Does God Hear Individual Prayers?

[Depleted]

Prayer is us talking to God. Give God only a Honey-Do List, and that's not really talking to him.

I'm not big on finding out a husband's job for what he should do for his wife, but in this case, this is also a job description for what Jesus does for his church/wife.

[h=1]Ephesians 5:25-33 (ESV)[/h][FONT=&quot]25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.[/FONT]

We're in a relationship with God, therefore we're supposed to be talking with him all the time. Not just when we need something. Hopefully this kills off the concept that prayer is handing God a Honey-Do List.

 

[Galatea]

What do you mean by individual prayer? (I'm not disagreeing. I'm just not sure what you mean.)

In order to be saved, a person has to pray for themselves. No one else can be saved for you. I can pray for people to be saved, but it does not make them so. A person who is a Christian has to pray for themselves to be saved.

 

[Amazing-Grace]

That's my question. I know the bible says He is in the midst of where 2 or 3 are gathered. But does He hear prayer if only ONE person is praying alone?

Jesus Himself retreated to pray alone to His Father.

Answering prayer does not necessarily mean He will answer in a way that lines-up with our own desire, God can see the bigger picture, He sees the end result so He may answer in a way that may seem negative from our own point of view. God's 3 answers to prayer:
1. Yes
2. Not yet
3. No because I have something better for you.

 

[Magenta]

If He's all-knowing and knows what we need before we ask, then why the need to even pray for it?

The purpose of prayer is to align yourself with the will of God I could say it is one of the purposes or the main purpose but the gist of it is not that you are praying to inform God of your wants and needs, but to increase your knowledge and/or awareness of where you are in your relationship with Him. How surrendered are you to the will of God in your life? It brings to mind when God came looking for Adam and Eve in the garden after they disobeyed Him, and He asked Adam where he was, not because He did not know, but because He wanted Adam to know. I pray for you the power and strength to carry out the will of God in your life

 

[Desertsrose]

I DO have faith. It's patience that I have very little of.. lol

.......maybe it's time to include patience in your prayer?

 

[Demi777]

I was told to never pray for patience, perseverence and endurance lol And surely everytime hard trials came with it lol

.......maybe it's time to include patience in your prayer?

 

[Desertsrose]

That's my question. I know the bible says He is in the midst of where 2 or 3 are gathered. But does He hear prayer if only ONE person is praying alone?

Hi Blue, I love this section of Scripture beginning in Matthew 6:5.

When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. ​


“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.


“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]
For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

I think this part answers your question. .......your Father who sees you praying in secret will reward you.

Nancy Lee Demoss did a study on this prayer and I'm just now reminded that I haven't finished it. You can listen to her teaching or read the transcripts. She has amazing insight and it strengthened my understanding on prayer. If interested you can find it here. https://www.reviveourhearts.com/radio/revive-our-hearts/lords-prayer-day-1/

 

[Desertsrose]

I was told to never pray for patience, perseverence and endurance lol And surely everytime hard trials came with it lol

Or maybe we just notice them more because
we are praying for patience that we don't have.

 

[lastofall]

Yes of course; search the scripture whether it is so.

 

[wolfwint]

That's my question. I know the bible says He is in the midst of where 2 or 3 are gathered. But does He hear prayer if only ONE person is praying alone?

Why he should not? As his children, he sees us individuell, loves us, cares for us - even in hard times. That what i am convinced about.

 

[samuel23]

I heard a guy years ago explaining the two kinds of prayer, he said that the first is always done in church and while standing and spoken in King James English, the other is done while down on the floor and clawing the carpet. I had clawed the carpet a few times and knew what he meant.

 

[pottersclay]

aniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13"But the princeof the kingdom of Persia was withstandingme for twenty-one days; then behold,Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia. 14"Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future."…

 

[OneFaith]

That's my question. I know the bible says He is in the midst of where 2 or 3 are gathered. But does He hear prayer if only ONE person is praying alone?

Yes. God hears every individual prayer of His children, and He knows each prayer before it's even uttered. He knows every individual strand of hair on our heads. He knows when we sit, stand, or lay down. Jesus mentioned to one man that He was talking to that He seen him from earlier when he was under the tree, even though He physically couldn't have. That is a very individual statement from the Lord.

 

[oldethennew]

our worldly fears/problems don't just walk away, they will stay with us
all of our years if we don't seek Divine Strength/comfort through prayer...

 

[MadebyHim]

Prayer can be thanking God, asking God, telling God how much we need Him, or just talking with Him. Meditating can be listening, waiting to hear what God has to say to us. But some just want to keep talking and not do any listening. i've learned over the years to try taking cotton out of ears, and put it in mouth, not to be gross just a figure of speech. Some say their prayers don't work, when they pray for themselves, only when others pray for them. Maybe they are putting their faith in other people more than God. We are told to go boldly before the throne.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16

So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6

 

[blue_ladybug]

Yeah I'm too physically decrepit to get down on the carpet.. or anywhere else.. lol

I heard a guy years ago explaining the two kinds of prayer, he said that the first is always done in church and while standing and spoken in King James English, the other is done while down on the floor and clawing the carpet. I had clawed the carpet a few times and knew what he meant.

 

[blue_ladybug]

I do, but He seems to never answer..or takes FOREVER in doing it..

our worldly fears/problems don't just walk away, they will stay with us
all of our years if we don't seek Divine Strength/comfort through prayer...

 

[Miri]

Hi Blue I know what you mean and I've sometimes asked this myself.

There may be several reasons, any of which may be right or a combination of them.

1) God's ways are higher than ours, we may want something instantly but God may see
it will be bad for us or the timing is off just now.

2) I suspect there are times when God holds back because He wants us to press in and
draw closer and closer to Him. (The story of the persistent widow).

3) I've done this one myself, prayers can be said half hearted or in a casual none
committal way.

4) They can be said with the wrong motive.

5) God does answer it just takes some time to it to work out. Think of Abraham none of the
promises made to him were fulfilled in Abraham's life time.

6) I think there are times when God wants us to turn to each other and supoort and
encourage each other. Asking for prayer from each other takes a certain amount of
humbleness and brokeness. It can be hard to admit to another that you need help.
Asking others for prayer can sometimes be instrumental in breaking down those
barriers of pride or just been lonely. There is something healing also in asking
others for prayer, healing in a spiritual and emotional sense. A release in letting
others know how we really feel.

7) Sometimes we can lack spiritual maturity. I think there is a reason why the bible
says to ask the church elders to pray when people are sick.

8) There is strength in numbers when it comes to spiritual warfare and battles. I
think we often underestimate just how many battles and the scale of the battle
we find ourselves.

9) Here is one which people may find strange, God uses other people to bless us
and in turn both the giver and receiver are blessed. Maybe God wants to teach
someone else a lesson in prayer and you are their object lesson. It's not always
about us.

10) And yes. God does answer individual prayer too!

Blue you are changing as a person and wanting to draw closer to God, seeking out
those answers. God likes to play hide and seek to draw us out. I have had experience
of this myself.

Press in and press on.

 

[Socreta93]

Yeah Blue, he does listen to your prayers no matter if you are alone. Why wouldn't he? And are you going through something that you need prayer?

 

[BeyondET]

[video=youtube;dn666S4ZGao]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn666S4ZGao[/video]