Questions About Prayer
by John Selbak on Feb.14, 2009, under Sunday Nights
As we get ready to launch an upcoming series on Questions About Prayer, we asked you to submit the questions that you have about prayer. We got a large number of questions back (over 50 so far) and the list keeps growing. Here is just a sampling of the questions that we’ve received so far. If you think of some others you’d like us to consider, just post a comment or send us an email.
Scripture says that the prayers of the righteous are heard. What does it mean to be righteous? Is there anything Biblical about praying in a group? It seems that Jesus was almost always in solitude for prayer. Are there any advantages to ritual (liturgical) prayers? How often should we pray? Why pray if God already knows what your needs are? Regarding people who have the “gift of intercession,” what does that mean? Are there people whose prayers are heard more than others? Some say prayer is for the purpose of being in conversation with God, but it seems like a one-sided conversation. How can we know the difference between God speaking back to us and our own thoughts (particularly if the voice tells us something we are okay with). Are we supposed to feel anything (some presence, some connection) with God?
How does prayer’s effectiveness relate to God’s sovereignty? Can our prayers change God’s plan? What is the purpose of listening to someone else’s prayer (when someone prays in front of a group)? Is there any point for a non-follower of Christ to pray other than making a commitment? Does fasting make prayer more effective? How do I deal with verses like John 14:12 where God says he will do anything we ask when it seems like he doesn’t? Is there more power in greater numbers of people praying about something? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer? If prayer is the way God’s people petition him to act, if his people don’t pray, does God not act? Is tacking on “if it is your will” to the end of our prayers really just a sign that we really don’t believe that God’s going to do what we ask? What is the difference between being persistent in our petitions (Luke 18) and grumbling (Exodus 16:8)? Does God sometimes answer prayer though a series of “coincidences”? If the purpose of prayer is to get to know God’s character, wouldn’t reading the Bible be more effective?
