How do you know for certain you are actually talking to God in prayer?

You don't. Its an act of faith.
So it is possible that some of us are only talking to ourselves?
The "misguided" ones. The heretics. the ones with the wrong theology. the mentally ill. the highly imaginative. the unsaved. the unbaptised. the ones who don't go to Church. the ones who don't read the Bible much. the clearly sinful. the fake repentants….
Is God only taking some of us seriously? And the rest, either ignoring or humouring even.
Sorry this post is starting to reverberate in my ears. I was quite serious with the thread title.

God hears ALL prayers from ALL people. God knows the hearts of those who pray to Him..

Oh and baptism doesn't save you. Faith, belief and God's grace do.

I don't go to church because of health issues, or read my bible often. Does that mean I'm only talking to myself out loud?

His gift of faith to each of us assures us.

When I sit quiet, meditate and reach out in prayer to God something happens. I can often feel this poignant love which can bring me to tears. All those list of people you mention isn't that each one of us at some point in our lives? It is not a bunch of mind made labels which reach out to God, but human beings. He will reach us all exactly where we are if we come with a good heart.

those are labels ive seen used by Christians on forums to denigrate, denounce or disown. im probably a heretic. Certainly a hypocrite.

Then I am too. Often. There is just us. A wounded, vulnerable humanity struggling to work out what on earth this life is about. I would certainly be seen as a heretic now, but for me swimming around in a mental sea of certainties when I was a believer in the fundamentalist sense was very painful ultimately. The Christians around me used to tell me that I could have a "personal relationship with God", but then want me to believe the same things as them; which of course is not very personal. My faith collapsed. Ironically it has taken the writings of scholars and people who don't class themselves as christians to get me to see the real beauty in the message of Christ. And a reaching out to God for guidance. I,m willing to follow where that leads and am always willing to learn.....that's where I,m at at the moment.

I was hoping to meet people like you on here. let me know some writers you like. we might be able to help each other.
Im all for staying human and admitting doubt. Doubt is good in my book.

Faith:

In scripture, faith is never addressed as something "blind."
Faith is not a leap into the dark.

A good definition of faith is "trusting in that which you have good reason to believe."

Biblical faith always has warrant.

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Doubt gets a bad rap. But it is doubt that keeps us grounded and from flying off into flights of fancy. I didn't listen to my doubts in the past and it got me in trouble. It simply means: Attention! This needs more thought and consideration. For instance, the doctrine of eternal hell fire and torment. I had serious doubts but tried to plough on believing anyway. Very damaging to my relationship with God (how can I love a monster? How can I ever enjoy heaven knowing there are people I love and care for in hell forever, for not believing) and with my relationships with people. I upset my brother once ( I have tears as I write this) that he was going to hell forever. Awful, evil doctrine. Not worthy of an earthly father, let alone a heavenly one! So the gospel "good news" turned out to be very bad news for the majority........until I discovered that many of the early church fathers ( first 500 years or so) believed in eternal restoration for everyone evetually. Which is fantastic news!!! But my friend, don't listen to me. Find out for yourself. God is not scared or worried by your questioning.

PS. 65:2.
O Thou that hears prayer, unto You shall all flesh come.
141:2.
Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
PRO. 15:8.
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to The LORD: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.
28:9.
He that turns away his ear from hearing the law, (Divine instruction) even his prayer shall be abomination.
JAMES 5:16.
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

cant send you a PM as I don't have enough money to donate to them.
But you are an interesting guy. I read a lot of stuff but ….... I try to be ecumenical but I have my biases. ive read some of the Church fathers. Augustine but need to read his Confessions again. Pascal's Penses is worth a look. I like some of the monastic point of view too.

Seek out God in your praying! Read the Bible like a "mystery book." Question EVERYTHING! Test everything!
Jesus, as well as He who created your soul, will NEVER LEAVE, NOR FORSAKE YOU!

1 John 4
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.
6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Some very good advice?
Be STILL and KNOW!

You are not far off here. The early church fathers were taken off circa 325 BC, when a pagan emperor of Rome (Constantine) captured Christianity and substituted a false one. They took a simple phrase like Rom. 6:23 and changed it.

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." They then said sin causes everlasting life, in fire.

Then, they turned right around and changed the very definition of sin.

1 John 3:4 "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law."

Can you now see that antichrist is Satan and he is very much into the business of religion? As many as he can deceive into serving another Christ, he will.

2 Cor. 11:14 "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."

Visit my website HERE if you want to learn more.

Many years ago an Old Testament teacher said that the prophets complained and questioned but they obeyed. Having questions is a sign of spiritual reality. It is a sign of a thriving relationship. We know so very little and don't have the capacity to understand a fraction of what exists. Why wouldn't we have questions? To pretend we don't is a very unhealthy relationship. We are invited to go to God with everything. He is love, so with that being said, why would he reject us or condemn us for sharing our thoughts?
After a while, on this journey, my questions have changed. They went from "Why?" to "What now?". I realized that often, "Why?" is not something I could necessarily comprehend even if he told me. All right then. What next?
As for prayer, the mentally ill are not exempt from being heard. All are his creations and while we live there is hope for all. We may judge someone as beyond redemption, and God forgive us for our presumption, but God's heart and knowledge is far more than we can understand. I believe prayer to God does not fall by the wayside. No one and nothing gets in the way of his love and desire for connection with us. It is not about us connecting with him. He has got this.

possibly but self talk is healthy too imo. I would be too lonely if deprived of self talk 😀

When you pray, God gives you a peace that passes all understanding.
When you talk to yourself. You just kind of arguing between your left and right brain out loud. . Besides, none of us believe WE are God. That would be rather delusional!! GOd doesnt have the same name as me anyway.

God hears every word spoken or not. God hears the issues from your heart even before you speak. We are admonished to guard our hearts against idle word or thoughts.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

If one believes Jesus and trusts in the Atonement He secured for their salvation then one can be confident that the LORD will hear ones prayers..

But apart from that God is all knowing so He knows all the thoughts of all people that have ever existed.. So you can be assured that God knows all the prayers that have ever been said.. Now the question can be will God consider and respond to one persons prayer and will be not respond to another persons prayers? Yes sometimes God will not consider the prayers of those who disbelieve His will.. And sometimes Gods response to the prayers of those who believe Him is a NO.. But even if Gods response is a No we who believe His will and accept Jesus can be at peace knowing that our Prayers are heard and considered.. We should trust always in the wisdom of God in regards to His response to our prayers..