When Should I Stop Praying for Something?

Ask Pastor John
Episode: 413
Transcript: www.desiringgod.org/interview...

[@EricSmyth2Christ]

I heard a story of a woman who prayed for a grand piano everyday for 35 years and the people next door died and she got this real nice piano out of it. I think the family offered it or something like that because they didn't need it. I know in my life I prayed for my friend Kyle for 8 years and he was a heavy athiest and anti theist. I thought he was going to be lost for good. Last year he went on a mission trip to Mexico and told me about his 2 hour prayer where he was so close to God and was crying during it. I felt convicted by it myself, for I haven't even prayed like that in years God never has, and never will cease to amaze me

[@nate1735]

efesios 3, 20

[@markpettit4945]

Pray without ceasing

[@miraclesfollowme]

God will press into your spirit to either continue or stop praying about that particular thing

[@coffeelover9265]

It’s hard to say. I was told a story where this woman prayed 40 years for her husband to be saved. It took her 40 years.... so, keep on praying.

[@kaboom9081]

Pray for people, family, friends every day, because they all are under the power of redemption while they are still alive "better a live dog than a dead lion"

[@tommy11sixorozco9]

“A prayerless Christian is like a bus driver trying alone to push his bus out of a rut because he doesn't know Clark Kent is on board.” - Johnny Pipe

[@captaincurd2681]

30 years of prayer and am almost about to give up.

[@tommy11sixorozco9]

@@captaincurd2681 what is going on??

[@supremesammm912]

@@captaincurd2681are you still praying?

[@captaincurd2681]

I love this man. He goes straight to the scriptures.

[@ryanr8473]

Can't afford not to pray

[@dwightwilliams311]

I have been praying to God to provide a wife for me more than 13 years now. I prayed and begged God to help me, but nothing happens. I feel so bad it hurts my soul to the core. I feel like God really doesn't care about me.

[@travisvoss5006]

I've had the same prayer for a wife for many years. I empathize with your frustrated heart!

[@TheCreepypro]

help us to be persistent in prayer Lord

[@busterbullet3063]

💛💛💛

[@kathleenwharton2139]

Your thoughts and feelings ARE Your Prayers! You cannot Help but Pray. Gods Knows You! And your contrived prayers probably don't count! Hopefully God will Forgive you of the ones..you just want to Sound good!

[@jimmiepatrum]

Is it God's will for me to know whether or not my deceased husband is in Heaven? I pray that somehow God will let me know that he is, but I don't know if it is God's will for me to know. Diane in NC

[@chrisbuckler6777]

I believe I have done this. Sinned for so long and now my heart is too hard to repent. I can't find any genuine desire to be saved. I can only hope my kids will not do as I have done.

[@logancrane197]

Me and you both

[@leine-marie153]

Dear Chris, perhaps you can still ask the Holy Spirit to soften your heart?... you don't have to feel anything for that. 🙂

[@chrisbuckler6777]

@@leine-marie153 been praying something along those lines for a year and a half

[@logancrane197]

@chrisbuckler we should talk about this I’ve never come cross the possibility of discussing this with someone

[@chrisbuckler6777]

@@logancrane197 don't know what really I could help with. I am in no position to help

[@tomislavmartic5129]

Dear brothers and sisters i greet you in our Lord Jesus Christ Four years ago, I began to engage in faith. I started here in Croatia in the catholic church to visit mass and to read The Holy Scriptures. Very early on, I noticed that what is taught and practiced in the catholic church contradicts the Holy Scriptures and what Jesus taught us. In addition, some things in the Holy Bible were unclear to me and raised additional questions and doubts, such as: - If our God is the God of love and justice, why are we punished for the sins of Adam? Doesn't that contradict the principles of love and justice? An earthly father who is full of faults and weaknesses would not do such a thing, then how can we think such a thing about our Perfect Father? - How can a loving father throw his child forever in the hell? That also contradicts these principles. And besides, in 1 Timothy 2; 3 + 4: "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth." So, if this were really so, that in spite of His will, people will be brought forever to hell and not saved, this would mean that He can not enforce His will and thus He is not the omnipotent God, if we follow these doctrines believe. - Why does it say in some passages that Jesus is the Son of God, in others the Son of Man and in others that He and God are one? Although I kept going to the Catholic Mass, at home I no longer practiced the prayers of the catholic church, but started talking like a child to my Father (Matthew 6: 7 + 8 ). After a short while, I got the answer to everything. He guided me through a friend of my mother to the revelations of Bertha Dudde. Now I know that the Bible does not contradict itself. God can not contradict himself. The truth is not in the word, in the letter, but in the understanding, in the interpretation of it. Now I know that Jesus is God and our Father in heaven, and I understand all the processes and contexts, and through this I have come to know that He is the perfect Love and not the strict, punitive God. As he promised us in John 14; 21: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. " 16; 12 + 13: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. " 16; 25: "These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. " In the revelations of Bertha Dudde, His promise was fulfilled, just as every other of His promises was and will be fulfilled, for He never quits (Titus 1: 2) because His word is truth (John 17; 17) and all that will happen is what He said has (Hebrews 10; 23, Ezekiel 12; 25:28, etc.) My loved brothers and sisters, I ask you not to blindly believe me, but as written in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 19-21: " Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. " Before you begin to look, go into prayer and ask our Father Jesus Christ for enlightenment to put you in your heart, whether that's really His word or not. Do not read with your mind or knowledge, but with your heart, for knowledge (knowledge, understanding) puffeth up, love (heart) edifieth (1 Corinthians 8: 1), for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (2 Corinthians 3: 6). kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHeuY56da7amZq8 My dear brothers and sisters, the situation in Christianity is alarming, frightening and very sad and for that very reason the end is near, the time is up. Only in a very small part are the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5; 22) recognizable, and thus only a very few truly belong to Christ, for only those who enjoy the fruits and grow in them are of his (Romans 8: 9). "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…" Hosea 4; 6 I wish you a blessed day my beloved brothers and sisters, May the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ shine through your heart and lead you into the truth.

[@fivepointbaptist]

Jesus is not our Father. This is rank heresy and should be repented of immediately. Jesus is the Son. He is not the Father of Himself.

[@khiali2139]

fivepointbaptist May The Lord add a blessing to the reading (& readers) of His Word! 1 Timothy 3:16 "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." My Pastor always quoted this scripture when I was a kid, I'll be 35 tomorrow... it stuck with me. It's always helped me appreciate how much God really understands me! Loves me inspite of fully knowing me better than I know myself. For he created me & keeps me, all the failures have been my own! He's already done & doing what He said He would do! & He's done everything He's asking me to do (through His manifestation in the flesh as Jesus). That verse always made it easier for me to stand on His Word & test every spirit by praying about everything & talking to God about anything. Leaning not to my own or anyone else's understanding but seeking God's will & wisdom! Church for me was a stepping stone that I stumbled over occasionally. It was so formal & strict, it made religion difficult & righteousness seem impossible. I now know it's about a relationship not just being religious! It truly made me want to know God for myself without all the rules & regulations... He is the same yesterday, today & forever... More than we can comprehend & greater than we can image!

[@MsButtaSoulFly]

Hello I am a new listener to Desiring God and I love Pastor John's interpretation of the Word. I do however disagree biblically on this topic. My point of reference is 1 Samuel 8:7 "And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." God wanted to be Israel's ultimate provider but they knew Samuel was getting old, his sons dealt poorly with the people as appointed judges over them and all the other provinces had Kings so they wanted one too. This would have been a prime example (In my opinion) when the people should have STOPPED praying for something of God over and over and over again. Paul penned it best in Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. " I believe it's important to seek the Holy Spirit in prayer for the things we desire. Romans 8:26 says "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." The children of Israel took their eyes off God and rejected Him by not trusting wholly in His ability and/or desire to provide for them and give them a fulfilled life. Thank you for the opportunity to interact and share the faith as we are all learning and desiring to be closer to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I welcome all positive and constructive feedback.

[@ianiskandar4165]

Is it wrong if I accidently offend someone and pray for God to heal them?

[@Yesica1993]

How do we submit questions to be answered?

[@florianstuven4053]

www.desiringgod.org/ask-pastor-john "Submit a question" It´s a bit under the picture of John Piper. Hope you´ll find your answer. Before you submit your question you can also enter keywords on that page too see if there is already your question or one similar enough in their archive.

[@Yesica1993]

@@florianstuven4053 Thanks!

[@Monado6]

Then wouldn't that be engaging in certain apologetics to intellectual pursuits?

[@easyd5564]

Prayers for the elect?

[@cinnamon1209]

The bible says to pray for ALL ppl.