Perhaps two examples will help you understand what I mean when I talk of an immortal prayer. The first example is about a man who came to the altar one night during a camp meeting, weeping in deep conviction of sin. After a period of earnest prayer, he was converted and gave this amazing testimony. His father had been a faithful preacher for many years and had repeatedly prayed throughout those years for him, his unsaved son. His father did not live to see his son saved, however at this particular camp meeting and on this exact night, the loving Lord Jesus answered the father’s prayers and saved his wrecked son. This all happened years after the faithful servant of God had died and gone to heaven. Amazing love!

The second example is about Moses, the man who led the children of Israel to the Promised Land. If you remember the story, Moses had been in the wilderness for 40 years and had witnessed the mighty hand of God throughout that whole journey from Egypt. His prayer was to get all the children of Israel, including himself into the Promised Land safely. But Moses got mad at the people of Israel and hurt his testimony before God by his words and actions. God therefore would not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land. God did however allow Moses to see it from a mountain top, and then he went to be with the Lord.

Several hundred years later at a different mountain in the Promised Land, when Jesus and three of His chosen disciples were on the high mountain of Transfiguration; who was seen with Jesus? There were two other men with Jesus and one of them was Moses, in the Promised Land.

Answered prayer is never on our time frame or in or way of things; but the One how owns eternity and time will answer your prayers according to His will and way.

I just thought I’d tell you that as I began to read the words, He says “ask in my name”. It’s important to understand this, or you will just tag on “in your name” to any prayer, and when it’s not even answered, you may well start to doubt God. “In Jesus’ name” means… I began to laugh and shake my head – not at you, but in appreciation for yet another demonstration of His wonderful faithfulness.

You see, I’ve been having some issues with this lately, some questions, and yesterday as I walked down the little dirt road back to my house after my jog and prayed to God, I asked Him that very question: “Am I praying to the Father, am I praying to the Son, am I missing Jesus in all this by simply praying in His name? If I forget that phrase, you know I meant it, don’t you? I’m sorry I missed this little concept, but I’m not sure I get how this works.”

He has been tremendous in His provision of the answers to my questions. I prayed about the concept of denying myself and taking up my cross on Saturday night, and on Sunday there was a message on it and on Monday I “bumped into” a video clip of Dr. MacArthur’s discussion of Salvation through Jesus Christ where he talks about that very thing. It’s one thing to *kind of* know these things on an intellectual level, it’s another thing to know them on a practical level.

And so, Mr. Phipps, today I “just happened” to look at the comments on this article and there was a simple comment of yours that began to answer my question – and only offered further proof that our patient, merciful, just God is just as faithful as He promises to be. Thank you.

It’s not coincidental that the list of 15 really are descriptors of non-believers.

Don’t don’t forget the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to our account in determining whether or not we can expect God to hear our prayers. In the same way, my kid can ask with all the wrong motives (even if he’s trying to behave himself) and get an answer while the angelic kid-next-door won’t even get a hearing no matter his motives.
That doesn’t get us believers off the hook when we pray but it gives us reason to be cautious and confident simultaneously when we pray.

If the sinner does not pray ACCORDING WITH THE REVEALED WILL of God; his/her prayer is without FAITH and hence dead in sin.

The first prayer of Faith is that given by the awkeing of the Spirit of Truth and Grace, that of REPENTANCE, OBEDIENCE and LOVE for the glory of the LORD Himself.

Prayer is NOT about us; it is about our Father and His will and purposes for His own glory.

Sola Gratia! Soli Deo Gloria!

It is ALL about Him and we joyfully and most willingly (By grace alone) submit ourselves in prayer to His service, seeking the redemption of many lost sinners to His glory and praise.

“Unfortunately most Christians fail in one or more (if not all) of these areas! Does that mean God won’t answer any prayers?”

Hence I would like to add this Scriptural instruction regarding our prayer MOTIVE and ATTITUDE in prayer, which relates to our CONFIDENCE in WHY AND HOW prayers WILL be answered.

1 John 5:14
“Now this is the CONFIDENCE that we have in Him, that if we ask anything ACCORDING TO His WILL, He HEARS US.”

I trust that you all have been blessed of the LORD on the LORD’s day with all love among the brethren, serving our King for His glory in truth, love and deed. What a privildge it is to be able to fellowship with the saints!

Let us be bold and speak the truth in love to the spiritually dead, that the Spirit may awaken them unto eternal live and love for our Father.

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord (James 1:6-7).

If you read what James is talikng about you’ll see that this is taken slightly out of context, as James is talking about one kind of prayer – asking God for wisdom. So this does not apply to anything else. The reason he talks about faith is that v5 says:
“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”
So, there’s a promise from God here, so lack of faith in this issue is denying what God says throuh James about Himself. This passage is actually a positive, not a negative. It’s saying, when you’re in a situation where you know you need God’s wisdom, it’s guaranteed. To doubt is calling God a liar. James is writing to believers.

Jesus guarantees to answer a certain kind of prayer – more than that, He says “I will do it”, in John 14:13-14.(Again, He’s talking to believers). He says “ask in my name”. It’s important to understand this, or you will just tag on “in your name” to any prayer, and when it’s not even answered, you may well start to doubt God. “In Jesus’ name” means to pray for the kinds of things that He prayed for while He was on the earth, or to pray for the kind of work that He is at the centre of. These sorts of prayers He guarantees not just to answer, but to do what we ask. To explain a bit more, it’s like an ambassador for a government – when they go to a foreign country to speak in the name of the government they represent, they’re speaking ‘in the name’ of the President or Prime Minister etc. This means they’ll be saying the same things that the President/prime minister would be saying if they were there in person.
To pray like this involves getting to know Jesus more and more.
This is not to say we can’t pray about anything else, it just means that with many other requests, God doesn’t guarantee to answer us, so we shouldn’t act like He is our servant.
It’s good to know that the almighty God make promises to us that He always keeps.

Also, Ramon says that the only prayer God hears from an unbeliever is the prayer for salvation. I think that’s telling God what He’s allowed to do. I agree that the prayer for salvation is probably the only prayer from an unbeliever that God guarantees to answer, but He has the choice to answer when He chooses. I know people who’s testimonies have been that God answered prayer for them well before they became one of His children, and that this was part of their journey to salvation. Be careful not to put limits on God unless He specifically says it Himself.

Matthew 5:44-46
“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; FOR HE MAKES HIS SUN RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD, AND SENDS RAIN ON THE JUST AND THE UNJUST. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?”