Praying to God before salvation?

I have wondered something.

Do yall think it is possible to pray to God before you are saved? Like for instance, if you want proof He's there, or if there are things that don't make sense to you in the Bible that would hinder you from asking for salvation. Do you think if you prayed to God looking for an answer before you are saved, that He'll answer you?


Jer2913

I've heard testimonies from people who prayed before they were saved and God did lead them to salvation. One person I know prayed that she wanted to know if God was really there.

I don't think God has to answer these prayers, but I think He sometimes does, and when He does, He leads the person to Christ. But I think there are unsaved people who pray who continue in deception. I used to pray for a time before I was saved, but I had no concept of what prayer really was or why I should pray. I just did it for awhile and eventually stopped (until I was saved).

no

Originally posted by Jer2913:
Do yall think it is possible to pray to God before you are saved?

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Luke 1:37 "For nothing is impossible with God."

I prayed before I was saved. I even led someone to the Lord when I was about 11 and I wasnt saved yet.

Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually.
About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!”
And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?”
And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.

…but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him.
Acts 10:1-4, 35 NAS (bolding added)

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Does God give assurance to the unbeliever that He will answer the prayer?

No, God gives good things to His children, the scraps fall where they may (Matt. 15:21–28).

Rob

Hi,

I prayed before I was saved and I think that was perhaps what I found most useful in seeking God. However prayer for me now is obviously full of greater meaning

regards

p4017

Salvation is totally a work of God and Him alone. Our prayer has nothing to do with it other that the fact that God has already begun to work in our hearts for reasons known only to him and is preparing our heart to accept His Son as atonement for our sin. A person dead in sin will not come to Christ unless God gives him a new heart. So the prayer of an unsaved person is useless.

God’s love and mercy is infinite, but His love and mercy for Christians is definite.

When the sun shines, both Christians and non-Christians benefit from the warmth of its ray; when it rains the fields of them are both watered.

For someone to claim that God never listens to prayers of unbelievers is very unchristian- like attitude. It is short of saying that the Lord God is for “Christians Only”.

If you were a mother or a father of four (4) would you only listen to three simply because they are Baptists while the fourth became a Muslim, a Mormon, or Jim Jones follower?

Would the good God deny His blessings to a crying pleading man who prays that his dying mother be healed of cancer? "Hey you, be a Christian first then I’m sure God would listen to your prayer", is that what some are telling me here?

Let us not limit the goodness of the Lord. He is the God not us.

Merry Christmas everyone; greetings from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

I love you all.

He listened to and granted the request of Cain.

Genesis 4
14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

HankD

First of all, God is not a celestial Santa Claus. My opinion about praying to God before you are saved is this: how do we know it is God Who is answering those prayers? It could just be "wishful thinking" on our part. The 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews--the first 6 verses might help us with those questions on prayer and God. The great "faith" chapter says this (vs. 1-6)


Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

For by it the elders obtained a good report. (Hebrews 11:2)

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. (Hebrews 11:3)

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. (Hebrews 11:5)

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Verse 6 is the clincher here. We must believe that He is--without that, all our prayers will probably just bounce off the wall.

I agree here that Heb. 11:6 is a key verse. What is one way of diligently seeking someone? Calling out for them...to them.

Originally posted by Linda64:
My opinion about praying to God before you are saved is this: how do we know it is God Who is answering those prayers? It could just be "wishful thinking" on our part.

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If we are to believe that God knows all of his Children, which I do believe, why would it be impossible for an unsaved person to pray and get guidance from the Lord before he was saved.

I know for me, before I was saved, there were many many times I thought to myself, I should be dead now.... IN looking back, I can see where the Lord was picking me up and helping me along, and even then I didn't know it, and I didn't consider myself saved.

So, yes, I think a unsaved person's prayer's are heard by God.

Also, remember there is a difference between an unsaved person and a person that don't believe in God. Someone can believe in God but not be saved, so their prayers wouldn't be wishing thinking, they do believe in God, they just are not saved yet.

Jamie

So, yes, I think a unsaved person's prayer's are heard by God.

Also, remember there is a difference between an unsaved person and a person that don't believe in God. Someone can believe in God but not be saved, so their prayers wouldn't be wishing thinking, they do believe in God, they just are not saved yet.

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An unsaved person's prayers are heard by God? Then you discard Psalm 66:18 which says, 'If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me'.

You must also not believe Proverbs 28:9 'He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination'.

God's Word stands. Although He rains on the just and the unjust, the only prayer from an unsaved person's lips that God hears is a repentant prayer.

Also, remember there is a difference between an unsaved person and a person that don't believe in God. Someone can believe in God but not be saved, so their prayers wouldn't be wishing thinking, they do believe in God, they just are not saved yet.

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Where does it say there is a difference between an unsaved person and a person who doesn't believe in God? That's a new one on me!! All who are unsaved are under God's wrath.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)

Even Satan believes in God: Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. (James 2:19)

You need to be diligently seeking God--just believing in God does nothing.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM. (Hebrews 11:6)

God is a God of love, but He is also Holy and He will judge sin. If you are truly seeking God, He will hear your prayers. If you are simply praying for God to get you out of a bad situation, then when you are out of that situation, you go back to rejecting God, that is not earnestly and diligently seeking God.

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: (Psalms 66:18)

Another verse that shows God does not honor the prayers of sinners other than a repentant prayer is found in John 9:31. In it we read...

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

The phrase “God will not listen…or hear” is an anthropomorphism, (a depiction of God using human attributes to make it easier for us to understand).

We know that God is omniscient (all-knowing); nothing is hidden from His eyes. He knows all, sees all, hears all; why He even cares for all.
MATTHEW 6:26-34

Can an unbeliever please God? No, an unbeliever is dead in Gods sight.
External worship (believer or not) means nothing to Him if it is not done with a right heart.
See: ISAIAH 1:10-17 and ISAIAH 59:2

It is interesting that Paul calls all men, “children of God” in his sermon on Mars hill (very new-age that Paul).
He calls on the Greeks listening to repent, to have a change of heart.
ACTS 17:26-31
God is pleased by a heart that seeks after Him. Peter spoke about the conversion of the Gentiles in ACTS 15:7-9 , and described the repentant heart of the Gentiles before a saving faith, "And God, who knows the heart, testified to them giving them the Holy Spirit…”

So the question in the opening post was:

Do yall think it is possible to pray to God before you are saved? Like for instance, if you want proof He's there, or if there are things that don't make sense to you in the Bible that would hinder you from asking for salvation. Do you think if you prayed to God looking for an answer before you are saved, that He'll answer you?

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Do I think that proof will be provided?
The correct answer is…
To twist a quote, ‘Our God is not a tame lion…’
God looks on the heart, If one seeks God, they will find Him. But no one can fool Him.

I’m a Calvinist, but a I’m a practical Calvinist.
I don’t know who or why the Spirit prompts some to have this change of heart.

Interesting name for the person asking the question in the Opening Post: Jer2912.

"Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:12 NAS.

Rob