I pray often and with ease. I never miss a day and take great pleasure in talking to God. I find that things always work out afterwards and for this and everything else that's good in my life I give daily thanks. I pray only to our Heavenly Father in Jesus' name. Last night I prayed that God would help two of my family members, who are always in a conflict of some sort, overcome their differences and work together in peace on something they were supposed to do today. Well, the exact opposite happened and today was just awful! Not only did the two of them argue, but other family members got involved (which never happened before) and lots of people ended up being upset, hurt and not talking to each other! I've never seen their arguments escalate like this which is why I feel my prayer totally backfired and don't understand why. I didn't expect them to become instant besties but didn't think things would go this far either. Could I have done/said something wrong while praying? I'm definitely continuing with the prayer for the peace between my family members but I'm feeling completely baffled.. Any thoughts?
Any reason why a prayer would backfire?
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This verse came to my mind. I think we can very well apply this verse to your question. It talks about goodness of heavenly father. The answer to your question, prayer will never backfire. God will never give evil when we ask him something.
Mathew 7:9-11
9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Mathew 7:9-11
9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
Prayer does change things, but we are God's servants, and not the reverse. And especially, God does not change hearts by force.
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One of the main points of the book of Job is that God arranges things to work His purposes, which may not be discernible from our viewpoint.
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On a _very_ trivial level, I am sure that there were many people praying that the Panthers would win. On a less superficial level, many farmers will pray through a drought for rain needed to keep his crops alive.
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Imagine a young Hebrew who was taken away at the start of the Babylonian captivity. I am sure that many fervent prayers were directed to God to end the suffering. God had something His people needed to learn about Him before that captivity could end.
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One of the main points of the book of Job is that God arranges things to work His purposes, which may not be discernible from our viewpoint.
--
On a _very_ trivial level, I am sure that there were many people praying that the Panthers would win. On a less superficial level, many farmers will pray through a drought for rain needed to keep his crops alive.
--
Imagine a young Hebrew who was taken away at the start of the Babylonian captivity. I am sure that many fervent prayers were directed to God to end the suffering. God had something His people needed to learn about Him before that captivity could end.
The devil does enjoy intercepting our prayers and answering them himself in his evil ways. One way I counteract that is to pray with the authority of Jesus Christ, praying the word. The angelic realm is then set in motion to uphold the word. The devil cannot get past that.
Howdy! Very interesting question, and thought I would throw my 2 cents in. I suppose prayer could back fire if one asks God for something, but then doubts God will do what they ask. I'm basing this thought on the verse that says, "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord."
Hey! Haven't seen you in a while
I don't know if that should be considered as backfiring. If a person asks for something and gets into a situation worse than what he was, then that is back firing. Otherwise, he is just being in status quo.
Yes I have a thought for you but it is from the Lord and not me.
Romans 8:26–27 ..............
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God".
Then God says in verse 28...........
"And we know that ALL THINGS work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose".
That means it is God who knows what we need top pray for and it is He who is working ALL things together for good even when we do not think that it is for our good......He knows more about us than we know about ourselves.
Hey! Yes, it has been awhile. Good to hear from you.Hey! Haven't seen you in a while
I don't know if that should be considered as backfiring. If a person asks for something and gets into a situation worse than what he was, then that is back firing. Otherwise, he is just being in status quo.
A Christian is a peace maker. The prayer is answered in that you are there to make the peace.
A Christian is placed with people needing the Lord. If you want peace in your surroundings, not gonna happen until we are in heaven. But the peace we can have is God's peace that surpasses all understanding Phil 4:7.
This is the only one I know of James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Yes! I miss you!
I used to believe God's answer were "Yes, No, Maybe" until I read these verses:
2 Corinthians 5:7
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
Psalms 66:18
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear [me]:
Now I know God's answers are "Yes", and "Sorry I can't hear you, your sin is in the way."
I agree that sin gets in the way of prayer, however not all of God's answers are yes. And I'm glad not all His answers are yes.
A person immature in their faith may be praying night and day for something, but because of their immaturity they misunderstand a concept of God. Because of their immaturity, it is not sin that gets in the way, but God may answer "no" for the good of the immature believer.
God does not have to answer us Yes to all prayer, that is backwards to who the authority of God is. We should pray with all faithfulness, however we should be reverent of the decision that God made.
I understand where you're coming from and you are correct. But too many choose not to find out WHY the prayers are not answered. They just listen to all the others scream "I told you so" - even our own flesh. You can't chuck 2 Cor 1:20 because of human experience or logic. It's one of God's promises. It's easier to ignore it than to discover why it's not working. That's what the apostles did when they couldn't cast out the demon from the child, they asked why, Matt 17. They wanted to grow.
Maturity does play a factor in it, but at the same time, it's a clue as to our maturity. If we remain in ignorance, then we remain immature. For example, playing the lottery and asking God to grant the winning numbers, isn't having faith in God but in the game. Trusting in God to get one out of debt, first comes by cutting up all the credit cards. Every step takes us to the promises of God. Another example is if we harbor sin in our hearts, God won't hear our prayers and so He can't hear our claims on His promises. If we dabble in pornography, that's adultery, and God won't hear our prayers. And because of this sin, the devil has the right to attack us in our eyes, our brains, our privates. Usually the things that are "sick" are the things used to commit the sin. Emotions hide in various parts as well. Bitterness and envy are in our bones - arthritis. Anger and worry in the heart. Etc. All of us are at various levels of immaturity but God honors those who live righteously and holy and those that give Him all the glory. We will be immature until He comes and we shed this corruption.
True, but it is His promises we're talking about. So, if He said so, who am I to say otherwise?
Luke 12:32
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Taking God for granted is another thing:
Deuteronomy 28:45-47
All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever. Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things,
Interesting no? Indeed when we lack nothing it's easy to forgive to give thanks for the little things. We get sucked into the cares of the world and we neglect to give God the glory continually. Then we slip up and sin comes upon us and then the curses.
Romans 8:31-32
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
So you have a choice: believe the simple plain word of God and be effectual, or not. It's all about Him. His promises are ours to take first because He said so, but secondly because it brings HIM and ONLY Him the glory. Once we rob Him of His glory, the promise is nullified, just like Paul said.
I am not in any unbelief about the word of God or what it says. And that means that God can still say no to us. A father who does not say no to his children is a useless father
1st john 5:14 says “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us"
And John is speaking to all Christians here. People, myself included can earnestly yearn and pray for good things that are outside of the specific will of God. Like when David wanted to build the temple and God said no.
God doesn't care if we are happy in our situations, He cares if we are pursuing Him in all situations.
Ok.
Missed u too!