prayer for what purpose

453 Views 15 Replies 6 Participants Last post by STeed, Jan 1, 2004

STeed

Discussion Starter · Dec 29, 2003

God changes the heart, then hears prayer for salvation.

Does God hear any other prayer from the wicked?

Is there any (other?) reason to pray for an unsaved man?

What does scripture say about these things?

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

jkfr6

· #2 · Dec 30, 2003

Scripture clearly says that we are to pray. We are to lay our burdens at the feet of Jesus, recognize Him as Lord and Savior and pray that His will be done in our lives and in the lives of others.

I pray for the unsaved all the time. It is not for me to decide if they are God's children or not, I can only pray for their salvation and that God's Will might unfold in their lives.

I also pray that we ALL know how to repent and to bow down on our knees before our Lord. Giving him the Glory and the Honor every single day. Giving thanks with obedient and surrendered hearts.

God hears all of our prayers. He welcomes us into His presence and wants us to listen to what He has planned for us. And as scripture says: lean not on your own understanding........

I pray so many times a day. Its the only way I know how to truly communicate with God. And when He speaks back to me and shows me the way, it makes my journey even more unbelievable! I cant imagine living without my salvation and the merciful love of the Lord.

See less See more

Baby Gorilla

· #3 · Dec 30, 2003

I don't know what to think on it.

The Bible says God does not regard the prayers of the wicked...unless it is a prayer of repentance. That doesn't mean He doesn't hear, just that He has no regard for what they pray for.

My life seems a contradiction because I had times before I considered myself saved that God seemd to answer prayer, but we could have endless theological debate about when a person is saved.

STeed

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 30, 2003

Perhaps God's common grace falls on unbelievers in spite of their prayers.

jkfr6

· #5 · Dec 30, 2003

But arent the "wicked" some of whom God calls to salvation? If he calls them, I agree that his common grace might fall upon the wicked in spite of their prayers.

I know of many people who pray their hearts out only to come up empty so to speak. I ask them how they pray... ususally is me, me, me,me. I ask them "when was the last time you asked God what YOU could do for HIM?" Then I usually get the deer in the headlight look. :eek

I know of other people that dont pray at all, or dont believe in prayer yet it is evident how HARD God is tugging at their heart.

God works in amazing ways. I believe he hears, but as I wrote in another thread:

Romans 9:18
Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

STeed

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 30, 2003

jkfr6 said:
Romans 9:18

Therefore God has mercy
on whom he wants to have mercy,
and he hardens
whom he wants to harden.

This is what it means to be God.

So where does the Bible tell us
to pray for the unsaved man
and his earthly concerns?

My line of reasoning points to the sovereignty of God.
If God has mercy on whom He will and hardens just the same,
then of what affect are our prayers for the non-Christian?

I care for my friends, Christian and non-Christian alike,
but I want to know more about the purpose of prayer.

See less See more

Cacklewack

· #7 · Dec 30, 2003

John 17:9-10 "I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them."

Christ prayed on behalf of His own; for His sheep.

Proverbs 1:24-28 "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me."

Proverbs 15:8 "The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight."

Proverbs 15:29 "The Lord [is] far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous."

Proverbs 28:9 "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination."

Isaiah 59:2 "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear."

Jeremiah 11:11 "Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them."

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."

John 12:40 "HE(God) HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND PERCEIVE WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED AND I HEAL THEM."

In Him,
Matt

See less See more

STeed

Discussion Starter · #8 · Dec 30, 2003

Thanks, Sir Cackle.

This is what I imagined.

Serial Thriller

· #9 · Dec 30, 2003

Moses, Samuel, Elijah, and others in the Old Testament prayed to God on behalf of unbelievers (such as lifting a plague) so that they would see the power of God and that He is faithful to His people.

Jesus said to pray for your enemies in Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27-28.

In Acts 26:29 Paul prays that all who hear his words would become Christians.
In Romans 10:14, Paul says "how can they call on the one they have not believed in?"

STeed

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 30, 2003

Thank you, Thriller.

Serial Thriller

· #11 · Dec 30, 2003

STeed said:
Thank you, Thriller.

Thank you for giving me a reason to look stuff up.

STeed

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 30, 2003

Serial Thriller said:
Thank you for giving me a reason to look stuff up.

:thumb&#153

hardship
shakes
the dust
from the
bible.

Serial Thriller

· #13 · Dec 30, 2003

STeed said:
hardship
shakes
the dust
from the
bible.

even if it's online...

STeed

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 31, 2003

Serial Thriller said:
even if it's online...

And when He had sent the multitudes away,
He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.
Now when evening came, He was alone there.

- Matthew 14:23

monkey1

· #15 · Dec 31, 2003

Scripture is full of examples of people who have interceeded in prayer for others. as a matter of fact, in reading 1 Samuel 12:23, you could actually interpret it as saying it is a sin NOT to pray for others. the few examples below show how folks prayed for others and God answered their prayers.
=================================

Genesis 20:7
Now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her, you may be sure that you and all yours will die."

Genesis 20:17
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again,...

Genesis 25:21
Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant.

Numbers 21:7
The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

1 Samuel 1:27
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.

1 Samuel 12:19
The people all said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die, for we have added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king."

1 Samuel 12:23
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right.

1 Kings 13:6
Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD , and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.

2 Kings 6:17
And Elisha prayed, "O LORD , open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

See less See more

STeed

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 1, 2004

thanks monkeh :thumb

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.