Praying Wrong

Hey Brian,
A question - When you tell someone that you prayed for God's help for something and he answered your prayer but you're not sure why he answered the way he did - and that person tells you that you prayed wrong, what do you say? She says you need to be careful how you pray and that you make sure to say exactly what you want down to the smallest detail. I just wondered how you felt about "praying wrong".


Thanks for asking the question. The person that you talked to was making prayer harder than it is supposed to be. Jeremiah 29:12 says: “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Who added, ", but only if you make sure to say exactly what you want down to the smallest detail."?

The Bible tells us so much about prayer.
Matthew 6:5 Jesus said, "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. "This, then, is how you should pray: "'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'' Notice that Jesus tells us not to go "on babbling", but just talk open and honest to your Heavenly Father, Abba, as you would your own dad. You don't have to get every detail, because He knows what you need before you ask Him. He knows, but wants you to pray for your benefit of talking to him about it ... some call it "venting". We need to talk for our good. God loves to hear from His Kids and isn't looking at the words as much as your intent. Sure, our Heavenly Father doesn't want a hurried "Half-hearted" effort, a ritual obligation out of obligation without sincere meaning, or self-centered lists of personal non-essentials based on covetousness, pleasure or greed; no parents would enjoy such a conversation. Prayer time is "devotion time" with our Creator Father in heart to heart talk ... as intimate and as safe as it gets. James 4: 2-4 "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. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God?" God is not a Genie in the sky to grant selfish and worldly wishes, which the false "prosperity gospel" thinks. Our prayers must be aligned with His perfect love, will, way and word. Remember that God searches the heart. But our all-seeing & all-knowing God even sees the details that you & I do not see, and as the perfect Father, who loves His child is going to answer - either yes, no or wait. You are not sure why He answered your specific prayer for help in the manner that He did, but rest assured that it was answered according to His purpose for you and that shall be revealed, but it wasn't because you lacked saying exactly what you want down to the smallest detail.

Secondly, when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell within of heart. in John 14:15 Jesus tells us, "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." The Holy Spirit counsels and guides the Christian, even in our prayers. Romans 8:26-28 tells us, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." So, when you & I don't come up with, or forget, what you need and desire in your prayers to God, the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, intercedes for us and expresses those missed prayer requests. Nothing is missed. Is that awesome or what?!

One thing is for sure, and that is that you have a unique, personal relationship with your Heavenly Father. The Creator of Heaven & Earth not only knows and loves you, his daughter or son, who is worth so much that He sent His Son to die for your Sins that you may have eternal life in Heaven with Him, but knows even every hair on your head. In Matthew 10:29-30 Jesus said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." That's how important you are to God! Don't worry about how exact the details of your prayers are. God is pleased that you are praying ... many don't as much as they should. Deuteronomy 4:7 “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?”

I wrote a couple Blog messages titled "The Garden of Prayer" & "God Answers Prayer" that may be helpful to you also. If you like to read them, just go to my Blog site @ http://briantodd.blogspot.com/ and scroll down the right side to the "Labels" column and click on the label "Prayer".

I hope that this explanation of Prayer helped you understand clearer that there isn't a special and rigid formula that God required in Prayer between you and him. Child of God, God loves you! That’s the best detail of all. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

In Christ, Brian