So if we want a certain blessing, we need to learn the requirements.

Regarding prayer, I've often found this advice to be the best at creating the right mindset:

As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other.

The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them.

Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings.

I've underlined an important point that I personally often forget. A lot of the time when I'm praying for things, I'm hoping to get God to agree to help me do something. In all reality, I would be better served by asking God what He wants me to do, as He definitely has a better plan than I do.

Nevertheless, I've had specific experiences in my life that highlight the undeniable fact that prayer does work and there is something that is willing to intervene in our lives and help us. Most people call that God.

[colossians323]

praying never worked for me.

what do you mean worked ?

[Snagglepuss]

Maybe God just doesn't like you that much, huh?

ha ha, sorry.

But it's like you stated above. God's all powerful. He knows much more than you or I or anyone. You can question forever, and never come close to the right answer.

[WASR10]

From a Christian perspective, God speaks to us through the Bible and we speak to Him through prayer. Prayer is a way for us to enjoy fellowship with God. We pray for God’s help when we need it, we pray to thank God for the blessings we receive from Him, we pray to confess our sins to Him,we pray for His intercession for the well-being of others... We also pray because He asks it of us. But we must pray in faith and our prayers must be in keeping with God’s Will.

God answers prayers in three ways: Yes - When Hezekiah prayed to live, God gave him fifteen more years. No - Paul asked three times to have his “thorn in the flesh” removed, but God did not remove it. Not yet - Abraham had to wait twenty-five years for the son God promised him.

“For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” – 1 Peter 3:12

[SWalt]

How does it work? According to Gods Will silly.

[mattymatt]

How does it work? According to Gods Will silly.

So basically, it doesn't matter if you pray or not, whatever happens is Gods will.

[SWalt]

So basically, it doesn't matter if you pray or not, whatever happens is Gods will.

Nope.......no predestination in my book, you have complete free will. It just means your prayers have to be in accordance with Gods Will to be answered. Why would He grant anything not in accordance to His will??

[mossy]

what do you mean worked ?

never got any sign my life was worth living or felt the presence of a loving god.