S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

There is nothing crazy, ridiculous, or unreasonable about one person talking to another person. Prayer is simply conversation with our Creator. God is spirit, but He is also a Person, which means H...

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July 01 2013 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Supporter Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

People who adhere to the major religions of the world (Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindhus, Buddhists) and other native aboriginal groups all talk to God (or some higher power) as part of their religious practice.

These people comprise the vast majority of all human beings. What does that say about the few people who don't talk to God? Are they insane? 

The answer is actually quite simple. God created all human beings and wired within us a deep longing for a relationship with him. That relationship involves communication and prayer is simply the way people talk to God.

As Christians we talk to God about many different things which can be summarized using an acrostic ACTS for:
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication
Adoration - we adore God for who he is, offering our praise and worship to celebrate his nature and character
Confession - we come before God with humble and contrite hearts when we have indulged our sinful desires and rebelled against his perfect will for us. We ask for his forgiveness and cleansing, then do our best to follow his commands.
Thanksgiving - we thank God for his creation; for what he has done in our lives; for our salvation; for his daily provision to meet our needs and for answered prayer.
Supplication - we petition God with our supplications to meet our own needs, the needs of those we love and for his will to be done through the church for the benefit of the whole world.

When we have a right relationship with God (all known sins have been repented of) then God promises to hear our prayers. Extraordinarily, God also promises to answer our prayers when we pray in accordance with his good, pleasing and perfect will.

In my view, there are 3 prerequisites for Christians to pray in accordance with God's will:
1) we need to believe that he exists and hears our prayers, without any doubts in our hearts
2) we need to know what God's will is by having a thorough knowledge of the bible, because that is where God has revealed himself and his will for all humankind.
3) we need to pray "in or through" Jesus name as he is our advocate before God in the throne room of heaven. We also need to learn how to depend on the Holy Spirit to teach & lead us in prayer.

When we pray God hears and answers our prayers. But how does he answer? From my experience and the testimony of the bible God answers in the following ways:
1) By an audible voice
2) By a waking vision
3) By a dream during sleep
4) By thoughts impressed upon the mind
5) By emotions stirred in the heart
6) By the counsel of other godly people
7) By circumstantial signs that are clearly evident and not coincidental

These types of answers were common to Old Testament prophets, priests and kings. They were also common place among Jesus apostles in the early church. Personally I have experienced all these types of answers on a regular basis except for an audible voice. On one occasion the words in my mind were so clear I thought the message came from an audible voice.

Some prayers can be in the form of a statement such as "You are healed." Some prayers can be in the form of a command such as "Be silent" when dealing with a demon. These kinds of prayers are always inspired and prompted by the Holy Spirit.

One note of caution. God's answer to prayer will always be in harmony with his written word, the bible. If we think God is directing us in a manner that contradicts his Word, then we should ignore that answer since it is likely a deception from Satan to lead us astray.

The key to our entire prayer life is FAITH. It takes faith to even approach the creator of the universe with our requests. Only by faith can we see the answers to our prayers that God provides. Jesus said that if we had faith as small as a mustard seed we could say to a mountain "Move" and it would move (all in accordance with God's will).

We receive faith as a gift from God once we have accepted Jesus as our personal Saviour and Lord.

September 07 2016 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

joyce whaley Supporter

No it’s just the opposite people that do not communicate with God daily are the ones missing out on an incredible relationship. As Mr. Houdmann stated in his commentary we are God’s finest creation and interaction with his daily, sometimes all throughout the day is something that he delights in. Psalms 33:1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely…. There is no other way given unto man but through communication to reach the Lord God. 

Or let’s say it’s not insane for those who know the Lord Jesus in the pardon of their sins to communicate with him. However for those who have not yet “taste to see that the Lord is good” it might appear strange. Psalm 34:8

May 28 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Don Whitley Supporter Husband, father, grandpa and a Christian.

I wouldn't say that they are insane, but I think it to be a scary proposition. The reason I say that is people who believe that they hear audibly directly from God often do very scary and unbiblical things or make ridiculous prophecies about the end of times and such which the Bible says no one knows except God. Matt 24:35-36 Or kill their babies because God gave them that message. Matthew 19:18, Exodus 20:13

I would add that if God spoke directly to me as he did to others in the OT and in the NT, shouldn't I share it with others? Shouldn't I shout it for all to hear? But I have never had the Lord speak directly to me separate from my reading His word. And why would he speak directly to you and not to me? God doesn't show partiality or does He? Romans 2:11, Acts 10:34

There are in the Bible what some of us call dispensations, periods of time for God's purpose that some things existed that are not available to us today because the purpose they were intended for was accomplished. And I believe this is true about this particular subject. 

We have examples in the OT and the NT where God did speak directly to the some including the prophets, certain individuals (Moses, Abraham) Apostles and early disciples. The purpose was to give evidence of who Christ was and Christ sent the Holy Spirit for them to remind them of what Christ taught in order to correctly teach others and as a comforter when He left them to return to His Father. John 14:16-26 

I wish to add in the aforementioned verses God is speaking directly to His apostles making the promise of a comforter to them directly. They did not have the written word and needed a helper in Christ's absence. We have the written word for us to study and to refer to constantly so we don't heed the Holy Spirit for the same purposes that they did.


Those special aids and gifts were not extended beyond the very early church, but we do converse with God through prayer and I believe that God answers prayers that are asked according to His will. James 5:13-18 

Don't confuse God talking to you with your conscience and also remember your conscience isn't always a good guide in judging right from wrong. Our conscience is only as good as the information we provide it and our wisdom without God's word certainly will be lacking.

I've never heard God speak to me in prayer, but it is like talking to a very good friend in that I can thank Him for loving, caring and providing for me and I can ask things from Him. 

I might ask Him to heal my spiritual, physical issues or someone else's. I can ask for Him to forgive my sins if I truly repent and do my best in turning from them. I can ask Him to open doors for me that I might have opportunities to share His word with others or even a specific individual. I can pray for patience and a love for my fellowman. I don't think I should pray for a more beautiful house or a big bank account or a yacht but humility is good as is being slow to anger or asking for wisdom. I have seen miraculous outcomes through my prayers to God.

I would say that they are misguided and have an improper understanding of God's word on Him speaking directly to us. I just think it a very dangerous place for one to be.

October 09 2014 • 6 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Dale Miller Supporter

Just the opposite, in a sense I think that people who don't talk to God are missing out what God is offering them. I have had God speak to me in an audible voice before and I'm sure I'm not the only one that this has happened to. In one instance God spoke to me quite clearly and said go pray and as soon as I hit my knees I begin to pray in tongues. There is no one that can convince me that was not God speaking to me. 

The Word says that God is a Spirit and those that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. I believe that if anyone is open-minded to the things of God and has truly had a born-again experience they will hear God speaking to them in one way or another. God created us because he loves us and wants us to fellowship with him so why would we not? We are in the last days and needs to develop a relationship with God so that we will be prepared for his return.

In the Old Testament God spoke you to man in audible voices and through his mighty miracles. In the New Testament, we have been given a better Covenant because it is based upon the blood of Jesus and His righteousness and nothing that we have done. God gave us the perfect sacrifice once and for all. That does not mean that God cannot speak to us today in whatever way he chooses because you cannot put a limit on God. We have just been given a better Covenant, the sacrificial blood of Jesus, a one-time sacrifice for all who would receive Him-Jn 3:3.

July 08 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report