Whats the point of praying

[Zoii]

Ive been thinking about this a lot. Im not sure about praying at all. I mean I get told to pray and God will answer my prayers but if he doesn’t its Gods will…..but he’s still listening….. Or im told if I have enough faith, If I truly believe my prayers will be answered…. So Im thinking well wait… when I was in trouble and asked for Gods help …. And something bad happened …does that mean God was…well what…was it just Gods will that I just have to suffer... Or I didn’t ask hard enough or believe..…or was it that God heard but decided he wasn’t going to intervene or couldn’t intervene. So what was the point of praying because if its god will and so…well what is he going to be like…well I was going to let you suffer but since you asked for help then fine…I will.


And then I get angry when people say they will pray for me or I hear lots will pray for me …and I get frustrated because its like…well what are you all telling me – If I ask God and he says no then..Ok he says no but then maybe if you pray for me or ask…or lots pray for me…then maybe he’ll change his mind and be like..Ok well when Zoii asked I wasn’t going to but since all u lot asked….. Why does lots praying make a difference – If its gods will then not even one person asking will change it so why would two or three etc.

I know this sounds maybe disrespectful but im not meaning to be….

 

[sdowney717]

1 John 5:13-1521st Century King James Version (KJ21)
13 These things I have written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe in the name of the Son of God.

14 And this is the confidence that we have in Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us.

15 And if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him.

Clearly if you ask in prayer against His will, He will not hear you, and the prayer request is not granted.
So if you pray and nothing happens in alignment with the request of Him, then what you desired was against His will for the situation.
Really this is telling us God remains Lord of all and does His will as He pleases in heaven and on the earth, which also agrees with other scriptures.
Jesus though still tells us we should pray often and not loose heart, Luke 18:1
SO THEN, it may be a good prayer request, however it may be God is waiting for other parts of this puzzle to be assembled before agreeing to your request. Since we can not know that, Jesus tells us to continue to pray anyway.

And we are being conformed to the image of Christ, that is a process of sanctification, so then our prayers should also be conformed to His desires also as we become more mature in our faith.

Isaiah 46
8 “Remember this, and show yourselves men; bring it again to mind, O ye transgressors.
9 Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is none other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’

 

[Kenny'sID]

Actually it not disrespectful.

Are you well within Gods will? I know you've probably heard that question too but it's all that comes to mind.

 

[Zoii]

Clearly if you ask in prayer against His will, He will not hear you, and the prayer request is not granted.
So if you pray and nothing happens in alignment with the request of Him, then what you desired was against His will for the situation.
’

So if things happen to you its what God would have wanted and so praying was pointless??

 

[Zoii]

Actually it not disrespectful.

Are you well within Gods will? I know you've probably heard that question too but it's all that comes to mind.

Im not sure what that means

 

[Dwells]

One of the best definitions of prayer I have found is this:

"The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays." Soren Kierkegaard

 

[rturner76]

I think prayer in my opinion is not always just for God's pleasure. Many times when I pray and ask for things to come to pass I will get an idea of something I can do to affect the change I want to see. For a silly example I may pray for a relationship t be mended and get the idea of what to say if I decide to call the person I have issues with. Prayer can sometimes bring inspiration which is a tangible thing. It'snot always about asking for something and receiving it or not receiving it. I may ask God for a million dollarsandnot get it but a I mat get the inspiration for a plan that will eventually make me a million dollars. aIf you have gratitude in your attitude you are more likelt to get a good result from a prayer. However, to ask for an instant result many times is not God'swill like to grant wishes but he has.

 

[sdowney717]

So if things happen to you its what God would have wanted and so praying was pointless??

Read post #6.
Praying is not pointless, Jesus told us to pray often, if it was pointless why would Jesus say that?
Praying is not to be thought of as one sided, there is a communication spiritually taking place. the Holy Spirit teaches us revealing to us spiritual realities.

1 Corinthians 2:9-11New King James Version (NKJV)
9 But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

 

[Kenny'sID]

Actually it not disrespectful.

Are you well within Gods will? I know you've probably heard that question too but it's all that comes to mind.

Are you acting like a Christian, within reason anyway?

 

[Zoii]

Do u think if your prayer wasnt answered n so something bad happened to you, that maybe its just punishment from God? That he wanted you to have something terrible happen?

 

[Andrewofthetribe]

do you humble yourself and pray on the floor?
Do you let the Holy Spirit wash and anoint you?
Chant his name and praise his Holy Spirit, you will soon feel the lord almighty breathing his spirit down upon you.

 

[TaylorSexton]

God's sovereignty makes us question a lot of things we may do, prayer most definitely being one of them. We know that God's will will always be done because he is sovereign, and that prayer can't change anything about God, yet we are assured in Scripture that prayer is vital for the Christian life, that we should always pray, and that God provides for us through prayer. It is something of a mystery. I do agree with the Kierkegaard quote above; prayer is not to change God, but the believer.

 

[Zoii]

do you humble yourself and pray on the floor?
Do you let the Holy Spirit wash and anoint you?
Chant his name and praise his Holy Spirit, you will soon feel the lord almighty breathing his spirit down upon you.

well no I dont chant...i do it all in my head...like a conversation from me. I dont go to church when anyone is there. I just go when everyone is gone n sit by myself

 

[Kenny'sID]

Do u think if your prayer wasnt answered n so something bad happened to you, that maybe its just punishment from God? That he wanted you to have something terrible happen?

No, I try not to get into thinking like that at all, it can get out of hand, and it's only supposition anyway.

 

[Kenny'sID]

well no I dont chant...i do it all in my head...like a conversation from me. I dont go to church when anyone is there.

I think chanting is Biblical only in that we aren't supposed to do that. I pray in my head too. All my needs are met and I ask for very little beyond that, but do ask for things that are very important to me, and whether I get them or not, my needs being met and actually a biggie, so I cut him some slack with any "no's" he sends my way. ....

 

[Andrewofthetribe]

well no I dont chant...i do it all in my head...like a conversation from me. I dont go to church when anyone is there. I just go when everyone is gone n sit by myself

Get down on to the floor my friend kneel and drop your forehead to the floor and show the Lord you are humble and ready to do his work.
Praise his name quietly and beg him to hear you, do not ask for anything just the hope of serving, if the Lord wills it then you will definatley feel him.

 

[Andrewofthetribe]

I think chanting is Biblical only in that we aren't supposed to do that. I pray in my head too. All my needs are met and I ask for very little beyond that, but do ask for things that are very important to me, and whether I get them or not, my needs being met and actually a biggie, so I cut him some slack with any "no's" he sends my way. ....

If chanting offends you then try singing a psalm, these have been sung to our Lord for thousands of years.

 

[Zoii]

If chanting offends you then try singing a psalm, these have been sung to our Lord for thousands of years.

So with all that...whats the point of people saying they will pray for you .... its gods will so...if gods not going to answer my prayers why would others praying make a difference

 

[Andrewofthetribe]

Because when we feel the spirit of the Lord through our saviour Jesus Christ he knows what's in our thoughts and he leads us beside still waters, it's so our souls can be restored. For example he knows my nephew "Jacob is poorly" and he knows I know that Jacobs soul is full of the spirit of Christ. Praise be to Jesus our Lord and saviour.

 

[Radrook]

I just had my high blood pressure medication stolen yesterday evening at approx. 8:30 pm from my apartment just a few hours after I brought it home from the pharmacy and after I dedicated posts here to explaining God's word to others. God did not choose to intervene to prevent the theft. Now I have no access to any medication. Should I pray now?