[Triund]

I had this experience in the past that when I prayed for people, people got the results and things happened. What I prayed for I got. Yet I am neither a prophet nor a healer. However, many of my prayers are unanswered and I understand reasons for that.

Today I read the section, Mark 6:5-6 "And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching".

My question is that when we pray and a prayer is answered because it is only I who have faith on Lord Jesus or the person for whom I pray also has to have faith on Lord Jesus?

[jakester]

Triund - two thoughts come to mind with respect to your question.

First, James says "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

Now, the immediate context is asking God for wisdom in the midst of trials. But I think the idea here is that whatever we ask for from God must be asked for in real faith. The wavering and doubting portion of James statement is dealing with a person who is sort of non-committal. For example, we often see in movies a depiction of a person who is praying. They'll say things like "God, I don't know if you are real or not but just in case you are, I'd like you to do something for me." Well, I think that this is precisely the sort of attitude that James is talking about. A person who hasn't really settled the issue yet of God's existence. Another person will believe God exists but he's really not sure if he's good or trustworthy. I believe I've seen this attitude in movies as well. A husband/father kneeling beside his ailing wife or child, calling out to God to spare the life of his loved one. That person passes away and the husband/father is furious with God and curses him. A third type of person is the one who is consumed with trying to gain material blessings from God. A person who is obsessed with being blessed by his creator for his own selfish reasons, not for the purposes of God. These are the types of attitudes that James is addressing in his epistle.

It is my belief that the bible is teaching that the genuine believer in God believes that God is not only real but that he is good. God is willing to bless his people with good things but he deals with his people differently than with unbelievers. The primary difference in God's dealings with his people vs those who are not, is that he has chosen to forgive the sins of his people. He goes to work on his own to purge them of their evil desires and gives them a vision for what is good and right. He does not do that for those whom he has not chosen. God does still bless the ungodly though because they are still part of his creation. He does not treat them evilly but with kindness. Consider Matthew 5:

“You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

So, although God does still treat the ungodly with dignity and respect, he does not hear their prayers because the ungodly person does not have the proper context for understanding God and his purposes. The ungodly person has neither the heart for God nor the desire to ask him for what is good out of a proper motive. Consider John 9:

“We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.”

In the Jewish idiom, a sinner is someone who has not bowed his knee to God; someone who does not care to obey God or to do his will. We are all sinners in one sense—we are all evil and morally corrupt. But when the bible uses the term sinner, it is referring to someone who is an enemy of God and has not been reconciled to him. The bible assumes that the believer is one who has had his sins forgiven, and thus is now in good standing with God. He was once a sinner, but now he is a son/daughter.

Lastly, when a believer comes to God asking for something, we can have a confident expectation that if God wills, he will do what we ask. We must ask him with the right motive and we must ask him for something that is consistent with his character. We may ask God for things that he has never promised to give us. The bible talks about the things he will provide to us when we ask him. Things like forgiveness, wisdom, and grace. Too often we are concerned about earthly things in our prayers. Jesus said that we shouldn't be concerned for things like food and clothing. In other words, material things. Why? Because unbelievers are concerned for those things and if God is our Father, we must come to learn that he will take care of our needs so we don't have to worry about them. Instead, Jesus says that we ought to pray for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and the things we need will be added unto us. In other words, be concerned about what being a child of God is and what righteousness means and while we are busy spending our lives learning these things, God will take care of the rest. After all, as Jesus asked: Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

I hope this answers your question. Let me know if I missed something.

Sincerely.

[homesell]

Short answer. God always answers prayer. Sometimes it is yes and sometimes it's no and sometimes God says, "Thanks for the input but I'm gonna do things my way"
God told the "friends" of Job that he would direct Job to pray for them and because of the prayer of Job, God would spare their lives.Many unbelievers have had answered prayer(healing) just because God is gracious, he 'takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked'

[arcura]

Triund,
I agree with both Jakester and Homesell on this.
Don't delay in prayer for others who need it regardless of whether they have faith or not.
And DO have faith that God will hear your prayers and answer them according to His will and in the way that He wants to answer them.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

[adam7gur]

Triund
Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
You may think that is not what you ask for but...
The Greek text says not that the matter shall be established , but at the mouth of two or at the mouth of three shall the word be certain!
Forgive my English, but the meaning is that it takes two or three mouths to make the word come alive!
So when you pray for others you are at least that second mouth that makes that specific law of God work.
When you pray for yourself it is always more difficult because you need one more witness to testify with you that same thing you pray for.
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Does this mean that we always have to have someone else with us to pray along so that things happen?
Yes it does! Does this someone has to be human?
No it does not! It is the Holly Spirit, the Paraclete, which in English is translated the Comforter but in Greek the Paraclete means , the one who is called.
So you call the Holy Spirit to pray with you and if you and the Holy Spirit pray for the same thing that thing will come alive.Our problem many times is that we do not ask what the Holy Spirit thinks of our request.
But it is us who need to make the Spirit's will, ours.When we go along with the Spirit's will then the Spirit's will shall be done!
You seem to be a very good intercessor and the Churh needs many of them.
Don't give up!