Does God Answer The Prayers Of Unbelievers?

[Sevenseas]

I believe God does answer the prayers of unbelievers. I was not saved when God answered my first prayer. I asked Jesus into my heart right after the answer, I was 5.

It was a child's prayer....and was actually a bit of a challenge...but God answered immediately in the affirmative and caused something to happen that showed me He is real.

Simple. God knows our hearts and why we pray and what is in our hearts when we pray....saved, or not.

That was a prayer of repentance and salvation and that is why He answered it.If someone is an unbeliever I don't know why they would pray.

No, BoPeep...there was no prayer of repentance. I was 5 years old and had never heard that word. I asked God to do something to show me He was real. I had never heard

of God before Sunday School and I did not know He was real. He immediately answered my prayer by doing what I asked of Him. I immediately asked Jesus to be my Savior

as I had heard in Sunday School.

No one mentioned repentance in that church...they didn't even teach it and certainly not to 5 year olds.

You cannot repent if you do not even know what sin is. I was not saved when I prayed. I was saved ONLY AFTER God answered me.

At any rate, there are scriptures provided in this thread that indicate God does hear and answer those who are not saved.

This, is not debatable. It is simply fact. I cannot change the order of what happened. It might not fit into some people's theology, but God often does not fit into some people's theology either.

I am surprised that some people believe God does not hear prayers from regular Joes....of course He does! He is God...He hears it all....whether He answers or not, is at HIS discretion.

Interestingly, there are prayers from Christians that God will NOT hear. For the same reason He does not hear the prayers of those who reject Him. The NT admonishes believers

who do not pray with the right attitude or Christians who ask amiss. God ALWAYS looks at our heart...motives...many believers seem to have the attitude that God is a dispensing

machine.

Romans 10 say to "call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved." So unbelievers can call out to God.

Jesus christ said the tax collector prayed: "Lord have mercy on me a sinner" such a prayer God heard.

You were seeking God.Especially as a child.God is going to be swift in receiving a child and answering their prayers.You wanted answers and he sure was willing to give them to you.

Yes, but many thousands of children were killed at God's command in the OT and yet a harlot was saved in the city of Jericho. How about the link I posted?

Did you read it? Or the comments made by Shiloh.

You see, God is willing to give answers to everyone who asks.,..again, He looks on the heart and is not a respector of persons. I sincerely am trying to show the other side of this BoPeep. Thanks

[missmuffet]

I believe God does answer the prayers of unbelievers. I was not saved when God answered my first prayer. I asked Jesus into my heart right after the answer, I was 5.

It was a child's prayer....and was actually a bit of a challenge...but God answered immediately in the affirmative and caused something to happen that showed me He is real.

Simple. God knows our hearts and why we pray and what is in our hearts when we pray....saved, or not.

That was a prayer of repentance and salvation and that is why He answered it.If someone is an unbeliever I don't know why they would pray.

No, BoPeep...there was no prayer of repentance. I was 5 years old and had never heard that word. I asked God to do something to show me He was real. I had never heard

of God before Sunday School and I did not know He was real. He immediately answered my prayer by doing what I asked of Him. I immediately asked Jesus to be my Savior

as I had heard in Sunday School.

No one mentioned repentance in that church...they didn't even teach it and certainly not to 5 year olds.

You cannot repent if you do not even know what sin is. I was not saved when I prayed. I was saved ONLY AFTER God answered me.

At any rate, there are scriptures provided in this thread that indicate God does hear and answer those who are not saved.

This, is not debatable. It is simply fact. I cannot change the order of what happened. It might not fit into some people's theology, but God often does not fit into some people's theology either.

I am surprised that some people believe God does not hear prayers from regular Joes....of course He does! He is God...He hears it all....whether He answers or not, is at HIS discretion.

Interestingly, there are prayers from Christians that God will NOT hear. For the same reason He does not hear the prayers of those who reject Him. The NT admonishes believers

who do not pray with the right attitude or Christians who ask amiss. God ALWAYS looks at our heart...motives...many believers seem to have the attitude that God is a dispensing

machine.

Romans 10 say to "call on the name of the Lord and you will be saved." So unbelievers can call out to God.

Jesus christ said the tax collector prayed: "Lord have mercy on me a sinner" such a prayer God heard.

You were seeking God.Especially as a child.God is going to be swift in receiving a child and answering their prayers.You wanted answers and he sure was willing to give them to you.

Yes, but many thousands of children were killed at God's command in the OT and yet a harlot was saved in the city of Jericho. How about the link I posted?

Did you read it? Or the comments made by Shiloh.

You see, God is willing to give answers to everyone who asks.,..again, He looks on the heart and is not a respector of persons. I sincerely am trying to show the other side of this BoPeep. Thanks

Question: "Does God hear / answer the prayers of a sinner / unbeliever?"

Answer: John 9:31 declares, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” It has also been said that “the only prayer that God hears from a sinner is the prayer for salvation.” As a result, some believe that God does not hear and/or will never answer the prayers of an unbeliever. In context, though, John 9:31 is saying that God does not perform miracles through an unbeliever. First John 5:14-15 tells us that God answers prayers based on whether they are asked according to His will. This principle, perhaps, applies to unbelievers. If an unbeliever asks a prayer of God that is according to His will, nothing prevents God from answering such a prayer—according to His will.

Some Scriptures describe God hearing and answering the prayers of unbelievers. In most of these cases, prayer was involved. In one or two, God responded to the cry of the heart (it is not stated whether that cry was directed toward God). In some of these cases, the prayer seems to be combined with repentance. But in other cases, the prayer was simply for an earthly need or blessing, and God responded either out of compassion or in response to the genuine seeking or the faith of the person. Here are some passages dealing with prayer by an unbeliever:

The people of Nineveh prayed that Nineveh might be spared (Jonah 3:5-10). God answered this prayer and did not destroy the city of Nineveh as He had threatened.

Hagar asked God to protect her son Ishmael (Genesis 21:14-19). God not only protected Ishmael, God blessed him exceedingly.

In 1 Kings 21:17-29, especially verses 27-29, Ahab fasts and mourns over Elijah's prophecy concerning his posterity. God responds by not bringing about the calamity in Ahab's time.

The Gentile woman from the Tyre and Sidon area prayed that Jesus would deliver her daughter from a demon (Mark 7:24-30). Jesus cast the demon out of the woman’s daughter.

Cornelius, the Roman centurion in Acts 10, had the apostle Peter sent to him in response to Cornelius being a righteous man. Acts 10:2 tells us that Cornelius “prayed to God regularly.”

God does make promises that are applicable to all (saved and unsaved alike) such as Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This was the case for Cornelius in Acts 10:1-6. But there are many promises that, according to the context of the passages, are for Christians alone. Because Christians have received Jesus as the Savior, they are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace to find help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). We are told that when we ask for anything according to God's will, He hears and gives us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15). There are many other promises for Christians concerning prayer (Matthew 21:22; John 14:13, 15:7). So, yes, there are instances in which God does not answer the prayers of an unbeliever. At the same time, in His grace and mercy, God can intervene in the lives of unbelievers in response to their prayers.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/unbeliever-prayer.html#ixzz2TrqxZTQY

[Sevenseas]

ummm...I know you always go to 'got answers' BoPeep, but I am asking for your take on this. Did you read the short article I linked to? Are you just answering me with another link from another site?

What would be YOUR udnerstanding (of course based on scritpure) and not just 'got answers' answer....how do you process the op?

I am trying to illustrate the fact that scriptures can be misapplied and they can also be cherry picked to support a view. For example, John 9:31 does not actually support

the opinion that God does not ever or God does not hear or answer. Yes, people use that verse and certain sites may also use it...but that determination is not correct.

From my post #36:

Note this fact also: the statement in John 9:31 was not based on the belief Jesus was a Gentile and hence had no access to God (as some try to argue about non-Christians). They knew he was a Jew (John 7:41). They accepted him therefore as a "child of God." But though such, he was branded as a "sinner" - of such low character that God would not even be interested in the prayers of such a rebellious person - and they had the O. T. to prove it! Again, there is no way to fit this case to the argument God will not hear any prayer of a non-Christian.

The truth is that the "sinner" of John 9:31 is not at all talking about a non-Christian (or a Gentile), but of a "child of God" (as in the O.T.) who would not even listen to the law of God. He would not "worship" God or "do his will." He had no right, such being the case, to expect God to listen to him. These conditions are necessary today even if a Christian expects to be heard by God (read 1 Jn. 3:22). This was the frame of mind of the "sinner" who went down justified in Luke 18:13-14. This same reverence and submissiveness was also apparent in the attitudes of the "sinners" who were heard in Acts 9 and 10.

The true parallel to John 9:31 is found in 1 Peter 3:7, where a Christian (a child of God - parallel to the Jews of the O.T.) is told if he doesn't treat his wife right (as told by God), God will not hear his prayers (and Psa. 34 is quoted as evidence in 1 Pet. 3:12!).

Let us beware that we do not make false arguments to reply to false positions, and thus reach other false conclusions. Keeping the statement in John 9:31 in its proper context will make it much easier to understand correctly - and to apply properly.

The above is from the end of the article but I find it provoking and I like things that make you think. Here's the link for anyone to read if they would like. Again, it's a short article.

Now the sentence in bold type and underlined does not support the teaching that God does not hear unbelievers but actually states that God does not hear BELIEVERS who are outside

of obedience (in this case the law, OT)

What do you think of that? not 'got answers'...but YOU? Not arguing, just trying to cause some reflection on something that may not have been considered

[gdemoss]

What did Paul think?

Rom 3:29 [is he] the God of the Jews only? [is he] not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:

[missmuffet]

ummm...I know you always go to 'got answers' BoPeep, but I am asking for your take on this. Did you read the short article I linked to? Are you just answering me with another link from another site?

What would be YOUR udnerstanding (of course based on scritpure) and not just 'got answers' answer....how do you process the op?

I am trying to illustrate the fact that scriptures can be misapplied and they can also be cherry picked to support a view. For example, John 9:31 does not actually support

the opinion that God does not ever or God does not hear or answer. Yes, people use that verse and certain sites may also use it...but that determination is not correct.

From my post #36:

Note this fact also: the statement in John 9:31 was not based on the belief Jesus was a Gentile and hence had no access to God (as some try to argue about non-Christians). They knew he was a Jew (John 7:41). They accepted him therefore as a "child of God." But though such, he was branded as a "sinner" - of such low character that God would not even be interested in the prayers of such a rebellious person - and they had the O. T. to prove it! Again, there is no way to fit this case to the argument God will not hear any prayer of a non-Christian.

The truth is that the "sinner" of John 9:31 is not at all talking about a non-Christian (or a Gentile), but of a "child of God" (as in the O.T.) who would not even listen to the law of God. He would not "worship" God or "do his will." He had no right, such being the case, to expect God to listen to him. These conditions are necessary today even if a Christian expects to be heard by God (read 1 Jn. 3:22). This was the frame of mind of the "sinner" who went down justified in Luke 18:13-14. This same reverence and submissiveness was also apparent in the attitudes of the "sinners" who were heard in Acts 9 and 10.

The true parallel to John 9:31 is found in 1 Peter 3:7, where a Christian (a child of God - parallel to the Jews of the O.T.) is told if he doesn't treat his wife right (as told by God), God will not hear his prayers (and Psa. 34 is quoted as evidence in 1 Pet. 3:12!).

Let us beware that we do not make false arguments to reply to false positions, and thus reach other false conclusions. Keeping the statement in John 9:31 in its proper context will make it much easier to understand correctly - and to apply properly.

The above is from the end of the article but I find it provoking and I like things that make you think. Here's the link for anyone to read if they would like. Again, it's a short article.

Now the sentence in bold type and underlined does not support the teaching that God does not hear unbelievers but actually states that God does not hear BELIEVERS who are outside

of obedience (in this case the law, OT)

What do you think of that? not 'got answers'...but YOU? Not arguing, just trying to cause some reflection on something that may not have been considered

ummm...I know you always go to 'got answers' BoPeep, but I am asking for your take on this. Did you read the short article I linked to? Are you just answering me with another link from another site?

What would be YOUR udnerstanding (of course based on scritpure) and not just 'got answers' answer....how do you process the op?

I am trying to illustrate the fact that scriptures can be misapplied and they can also be cherry picked to support a view. For example, John 9:31 does not actually support

the opinion that God does not ever or God does not hear or answer. Yes, people use that verse and certain sites may also use it...but that determination is not correct.

From my post #36:

Note this fact also: the statement in John 9:31 was not based on the belief Jesus was a Gentile and hence had no access to God (as some try to argue about non-Christians). They knew he was a Jew (John 7:41). They accepted him therefore as a "child of God." But though such, he was branded as a "sinner" - of such low character that God would not even be interested in the prayers of such a rebellious person - and they had the O. T. to prove it! Again, there is no way to fit this case to the argument God will not hear any prayer of a non-Christian.

The truth is that the "sinner" of John 9:31 is not at all talking about a non-Christian (or a Gentile), but of a "child of God" (as in the O.T.) who would not even listen to the law of God. He would not "worship" God or "do his will." He had no right, such being the case, to expect God to listen to him. These conditions are necessary today even if a Christian expects to be heard by God (read 1 Jn. 3:22). This was the frame of mind of the "sinner" who went down justified in Luke 18:13-14. This same reverence and submissiveness was also apparent in the attitudes of the "sinners" who were heard in Acts 9 and 10.

The true parallel to John 9:31 is found in 1 Peter 3:7, where a Christian (a child of God - parallel to the Jews of the O.T.) is told if he doesn't treat his wife right (as told by God), God will not hear his prayers (and Psa. 34 is quoted as evidence in 1 Pet. 3:12!).

Let us beware that we do not make false arguments to reply to false positions, and thus reach other false conclusions. Keeping the statement in John 9:31 in its proper context will make it much easier to understand correctly - and to apply properly.

The above is from the end of the article but I find it provoking and I like things that make you think. Here's the link for anyone to read if they would like. Again, it's a short article.

Now the sentence in bold type and underlined does not support the teaching that God does not hear unbelievers but actually states that God does not hear BELIEVERS who are outside

of obedience (in this case the law, OT)

What do you think of that? not 'got answers'...but YOU? Not arguing, just trying to cause some reflection on something that may not have been considered

I will go with what "Got Answers" has to say.Makes alot of sense to me.

[Sevenseas]

The article from your source does NOT say that God never hears or answers unbelievers....so, I am not sure what is making sense to you at this point.?

The article, on reading it, actually aligns itself with a positive outcome for those believing God does, in fact, hear unbelievers..

I don't find that your source is negating what I have stated..

[missmuffet]

The article from your source does NOT say that God never hears or answers unbelievers....so, I am not sure what is making sense to you at this point.?

The article, on reading it, actually aligns itself with a positive outcome for those believing God does, in fact, hear unbelievers..

I don't find that your source is negating what I have stated..

Yes it does sevenseas.And I have enough confidence in the websites reliability that I am going with what it says.

[Sevenseas]

No Peep...the answer from your source actually agrees with those who have stated that God does sometimes answer the prayers of those who are NOT His children.

I can't help it if you do not see that. I have indicated where below. Your post is actually in disagreement with you. Not arguing with you, just trying to point out that

it does not say what you think it does. Last time I am posting in response to your denial because, really, if your own favorite source for info disagrees with your POV,

and you deny that it does, there is nothing left to say other than God bless you, and that's it. Thanks

Question: "Does God hear / answer the prayers of a sinner / unbeliever?"

Answer: John 9:31 declares, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” It has also been said that “the only prayer that God hears from a sinner is the prayer for salvation.” As a result, some believe that God does not hear and/or will never answer the prayers of an unbeliever. In context, though, John 9:31 is saying that God does not perform miracles through an unbeliever. First John 5:14-15 tells us that God answers prayers based on whether they are asked according to His will. This principle, perhaps, applies to unbelievers. If an unbeliever asks a prayer of God that is according to His will, nothing prevents God from answering such a prayer—according to His will.

Some Scriptures describe God hearing and answering the prayers of unbelievers. In most of these cases, prayer was involved. In one or two, God responded to the cry of the heart (it is not stated whether that cry was directed toward God). In some of these cases, the prayer seems to be combined with repentance. But in other cases, the prayer was simply for an earthly need or blessing, and God responded either out of compassion or in response to the genuine seeking or the faith of the person. Here are some passages dealing with prayer by an unbeliever:

The people of Nineveh prayed that Nineveh might be spared (Jonah 3:5-10). God answered this prayer and did not destroy the city of Nineveh as He had threatened.

Hagar asked God to protect her son Ishmael (Genesis 21:14-19). God not only protected Ishmael, God blessed him exceedingly.

In 1 Kings 21:17-29, especially verses 27-29, Ahab fasts and mourns over Elijah's prophecy concerning his posterity. God responds by not bringing about the calamity in Ahab's time.

The Gentile woman from the Tyre and Sidon area prayed that Jesus would deliver her daughter from a demon (Mark 7:24-30). Jesus cast the demon out of the woman’s daughter.

Cornelius, the Roman centurion in Acts 10, had the apostle Peter sent to him in response to Cornelius being a righteous man. Acts 10:2 tells us that Cornelius “prayed to God regularly.”

God does make promises that are applicable to all (saved and unsaved alike) such as Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This was the case for Cornelius in Acts 10:1-6. But there are many promises that, according to the context of the passages, are for Christians alone. Because Christians have received Jesus as the Savior, they are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace to find help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). We are told that when we ask for anything according to God's will, He hears and gives us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15). There are many other promises for Christians concerning prayer (Matthew 21:22; John 14:13, 15:7). So, yes, there are instances in which God does not answer the prayers of an unbeliever. At the same time, in His grace and mercy, God can intervene in the lives of unbelievers in response to their prayers.

Note: Of course there are instances when God does NOT answer the prayer of an unconverted person, but, there are also instances...and many...when God does NOT answer the prayers of believers because they ask amiss.

[gdemoss]

God answered the prayers of those in Sodom. I don't think they liked the answer though.

[missmuffet]

No Peep...the answer from your source actually agrees with those who have stated that God does sometimes answer the prayers of those who are NOT His children.

I can't help it if you do not see that. I have indicated where below. Your post is actually in disagreement with you. Not arguing with you, just trying to point out that

it does not say what you think it does. Last time I am posting in response to your denial because, really, if your own favorite source for info disagrees with your POV,

and you deny that it does, there is nothing left to say other than God bless you, and that's it. Thanks

Question: "Does God hear / answer the prayers of a sinner / unbeliever?"

Answer: John 9:31 declares, “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will.” It has also been said that “the only prayer that God hears from a sinner is the prayer for salvation.” As a result, some believe that God does not hear and/or will never answer the prayers of an unbeliever. In context, though, John 9:31 is saying that God does not perform miracles through an unbeliever. First John 5:14-15 tells us that God answers prayers based on whether they are asked according to His will. This principle, perhaps, applies to unbelievers. If an unbeliever asks a prayer of God that is according to His will, nothing prevents God from answering such a prayer—according to His will.

Some Scriptures describe God hearing and answering the prayers of unbelievers. In most of these cases, prayer was involved. In one or two, God responded to the cry of the heart (it is not stated whether that cry was directed toward God). In some of these cases, the prayer seems to be combined with repentance. But in other cases, the prayer was simply for an earthly need or blessing, and God responded either out of compassion or in response to the genuine seeking or the faith of the person. Here are some passages dealing with prayer by an unbeliever:

The people of Nineveh prayed that Nineveh might be spared (Jonah 3:5-10). God answered this prayer and did not destroy the city of Nineveh as He had threatened.

Hagar asked God to protect her son Ishmael (Genesis 21:14-19). God not only protected Ishmael, God blessed him exceedingly.

In 1 Kings 21:17-29, especially verses 27-29, Ahab fasts and mourns over Elijah's prophecy concerning his posterity. God responds by not bringing about the calamity in Ahab's time.

The Gentile woman from the Tyre and Sidon area prayed that Jesus would deliver her daughter from a demon (Mark 7:24-30). Jesus cast the demon out of the woman’s daughter.

Cornelius, the Roman centurion in Acts 10, had the apostle Peter sent to him in response to Cornelius being a righteous man. Acts 10:2 tells us that Cornelius “prayed to God regularly.”

God does make promises that are applicable to all (saved and unsaved alike) such as Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This was the case for Cornelius in Acts 10:1-6. But there are many promises that, according to the context of the passages, are for Christians alone. Because Christians have received Jesus as the Savior, they are encouraged to come boldly to the throne of grace to find help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16). We are told that when we ask for anything according to God's will, He hears and gives us what we ask for (1 John 5:14-15). There are many other promises for Christians concerning prayer (Matthew 21:22; John 14:13, 15:7). So, yes, there are instances in which God does not answer the prayers of an unbeliever. At the same time, in His grace and mercy, God can intervene in the lives of unbelievers in response to their prayers.

Note: Of course there are instances when God does NOT answer the prayer of an unconverted person, but, there are also instances...and many...when God does NOT answer the prayers of believers because they ask amiss.

I understand that the Got Questions statement does say that God sometimes answers the prayers of the unbelievers.What are you trying to tell me sevenseas?I know that I previously said that God "does not" hear the pray of unbelievers.I am not perfect and trying to claim that I am the only one right here.So if the Got Questions says that God may sometimes answer the prayer of unbelievers then that is what I am going with.