Issues with Prayer

[TeslaTrav]

I’d love to hear some opinions (supported by scripture) on some issues I’ve been wrestling with considering prayer.


Praying in Public - I can’t bring myself to go to the front steps of the church to pray for something even though people often do. I feel like I’d be putting on a show... Isn’t prayer private? (Matt 6:6) what about praying before a meal in a crowded restaurant with a group? I guess I have trouble with PDP (Public Displays of Prayer).


Praying for hours - A Bible study I’m reading (Experiencing God) gave an example of how the author, “Prayed 2 Hours every day for God to reveal where they should plant a church.” Then it finally happened... How can one pray for hours a day about one thing to occur without babbling and heaping up words?


Praying persistently for something - Ask and move on. God hears me, and I believe he will answer my prayer. Should I keep bringing it up like a child who keeps asking for a cookie at every turn? Depending on the situation, you might pray more for a certain day... for guidance (IE witnessing)... but isn’t persistently praying cross the line into demanding that God answers your prayer on your timeline and in your way?


Praying for specific outcomes - Me “God if it is your will, I ask that you would help my child to be well...” Vs Others “God, heal my child. Take their sickness away now!”


Praying for specific things to occur (dictating) vs trusting God will handle it- Ask God to handle the situation don’t dictate to him how He is to perform his miracles. My MIL prayed that an angel would come down to guide the hands of the surgeon before a surgery...


Thanks in advance!

 

[HankD]

As the Spirit leads.

Be yourself.

 

[just-want-peace]

Anxious to hear answers to these questions! Virtually 100% agreement.

 

[Scarlett O.]

Praying in Public - There are LOTS of people in the Bible who prayed in public. Jesus was one of them. More than once. The Sermon on the Mount, to me, does not ban public prayer. It forbids hypocritical public prayer. Prayers not directed at God, but on display for others.

Praying for hours - You mentioned an author saying that. Perhaps his practice of prayer had been going on for so many decades that he COULD pray for two hours without babbling. You know, part of prayer is listening. Part of prayer is Bible reading and worship. Part of pray is pleading. It's very possible for someone with a strong and mature prayer life to pray for lengthy time periods. I knew a man at my church who prayed from 4:00 am to about 6:30 am everyday.

Praying persistently for something - Oh, my, is this ever ME. I have lost people in my life that I have prayed for years and will not stop until God takes me home. Read Luke 18:1-8. A great parable from Jesus about persistent prayer. He says that God says that he [God] will bring justice to his people that "cry out to him day and night." I can't imagine praying for someone only once and them moving on.

Praying for specific outcomes - I think both of those prayers fall short. "Make my child well, if it is your will." "Make my child well, now." Neither include WHY you are asking God for this. The whys should include, in my opinion, that God receive glory, that Jesus Christ be exalted, to make us humble and grateful and more obedient to God, and to give a testimony that can be shared with others that puts the focus on God.

Praying for specific things to occur - I typically and almost always ask God to guide physicians when medical procedures are performed. Don't you think doctors need prayers? The blind men in Matthew 20 were crying out to Jesus, "Have mercy!" Jesus knew exactly what they wanted, yet he said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They then started saying, "We want our sight." Jesus then healed them.

 

[TeslaTrav]

Praying in Public - There are LOTS of people in the Bible who prayed in public. Jesus was one of them. More than once. The Sermon on the Mount, to me, does not ban public prayer. It forbids hypocritical public prayer. Prayers not directed at God, but on display for others.

I maybe shouldn’t have labeled that “Public Prayer”, because I do believe in praying corporately (IE at church), but more praying privately where other can see you.

Praying for hours

- You mentioned an author saying that. Perhaps his practice of prayer had been going on for so many decades that he COULD pray for two hours without babbling. You know, part of prayer is listening. Part of prayer is Bible reading and worship. Part of pray is pleading. It's very possible for someone with a strong and mature prayer life to pray for lengthy time periods. I knew a man at my church who prayed from 4:00 am to about 6:30 am everyday.

I’m not sure I agree. Maybe I’ve just never had that kind of prayer life, but I just don’t see how one could go on an on about one request every day for hours. However, if you expand the definition of prayer to include “quiet time”, then yes. However, that isn’t what I am referencing.

Praying persistently for something

- Oh, my, is this ever ME. I have lost people in my life that I have prayed for years and will not stop until God takes me home. Read Luke 18:1-8. A great parable from Jesus about persistent prayer. He says that God says that he [God] will bring justice to his people that "cry out to him day and night." I can't imagine praying for someone only once and them moving on.

This is an excellent point. However, do you think there comes a point where that prayer is more of a lack of faith that God hears us? Are we not praying, sometimes, over and over because we feel God has forgotten about our request?

Praying for specific outcomes

- I think both of those prayers fall short. "Make my child well, if it is your will." "Make my child well, now." Neither include WHY you are asking God for this. The whys should include, in my opinion, that God receive glory, that Jesus Christ be exalted, to make us humble and grateful and more obedient to God, and to give a testimony that can be shared with others that puts the focus on God.

Point well made. I agree, for the most part.

Praying for specific things to occur

- I typically and almost always ask God to guide physicians when medical procedures are performed. Don't you think doctors need prayers? The blind men in Matthew 20 were crying out to Jesus, "Have mercy!" Jesus knew exactly what they wanted, yet he said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They then started saying, "We want our sight." Jesus then healed them.

Point well made about simply praying “Thy will be done.” Still, outside of our specific petition... doesn’t specificity dictate to God how He can answers our prayers? Instead of asking for healing (by God’s chosen means), I ask that the surgeons are the solution? God may remove the problem before the surgery, and He would receive the glory more for it.

I recently heard a “God send an angel down to guide the hands of the surgeon.” God will determine if and how he will heal. He doesn’t need us to tell him how to do His job!?

 

[HankD]

How do you teach a child of God to pray?
How do you teach a fish to swim?

 

[OnlyaSinner]

Praying in public: When at a restaurant I give thanks the same way as at home, a fairly short prayer in my "indoors voice", intended for those at the table. IMO, raising my voice to be heard 5 tables away would be like the Pharisee in Jesus' parable, and "drop the napkin and mumble while picking it up" is equally hypocritical.

Praying for hours: I've not done this personally but have been in small groups in which prayer continued for quite a while, though not multiple hours (yet.) A friend who graduated from a Christian university said that one of his assigned tasks was to pray for a solid 30 minutes without asking God for anything. He found this incredibly difficult (as would I) and needed many starts to accomplish it without falling into the usual requests.

Persistent prayer: IMO this does not mean lack of faith in God, but maintaining it. Like most believers, I have multiple unsaved family for whom I've prayed for many years, not trying to force God's hand (foolish is too mild a word) but to keep me focused on those relatives' need for salvation and on my being a good testimony before them.

Praying for certain things/outcomes: My position is much the same as for persistent prayer - done mainly to bolster my faith, not direct God's will.

In sum, praying to align God's will with mine is presumptuous foolishness. Praying to align my will with God's, that He would have all the glory, should be my objective. We are to pray and not faint.

 

[Revmitchell]

I’d love to hear some opinions (supported by scripture) on some issues I’ve been wrestling with considering prayer.


Praying in Public - I can’t bring myself to go to the front steps of the church to pray for something even though people often do. I feel like I’d be putting on a show... Isn’t prayer private? (Matt 6:6) what about praying before a meal in a crowded restaurant with a group? I guess I have trouble with PDP (Public Displays of Prayer).

Putting on a show is not the act all by itself but in the heart more than anything else. If you do not believe singing together is putting on a show then why would praying together be? Jesus said that His house should be a house of prayer. The church together praying in unison is a function of the church. Just look at the disciples in the upper room waiting on the HS to come. There is plenty of presidence to back this up.

Praying for hours - A Bible study I’m reading (Experiencing God) gave an example of how the author, “Prayed 2 Hours every day for God to reveal where they should plant a church.” Then it finally happened... How can one pray for hours a day about one thing to occur without babbling and heaping up words?

Paul would often speak about things in term of "I have learned". You could do a study on them some time. Anyway praying this way is one of those things we can learn.

Praying persistently for something - Ask and move on. God hears me, and I believe he will answer my prayer. Should I keep bringing it up like a child who keeps asking for a cookie at every turn? Depending on the situation, you might pray more for a certain day... for guidance (IE witnessing)... but isn’t persistently praying cross the line into demanding that God answers your prayer on your timeline and in your way?

I Thess 5:17, Luke 18:1-8

Praying for specific outcomes - Me “God if it is your will, I ask that you would help my child to be well...” Vs Others “God, heal my child. Take their sickness away now!”

James 5:13-15

Praying for specific things to occur (dictating) vs trusting God will handle it- Ask God to handle the situation don’t dictate to him how He is to perform his miracles. My MIL prayed that an angel would come down to guide the hands of the surgeon before a surgery...


Thanks in advance!

It is good that you want to trust God but we also need to know what God's will is on the matter which is why we look for it in scripture. Pray according to scripture.

 

[Marooncat79]

Hello

I have thought about posting an indepth study here regarding prayer, so your post is of great interest

Read about Solomons prayer II Chron chapters 5-7. He spends almost all of chapter 5 in worship of God (ie telling God how great and glorious that He is without asking for anything).

Most Christians have prayers of Thanksgiving, Repentance, and prayers of petition/Supplication (asking God for stuff) down pretty well; however, there are other types of prayers as well ie Illumination (praying before reading scripture and asking God to illuminate our hearts w the truth of Scripture and meld it into our hearts), Adoration ie praising God and proclaiming the greatness, glory, majesty, wisdom and power of God verbally

I also pray for countries by name starting w A in the alphabet and maybe pray through the letter D, E, F or so praying for the conversion of souls and for those who are being persecuted in many countries again by name (praying that God would grant Grace, Strength, Wisdom and Endurance to withstand what God Himself has placed before them).

Just how I do it. Others prob do it better. Just trying to help

 

[Revmitchell]

I’d love to hear some opinions (supported by scripture) on some issues I’ve been wrestling with considering prayer.


Praying in Public - I can’t bring myself to go to the front steps of the church to pray for something even though people often do. I feel like I’d be putting on a show... Isn’t prayer private? (Matt 6:6) what about praying before a meal in a crowded restaurant with a group? I guess I have trouble with PDP (Public Displays of Prayer).


Praying for hours - A Bible study I’m reading (Experiencing God) gave an example of how the author, “Prayed 2 Hours every day for God to reveal where they should plant a church.” Then it finally happened... How can one pray for hours a day about one thing to occur without babbling and heaping up words?


Praying persistently for something - Ask and move on. God hears me, and I believe he will answer my prayer. Should I keep bringing it up like a child who keeps asking for a cookie at every turn? Depending on the situation, you might pray more for a certain day... for guidance (IE witnessing)... but isn’t persistently praying cross the line into demanding that God answers your prayer on your timeline and in your way?


Praying for specific outcomes - Me “God if it is your will, I ask that you would help my child to be well...” Vs Others “God, heal my child. Take their sickness away now!”


Praying for specific things to occur (dictating) vs trusting God will handle it- Ask God to handle the situation don’t dictate to him how He is to perform his miracles. My MIL prayed that an angel would come down to guide the hands of the surgeon before a surgery...


Thanks in advance!

Here is a good study on prayer:

Free PDF Download Dynamic Prayer Meeting Guide for Pastors

In the gray box to the upper right click on the link to the study guide.

 

[Marooncat79]

One of the most awesome prayers that I have ever heard was by a 4 yr old little girl

It was like this almost verbatim

You are the most awesomest God in the whole wide world.

I was greatly blessed by her prayer

 

[HankD]

With so much that can be prayed for I find it best to let the Spirit lead...

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.