Christians!

Another thought is that if it's affecting your thinking generally, get someone else who isn't so close to the problem to pray for/with you.

Another thought is that Jesus is now doing something he wasn't doing while he walked this earth ... making people sons/daughters of God with a new outlook on God and life ... have you got what all the disciples received in Acts 2?

It's not really affecting my thinking generally, I'm happy praying to God all the time!

Sorry, what to do you mean he's making people of God with a new outlook on God and life? How do you know and what's the new outlook?

Didn't they receive the Holy Spirit? I don't know, I don't think I have the Holy Spirit in me.

Thank you for your response!!

Hello,
I am praying for something and I came across this online... Mark 11:24 states "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

It says that "believe that you have received it" and I do have faith, but how am I believing that I have received what I'm praying for, if I'm praying for that thing every single day? Like doesn't it not seem that I'm believing that I have received it if I'm praying to God everyday about it?

I'm sorry if that doesn't make sense.

Thank you!!

Hi

I'm a Muslim, rather than Christian, but since the question is regarding prayer, I thought I'd offer my two cents

In my understanding, in light of my own faith, the purpose of the statement is to inspire firm conviction in prayer/supplication, to remove any doubt with regards to the prayer being answered - hence it is said to 'believe that you have already recieved it', because you have no doubt that God is Ever-listening to your prayers and has the power to grant what you ask for.

Further to this, my faith teaches that many prayers/supplications are accepted, yet some are not - the reason for this may be some greater good which man lacks the foresight to comprehend at the time, or it may be that some other certain event is destined to occur instead of what is being prayed for (which again, is part of a bigger picture as all the events in our life link together).

On this note, there is a quote which you may find helps explain the matter:

"The divine decree related to the believer is always a bounty, even if it is in the form of withholding (something that is desired), and it is a blessing, even if it appears to be a trial, and an affliction that has befallen him is in reality a cure, even though it appears to be a disease!

Unfortunately, due to the ignorance of the worshipper, and his transgressions, he does not consider anything to be a gift or a blessing or a cure unless he can enjoy it immediately, and it is in accordance with his nature. If he were only given a little bit of understanding, then he would have counted being withheld from as a blessing, and the sickness as a mercy, and he would relish the trouble that befalls him more than he relishes his ease, and he would enjoy poverty more than he enjoys richness, and he would be more thankful when he is blessed with little than when he is blessed with a lot."

[Madarij al-Salikeen 2/215-216]

Hey Yeah, I understand, thank you for your long and detailed response!

Hello,
I am praying for something and I came across this online... Mark 11:24 states "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

It says that "believe that you have received it" and I do have faith, but how am I believing that I have received what I'm praying for, if I'm praying for that thing every single day? Like doesn't it not seem that I'm believing that I have received it if I'm praying to God everyday about it?

I'm sorry if that doesn't make sense.

Thank you!!

There is another bible verse in Philippians 4 v 6

Let your gentleness be obvious to everyone. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition (supplication), with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.…

..... Latin verb supplicare, which means "to plead humbly."

God asks us to pray already giving thanks. This can seem a strange thing to do and at times almost impossible. But why request something of God if you don't believe he will answer, you only pray in faith believing he will.

But, and I found this out last year, obviously not all prayers will be answered in our lifetime, we may never see the answer to a prayer we are requesting but in faith we must thank God for the good outcome we seek.

When a friend of mine died from cancer last year it was a very hard time, I had difficulty understanding why our prayers were not answered.
Then someone said to me 'it wasn't Gods will'.

We are taught by Jesus to pray the Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)

After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.
Amen