Can you pray in the wrong way so it isn’t effective?

[RedTent]

There was an experiment testing prayer results done in the 50’s that told of people who prayed with no fruits of their prayer, but gave another group who used what the author felt were God’s rules for prayer and had miraculous results. The book is Prayer Can Change Your Life, by Parker, written in 1957.

Parker said the ineffective prayer consisted mostly of presenting a problem to the Lord when the Lord knew the problem. Effective prayer used prayer to cleanse, first, of things like clearing out fear, guilt, inferiority feelings, and most important clearing all resentment of others. Much of the book is devoted to how different people did this. Often just the cleansing done solved the problem.

Some people say that this is explaining how God works. Others say this is no more than positive thinking. Others say it is an example of how God teaches positive thinking. Others say that God hears everything directed through Christ, there are no rules to follow. For those who read my posts, you know (and many disagree with me) that I think we are not to just go by what our minds have, trusting that everything is only from God through the Holy Spirit. I think we also need written instructions.

If the book is compared to our prayer instructions given in the Lord’s Prayer, it is expounding on one part of how we are to pray, and useful for that, but it needs to include instructions from the Lord’s Prayer.

What do all of you think about effective prayer with fruits following?

 

[cfultz3]

I think that the Bible teaches us instructions on proper prayer. If I remember correctly, does not one of those instructions tell us about the ineffectiveness of "babbling/repetitive praying" and how God looks upon that sort of praying (as though they would be heard because of their many words)?

 

[RickyZ]

Oh absolutely how you pray affects the outcome. What you said about starting with confession and cleansing (I would add praise worship and thanksgiving), and not just presenting God with a list of problems is very important. One must remember that God told us 'these things you will do', not 'you will come ask Me to do', but you will do. And so your prayers should be 'in Jesus name I pray healing upon so-and so', not 'Jesus please heal so-and-so'.

 

[Bookends]

James 5
[SUP]16 [/SUP]Confess your trespasses[SUP][/SUP] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

 

[notuptome]

God heareth not sinners. John 9:31

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[woka]

The Lord's prayer for me is what it is all about. Jesus taught the descipiles how to pray for a reason. I confess at times I do not follow this guideline, but thenfind that my mind wonder's, and I am not focused on what I am saying to the Lord. How rude!

 

[danschance]

There was an experiment testing prayer results done in the 50’s that told of people who prayed with no fruits of their prayer, but gave another group who used what the author felt were God’s rules for prayer and had miraculous results. The book is Prayer Can Change Your Life, by Parker, written in 1957.

Parker said the ineffective prayer consisted mostly of presenting a problem to the Lord when the Lord knew the problem. Effective prayer used prayer to cleanse, first, of things like clearing out fear, guilt, inferiority feelings, and most important clearing all resentment of others. Much of the book is devoted to how different people did this. Often just the cleansing done solved the problem.

Some people say that this is explaining how God works. Others say this is no more than positive thinking. Others say it is an example of how God teaches positive thinking. Others say that God hears everything directed through Christ, there are no rules to follow. For those who read my posts, you know (and many disagree with me) that I think we are not to just go by what our minds have, trusting that everything is only from God through the Holy Spirit. I think we also need written instructions.

If the book is compared to our prayer instructions given in the Lord’s Prayer, it is expounding on one part of how we are to pray, and useful for that, but it needs to include instructions from the Lord’s Prayer.

What do all of you think about effective prayer with fruits following?

There are some rules to an effective prayer and there are different kinds of prayers too (Tho' I won't mention specific types of prayers as that seems to stir up some controversy). Here are some points that I have learned about prayer. I doubt it is a complete list.

1) God hears every prayer ever spoken but sin does hinder God's response to our prayers. By limiting our sin and repenting for our sin we can stand before God in prayer as a righteous person.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16

2) The Lord's prayer is a daily prayer (..this day, our daily bread) and we need to pray daily. Many types of prayers are only going to be effective for that day. Repentance is a daily prayer. The bible says "Don't let the sun go down on your anger". This is a jewish idiom meaning (paraphrased): "Don't end the day without letting go of bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness, anger, wrath etc."

I have learned that prayers about spiritual warfare are daily prayers at best. Jesus said "Deliver us from evil" in the Lord's prayer, which is a daily prayer.

3) Knowledge, wisdom and understanding in spiritual matters is important for an effective prayer. The bible says "My people perish from a lack of knowledge.

4) Faith is important for an effective prayer but if we put some emotion fervency in our prayers that also helps. God is also emotional. He feels emotions just as we do. So cry out to him!

When I was sophmore in high school, I became sick during finals. I had a fever, my eyes burned, weak and had a sore throat. I found a private spot and asked God to heal me but nothing happened. I was very disappointed that God did not heal me. SO I prayed again but this time I let Him know how I felt. I quoted scriptures that said that proved my point that he should of healed me. After ranting in prayer for a few mins or so, I stopped. Then realized I had been healed completely.

We see King David's prayers are full of emotion, just take a peek at Psalm 69 as an example. Some times an emotional plea is the most effective way to pray.

 

[RedTent]

The Lord's prayer for me is what it is all about. Jesus taught the descipiles how to pray for a reason. I confess at times I do not follow this guideline, but thenfind that my mind wonder's, and I am not focused on what I am saying to the Lord. How rude!

If we follow God's directions in prayer, we address it to the Father, and know how holy the Father is. Christ tells us to address His Father. We keep everything within His will so our earth is a reflection of heaven. (Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven). Then, as we are walking within God's ways we ask for our needs. Part of that is forgiveness, both for anything we have of sin and we give full forgiveness to others. It is through what Christ did for us we have forgiveness. Next to lead us not into temptation, so we not only don't sin but we aren't tempted to sin. I love the last, we are to know and give praise that God is the kingdom, power, and glory eternally.

 

[SpaceCowboy]

If you think your prayer isn't working then it's not. If you have faith it is then it is. That simple. It's impossible to please the Lord without faith.

When I think of faithless prayers I think of Hosea 7:14 "They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail upon their beds." Which essentially would just be having a pity party for yourself. Worldly sorrow.

But, if your honest and pray from the heart with earnest faith, the Lord hears and will answer. Whatever we ask the Father in Jesus name He'll give us.

 

[RedTent]

If you think your prayer isn't working then it's not. If you have faith it is then it is. That simple. It's impossible to please the Lord without faith.

When I think of faithless prayers I think of Hosea 7:14 "They do not cry out to me from their hearts but wail upon their beds." Which essentially would just be having a pity party for yourself. Worldly sorrow.

But, if your honest and pray from the heart with earnest faith, the Lord hears and will answer. Whatever we ask the Father in Jesus name He'll give us.

I love you brought up faith. It is incorporated in "for yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory". We can trust in all of God and all His promises.

But I don't think it means we don't have to include that we must go to Christ for cleansing first, as sin is a barrier between us and God. Or what we ask must be part of God's kingdom, for God cannot give what is not in His domain. God says he cannot forgive if we hold something against someone with no forgiveness, and so we could not be cleansed to go to our Lord in prayer.

Yet you are right, God says whatever we ask. All scripture must agree, yet what if we ask what is not of God's kingdom?

 

[crossnote]

If we come to God (as if it were possible) through ANYONE else besides Jesus Christ and any other basis besides HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS/HIS BLOOD, then yes ineffective would be an understatement. With those two, we have boldness as well as free access to pray unto Him.

 

[SpaceCowboy]

I love you brought up faith. It is incorporated in "for yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory". We can trust in all of God and all His promises.

But I don't think it means we don't have to include that we must go to Christ for cleansing first, as sin is a barrier between us and God. Or what we ask must be part of God's kingdom, for God cannot give what is not in His domain. God says he cannot forgive if we hold something against someone with no forgiveness, and so we could not be cleansed to go to our Lord in prayer.

Yet you are right, God says whatever we ask. All scripture must agree, yet what if we ask what is not of God's kingdom?

mmmm... First thing I think of is James 4:2-3
You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.


Asking for something thats not in Gods kingdom would be like asking God to help you rob a liquor store or something like that.