Praying Out Loud, Does Anyone Else Have This Problem?

[2Timothy2:15]

I doubt that demons bother to listen to prayer. They think it is all fake, so they would ignore whatever we say. They pay close attention to what we do, however.

I disagree, I think demons pay very close attention to prayers. Especially when we are engaging in some level of spiritual warfare.

 

[2Timothy2:15]

This would be a problem "IF" I was trying to make prayer "pretty" and sound good to others. That is what would cause me discomfort. But therein is the problem that: are you wanting it to sound good? and be powerful "sounding" as to please another man or woman?

IF that above is a YES then read no further because then you are praying to mans ears and not Gods ears. Not judging you here I promise, but the LORD knows how we talk, our character, our attitude, everything about us, so to start making something sound fancy and powerful just for a person to approve of it and think we are big time warriors and can move mountains by blinking our eyes, we got problems in the camp.

If were doing this for mans approval and not to judge us then our hearts not in it and were just blowing smoke. Is God really answering the prayers we try to "think" up and make pretty, because He's looking straight into our heart as we are praying, seeing that we are not praying with our heart and mind FIXED upon HIM answering what we are asking for. If you want GODS attention, speak to HIM just the way you speak to another person, its a relationship and HE is listening "for the sound" of His son or daughter, not a fake sounding prayer. You want your prayers answered, thats why your praying, right? If right now God spoke to me: Behold thou Solomons Porch goeth into the wilderness and findeth me a lamb with.......

Yeah, He wont talk to me out of character and neither should we, He's our Father. He knows our voice He knitted us in our mothers womb. Be yourself and watch them prayers get answered.

Truth there, amen

 

[lastofall]

[for me anyway] the Lord Jesus Christ tells us exactly to pray in secret (in private), and not as the hypocrites who pray out in the open in the corners of the street, or openly in the place of worship (church, synagogue). And it is Christ who has the last Word, not us.

 

[GirdYourLoins]

I suggest that the people who dont already pray aloud start off by praying aloud when on their own instead of silently and then once you are comfortable with the sound of your own voice you might find it easier to pray aloud when others can here.

There should be little difference in prayer by yourself and in groups as you are talking to God either way, with the only difference for me being when prayer is used to confirm and agree with what others have said or to say that we as a group want to glorify God or something like that, nothing too fancy or putting words in other peoples mouths though, that would be wrong.

Read 1 Corinthians 14:16. It says you SHOULD pray aloud so others can say "Amen"

 

[brinny]

I hesitate to pray aloud for the sake of demons hearing me. It would feel as though I'm goading them, or escalating potential retaliatory evil by doing so. I prefer my focus to be on the Lord alone in such cases.

Besides, God knows I'm praying, what with His telepathic skills, and that's enough. If He thinks it's vital that the demons know this, I'm sure He tells them anyway: "Oh hey guys, by the way, she's praying to Me right now. Waddya think of that? HAH!"

I say this with all due hugggs and regard, sis (((hug)))

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." ~James 4:7

When we "pray" we are indeed submitting ourselves to God, and honoring Him and giving Him our focus. This is, in essence, "resisting" the devil (and his minions) and he and his minions "flee".

He REALLY hates it when we SING praises to our God and WORSHIP and ADORE Him. For God is right there in the MIDST of all that praise. And Lo and behold, when we SING prayers, OUT LOUD? It's a death knell to the devil and his minions. He seems to be especially "allergic" to that. And he is GONE.

 

[Catherineanne]

I disagree, I think demons pay very close attention to prayers. Especially when we are engaging in some level of spiritual warfare.

You are welcome to disagree. Doesn't bother me a bit.

 

[Catherineanne]

I suggest that the people who dont already pray aloud start off by praying aloud when on their own instead of silently and then once you are comfortable with the sound of your own voice you might find it easier to pray aloud when others can here.

There should be little difference in prayer by yourself and in groups as you are talking to God either way, with the only difference for me being when prayer is used to confirm and agree with what others have said or to say that we as a group want to glorify God or something like that, nothing too fancy or putting words in other peoples mouths though, that would be wrong.

Read 1 Corinthians 14:16. It says you SHOULD pray aloud so others can say "Amen"

And elsewhere it says to go into your room and pray quietly by yourself.

So 1 Corinthians proves nothing at all.

 

[Catherineanne]

Your first point may be true, but rather irrelevant (I mean no offense). Think of the demons Christ encountered; they were usually not too happy to see Him and they weren't actively seeking to hear what He spoke, but that didn't really matter because they had to respond to the Word when He spoke (Isaiah 55:10-11). And our prayer is aided by the Spirit of God (think Romans 8:26-27) who is the Spirit of Christ (Luke 3:22, Romans 8:9). So whether or not they're just chillin' around sipping coffee and eavesdropping while we pray (this does make me think of Screwtape Letters, though), they are going to hear.

I'm not sure that they think it's fake, either. The demons know God (think of James 2:19) and they know Christ (think of their confessions throughout Mark's and Luke's Gospel). They definitely do care about what we do, you are correct - and they want to lead us astray in our actions, as well as our thoughts, words, and beliefs. (I'm not sure if Anglicans have the general confession in their liturgy, but we confess that we have sinned "in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone..." which is my train of thought here)

Yes, Anglicans have the general confession. And the other kind as well, sometimes,

 

[brinny]

And elsewhere it says to go into your room and pray quietly by yourself.

So 1 Corinthians proves nothing at all.

My dear sister, it helps and encourages me immensely when someone prays for me, and sometimes out loud. When i don't have the "words" and they do, i know that God's precious Holy Spirit is working through them to minister to me by that prayer, and i am so thankful for it. God bless you (((hug)))

 

[Celticroots]

I've never prayed in public, but I have the opposite problem when it comes to praying.

When I pray silently, I find myself very easily distracted and at a loss for words. But when I pray out loud, I find it much easier to focus, and the words come easier.

Me too. Thought I was the only one like that.

 

[brinny]

For me, it was an issue when I tried to sound spiritual. Often we think we have to sound super spiritual when praying in front of groups. Instead it is best to trust the Holy Spirit to guide us in prayer. Try not to come up with long lengthy prayers to impress people and just listen to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it is as simple as Jesus help.

This.

Amen.