Does God Hear The Prayers Of An Unbeliever With The View To Answer Them?

[paradox3]

Lots of prayers are said these days for intangibles such as understanding, compassion, patience and so on. I am even starting to find this type of prayer problematic. Why do we think God is more likely to send compassion than a birthday without rain? Just as an example.

The language used in public prayer is extremely important. Privately I can offer to God whatever I need to.

 

[revjohn]

We know that God hears all prayers from all people but does He hear the prayers of an unbeliever with the view to answer them ?

Well if we accept as true that God hears all prayers from all people then we know that he hears the prayers of the unbeliever.

The question then is does God answer the prayers of the unbeliever in the same way that God answers the prayers of the believer?

So, what are the possible answers to prayer that God may give to a believer? I think that there are three possible answers that God gives to the prayer of any believer:

1) Yes.
2) No.
3) Not at this time/in that way.

Are these answers in anyway contingent on who offers the prayer or, are they contingent upon God's sovereign and free will?

Can God be forced to give a yes when God would prefer not to give a yes? Can God be forced to give a no when God would prefer not to give a no? Can God be forced into answering any prayer according to the criterion of whichever believer prayed it?

If God hears the prayers of the unbelievers why would he refuse to answer them in much the same way?

Is God obligated to say yes to a prayer to prove the existence of God to an unbeliever? Is God obligated to say no to a prayer simply because it comes from the mouth of an unbeliever? Is it possible that God would see the value in answering a specific prayer offered by a believer and would shrug his shoulders if precisely the same prayer was offered by an unbeliever?

What is at play here? Is it an insistence that believers are privileged over and above non-believers? Is it that believers have God wrapped around their fingers and know how to make God dance to their tune?

And if we insist that there is a privilege given to the prayers of a believer then aren't we saying that the real import of any prayer is not what is requested or how it is requested but who asks for it?

Here is the thing -----when believers pray in the name of Jesus we come in His righteousness not our self righteousness

Oh if this were universally true.

But it is in no way universally true.

Especially if God hears all prayer. If God hears all prayer then God gets to decide how God will answer. We know, based on scriptures that there is more to prayer than being a believer. Paul, a believer prays three times for a thorn to be taken from him. He gets the same answer all three times, "My grace will be sufficient for you." Which can be easily rendered as, "No Paul, I will not take that thorn away from you."

Paul got an answer. Not the one he wanted most obviously.

Suppose Paul's unbelieving counterpart offered a similar prayer. Would God refuse to answer it or might God answer it much the same way?

And in the end, aren't discussions such as these, positing that only believers prayers are heard with an intent to answer less about justifying God's hearing and responding and more about justifying why believer's prayers are heard and answered?

 

[revjohn]

Anne Lamott, a favourite writer of mine, with a bit of a theological bent, says that all prayer can be distilled into one of three words: Help, Thanks, Wow.

While interesting I think it misses the point being asked in the question which is not "how do we pray?" so much as it is "how does God answer prayer?" And of course, spinning out of that is the idea that God hears all prayer and adopts a discriminatory posture when responding to prayer.

Returning to Lamott's types of prayer offered I don't think that the three words help, thanks and wow represent something uniquely believerish. I expect unbelievers know when they are in over their head, are appropriately thankful for any help received and can be impressed with life happening before them.

The difference is probably direction, where the prayers are directed rather than whether or not believers/unbelievers can experience the same things.

So, both believers and unbelievers can ask for help. Believers will likely turn to the deity they most trust whereas unbelievers will turn to the persons they most trust. Is God obligated to answer a prayer for help not addressed to God? Do we expect God to snoop through somebody else's mail, so to speak?

So, if God hears all prayer by all people God is effectively snooping through somebody else's mail.

Do we expect God to pretend that God has not been snooping through somebody else's mail? Billy prayed to Allah, I would like to help him out but he specifically asked for Allah to intervene so I shouldn't. That kind of thing (laying aside for the moment the notion that Allah and God are the same being).

If I am at a pool and notice some kid in trouble calling for their parents do I,
A) not take action because they have asked for help from someone else or,
B) take action myself rather than wait on somebody else?

Speaking personally, I am going to take action myself rather than look around to see if anyone else can be bothered.

If God send the rain upon the just and the unjust alike I cannot imagine that God would exercise selective hearing when it comes to prayer.

Which means that the struggle is to identify which answer (yes, no, not at this time or in this way) is being given.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I went to my home group last night, and at the end we always bring up items of concern people have about someone or something someone wants to pray about. Each person jumps in as they feel moved to, and prays out loud about the concerns on the list of requests. Sometimes people opt not to, like I did last night. I always feel a bit contrived and self conscious praying out loud like that. To me, as soon as someone lifts up their concern, I have already prayed about it silently, and will continue to as I think about them throughout the week, month, year...but I am having trouble praying out loud in a circle like that. I am wondering if this is an old habit left over from these new friends having grown up in more evangelical environments, or is it just me? Does not praying like that make me less faithful? ...I tend to think that God hears us anyway. I pray silently all the time while I go about my day and I'm thinking about concerns. I think there's a verse in the bible about God knowing what we need before we ask. I'm an oddball having moved from the left closer to the centre on the Christian spectrum, and they come from the opposite direction. My problem now is conveying my feelings about this to my friends without offending them. As for the OP, if God hears anybody's prayers, I believe God hears everybody's prayers - but God isn't a vending machine or a genie that grants wishes.

 

[Jaebius]

I went to my home group last night, and at the end we always bring up items of concern people have about someone or something someone wants to pray about. Each person jumps in as they feel moved to, and prays out loud about the concerns on the list of requests. Sometimes people opt not to, like I did last night. I always feel a bit contrived and self conscious praying out loud like that. To me, as soon as someone lifts up their concern, I have already prayed about it silently, and will continue to as I think about them throughout the week, month, year...but I am having trouble praying out loud in a circle like that. I am wondering if this is an old habit left over from these new friends having grown up in more evangelical environments, or is it just me? Does not praying like that make me less faithful? ...I tend to think that God hears us anyway. I pray silently all the time while I go about my day and I'm thinking about concerns. I think there's a verse in the bible about God knowing what we need before we ask. I'm an oddball having moved from the left closer to the centre on the Christian spectrum, and they come from the opposite direction. My problem now is conveying my feelings about this to my friends without offending them. As for the OP, if God hears anybody's prayers, I believe God hears everybody's prayers - but God isn't a vending machine or a genie that grants wishes.

While we can certainly pray silently, I feel there is a specialness about praying with a group aloud. It facilitates the others in the group praying in agreement with us.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

If everybody is praying about it silently together, after the concern is raised, are they not praying in agreement?

To be honest, it feels weird to me to pray out loud in that manner. Maybe to have one articulate person lead the prayer would be better. But, like I said, as soon as someone says, "I'd like to pray about/ for __, who is going through a hard time with__." Done. That was a prayer. But, we are actually just going around the room compiling the requests first. Once we get around the room, I figure we're done...and then the praying starts.

 

[Jaebius]

If everybody is praying about it silently together, after the concern is raised, are they not praying in agreement?

They can be - so long as everyone keeps to praying what has been agreed upon beforehand. Even so, I appreciate the union and community care I feel when the group prays aloud together. Your mileage may vary.

To be honest, it feels weird to me to pray out loud in that manner. Maybe to have one articulate person lead the prayer would be better.

It felt weird to me too Cousin when I first did it in the evangelical church. I cannot recall ever doing it in the UCCanada.

 

[Delightful Life]

Many people call themselves Christians but do not have a personal relationship with God-- that is they have not received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and therefore according to scripture are away from God ----

We know that God hears all prayers from all people but does He hear the prayers of an unbeliever with the view to answer them ?


We are to come through Jesus to the Father according to scripture ----Jesus says ---I am the way the truth and the life no one comes to the Father except through me -----and we are to pray in Jesus name ----so where does that leave the unbeliever in regards to coming to God prayer and getting an answer is the big question ?

Here is the thing -----when believers pray in the name of Jesus we come in His righteousness not our self righteousness ---

the actual answer is Indeterminate

the answer is yes, Our Deity hears the prayers of the ancient seafloors that make up the Rockies, thr wishes of a lone mustard seed on that grain silo in Williamz Lake, the musings of the outflow from the old Zinc smelter in Trail, the merry prayers as a lightning bold in Venezuela briefly frightens a doe and her family before they bound off into the bush

Reality is alive and conscious and wants to play
Deity is also
Who do you think Deity would be more willing 2 interact with? A person who thinks of all reality as meaningless, unintelligent and dead? Or one who thinks of Deity as alive, full of meaning and quite conscious?

It all comes down to epistemology.

Welcome to the world of the Real.

 

[GeoFee]

God heard the deep sighs and groans of a people exploited and oppressed by a political/religious exercise of power. Just as God hears the soft crying of widows and orphans in all times and places.

 

[unsafe]

revjohn

Thanks for your reply to the OP

Your Quote -----Well if we accept as true that God hears all prayers from all people then we know that he hears the prayers of the unbeliever

While I agree that God does hears everything that unbelievers say when it comes to prayers----that doesn't mean that He hears the prayer to answer it in my view ----Answered prayer for believers is a promise as long as we pray His will not our will and follow the guidelines set out in His word to receive an answer to our prayers ----- the unbeliever in my opinion would not know the Will of God to pray His will in their prayers ---that being said God I believe would answer a prayer that a unbeliever prays for repentance ----

Well I believe God is sovereign and could do as He wishes I believe God adheres to His word and is not a respecter of persons -----that is He shows no favoritism to us as people ---He will do as He says in His word ------if we obey His word and do as He says we will get the right results --If we disobey His word then we reap the wrong results -----


Isaiah 59 (GW)
The Lord Will Turn His People from Wrongdoing
The Lord is not too weak to save
or his ear too deaf to hear.
2 But your wrongs have separated you from your God,
and your sins have made him hide his face
so that he doesn’t hear you.


unsafe says ----So here we see that He is not deaf to hear but because of iniquity and sins that we ourselves continue in His face is hidden and therefore He doesn't hear even though He hears ------


unsafe posted scripture and short video
James 5 GW

Prayer Is Powerful
13 If any of you are having trouble, pray. If you are happy, sing psalms. 14 If you are sick, call for the church leaders. Have them pray for you and anoint you with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 (Prayers offered in faith will save those who are sick, and the Lord will cure them.) If you have sinned, you will be forgiven. 16 So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed.

Prayers offered by those who have God’s approval are effective. 17 Elijah was human like us. Yet, when he prayed that it wouldn’t rain, no rain fell on the ground for three-and-a-half years. 18 Then he prayed again. It rained, and the ground produced crops.

unsafe says
So what do we do with scriptures like these ---disregard them ---say they don't matter -----as believers we are to believe what God says in His word -----

this is a 4 min video ---interesting ---we can believe or not up to us -----

 

[Jaebius]

revjohn

Thanks for your reply to the OP

Your Quote -----Well if we accept as true that God hears all prayers from all people then we know that he hears the prayers of the unbeliever

While I agree that God does hears everything that unbelievers say when it comes to prayers----that doesn't mean that He hears the prayer to answer it in my view ----Answered prayer for believers is a promise as long as we pray His will not our will and follow the guidelines set out in His word to receive an answer to our prayers ----- the unbeliever in my opinion would not know the Will of God to pray His will in their prayers ---that being said God I believe would answer a prayer that a unbeliever prays for repentance ----

Well I believe God is sovereign and could do as He wishes I believe God adheres to His word and is not a respecter of persons -----that is He shows no favoritism to us as people ---He will do as He says in His word ------if we obey His word and do as He says we will get the right results --If we disobey His word then we reap the wrong results -----


Isaiah 59 (GW)
The Lord Will Turn His People from Wrongdoing
The Lord is not too weak to save
or his ear too deaf to hear.
2 But your wrongs have separated you from your God,
and your sins have made him hide his face
so that he doesn’t hear you.


unsafe says ----So here we see that He is not deaf to hear but because of iniquity and sins that we ourselves continue in His face is hidden and therefore He doesn't hear even though He hears ------


unsafe posted scripture and short video
James 5 GW

Prayer Is Powerful
13 If any of you are having trouble, pray. If you are happy, sing psalms. 14 If you are sick, call for the church leaders. Have them pray for you and anoint you with olive oil in the name of the Lord. 15 (Prayers offered in faith will save those who are sick, and the Lord will cure them.) If you have sinned, you will be forgiven. 16 So admit your sins to each other, and pray for each other so that you will be healed.

Prayers offered by those who have God’s approval are effective. 17 Elijah was human like us. Yet, when he prayed that it wouldn’t rain, no rain fell on the ground for three-and-a-half years. 18 Then he prayed again. It rained, and the ground produced crops.

unsafe says
So what do we do with scriptures like these ---disregard them ---say they don't matter -----as believers we are to believe what God says in His word -----

this is a 4 min video ---interesting ---we can believe or not up to us -----

God is not a celestial vending machine unsafe. One cannot simply deposit the right coin of faith and get dropped their desired product of health and wealth.

 

[Delightful Life]

God heard the deep sighs and groans of a people exploited and oppressed by a political/religious exercise of power. Just as God hears the soft crying of widows and orphans in all times and places.

and not just that
but the ibex whose parents were killed in a storm
and the platypus who is beinv eaten alive by a snake
and newborn possumz who were stillborn
and the shark who is slowly dying from a fatal diseaze
Deity hears All

 

[unsafe]

Satan is the god of this world ----can Satan answer prayers ?????

Satan can parade as an angel of light -----he is master deceiver ----

Here is a 1 Min Video which addresses this question below

Amanda asks, "How do we know when God is answering our prayers, or is it the devil that is trying to trick us?"

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

You may prefer what you want. I'm not saying one is better than the other. I said: "I once came across ACTS as an acronym for how to pray that I found helpful ..." Please note the use of the word "I." This works for me.

Ditto.

 

[Delightful Life]

Satan is the god of this world ----can Satan answer prayers ?????

Satan can parade as an angel of light -----he is master deceiver ----

Here is a 1 Min Video which addresses this question below

Amanda asks, "How do we know when God is answering our prayers, or is it the devil that is trying to trick us?"

Satan has been defeated!
Alley yew yah!
Thanks, Jesus

 

[BetteTheRed]

Satan is the god of this world ----can Satan answer prayers ?????

Satan can parade as an angel of light -----he is master deceiver ----

Here is a 1 Min Video which addresses this question below

Amanda asks, "How do we know when God is answering our prayers, or is it the devil that is trying to trick us?"

Occam's Razor suggests that the simplest answer might be the right one.

RevJohn talks about the three answers to prayer: Yes, No, and Not right now in this way (and if that doesn't cover every answer/non-answer, I'm not sure what does). Not to be outdone in the supernatural answer department, Unsafe claims that some assumed "answers" include answers from Satan.

Occam's Razor suggests that "no personal god" makes a lot more sense.

 

[Luce NDs]

Occam's Razor suggests that the simplest answer might be the right one.

RevJohn talks about the three answers to prayer: Yes, No, and Not right now in this way (and if that doesn't cover every answer/non-answer, I'm not sure what does). Not to be outdone in the supernatural answer department, Unsafe claims that some assumed "answers" include answers from Satan.

Occam's Razor suggests that "no personal god" makes a lot more sense.

Some considerable gathering of the seamy stuff from the wasted might be required ... and thus the crappy part of the story giving rise to thought ... the gods despise thinking personas ... thus the lesser or base part as seamy ... the altered bias?

I don't sew but I can weave about in the fabric ... Thus:

Our fiction addiction: Why humans need stories
​

Some old dodge (sage carrier) onece said you couldn't tell a human soul pure info as they wouldn't believe it (falls as Nous) ... and thus mythical intelligence when among the truly opinionated ... appears as abba dream ...

 

[unsafe]

Jae your quote ------God is not a celestial vending machine unsafe.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God Jae according to scripture ---that is the only faith that works for answered prayer Jae----there are 3 kinds of Faith according to scripture ------only one kind of Faith works in regard to God's word ------ now we can believe this or not ------

You can ignore the scriptures all you want to and preach false Doctrine to your church that is up to you ----many preach to please their church and ignore the truth -----sugar coating scripture is far to common in our world today in my opinion ------

Read and weep Jae -----not my words Jae ---God's word -----you can interpret it as you like but seems pretty straight forward to me ------if you have issues with scriptures it talk to God not me -----

Faith is the title deed to answered prayer as long as you follow the instructions ---and what are the instructions -----here are some ----ask according to His will is one as seen below -----

1 John 5:14-15 Amplified Bible (AMP)
14 This is the [remarkable degree of] confidence which we [as believers are entitled to] have before Him: that if we ask anything according to His will, [that is, consistent with His plan and purpose] He hears us.

15 And if we know [for a fact, as indeed we do] that He hears and listens to us in whatever we ask, we [also] know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that we have [granted to us] the requests which we have asked from Him.

Footnotes:

1. 1 John 5:14 Confident, abiding faith combined with God’s power can produce amazing results, if the request is in harmony with God’s will. God is fully capable of doing that which man regards as impossible (Mark 14:36; James 4:3).

John 15:7 (AMPC)
7 If you live in Me [abide vitally united to Me] and My words remain in you and continue to live in your hearts, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.


unsafe says ---here we see we are to abide in Him and keep His word in our hearts ------if we follow these instructions it says It Shall be done for you -------Jae this is a promise -----it is not a whim ---get the right results when obey the word -----


Mark 11:24 (AMP)
24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever things you ask for in prayer[in accordance with God’s will], believe [with confident trust] that you have received them, and they will be given to you.


unsafe says ----more instructions above here Jae -----and then it says they will be given ----promise here Jae ------


Mark 11:25-26 (NKJV)
Forgiveness and Prayer
25 “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.


unsafe says -----more instructions here Jae ----forgiveness is needed to get the right result ------


So Jae you are so right God is not a vending machine for anyone ----to get answered prayer it takes work for believers -------

if anything I believe that people who refuse to acknowledge God's Son and what he accomplished on the Cross for us and remain in this world carrying on with their sinful nature not giving God the time of day and disobey His word are the people who are expecting God to be a vending machine for them when it comes to prayer ------

We are to obey God's word ------if we can rightly divide the word of God we can wrongly divide it in my view ------so anyone who wants to sugar coat scripture and please people in my view are wrongly dividing the word of God and are feeding their Church wrong words and doctrine -----but that is just my view


important scriptures here in my view ---food for thought ---are we a God pleaser or a people pleaser ----

----

Romans 9:1

 

[chansen]

How did Jesus "accomplish" anything on the cross? He was just hanging out on it. By that explanation, teens hanging out at the mall are accomplishing something.

 

[Luce NDs]

How did Jesus "accomplish" anything on the cross? He was just hanging out on it. By that explanation, teens hanging out at the mall are accomplishing something.

Ever heard of the great escape ... an enigma given all the lies we have to deal with for the tyrants ... corruptive powers?

I covered this in another threat about the nature of story ... not mine but from BBC "Culture" ... an undertow of the Thames ... and from there off to Zae ...

Many wouldn't go that far ... to much of ankh ... bloody beadles ... deep in the dung ... political chit? A wee bit ...

Medium position in the fabric ...