Praying in Public

[patricia1]

It is of course most important to realize that you are speaking to God and that He is hearing. However, we are to also consider our hearers. Paul teaches us that whatever we say aloud in church is to build up the church. So a public prayer should be directed to God in the Name of Jesus with all attention given to Our Heavenly Father but there needs to be an awareness of those listening that what is said is upbuilding to the church. Think of a conversation. In conversation only one is speaking but more are listening.

And another requirement of public prayer is to have been praying in private. Private prayer gives us the anointing needed in public prayer.

It is such a privilege to pray. And although I think most of us would like for our prayers to be "picture perfect", it is just not going to be that way. All that others want is that reality of the Spirit and to know that you are truly addressing God. Perfect sentence structure has nothing to do with it.

Also praying scripture is very helpful and usually anointed by the Spirit and so uplifting. For instance you might pray, "Father thank you so much in the Name of Jesus for being our Shepherd and for never leaving us or forsaking us." As you pray the scripture particularly when you put it in the thanksgiving mode it is upbuilding to the group, upbuilding to yourself, and pleasing to God because it is His Word in the first place. And it is something you can truly pray in faith. And as we know we cannot please God without faith!

Well, It is a joy to pray within a group setting. May you grow and go in confidence in the Lord and his Word as you pray with the others.

I will say this. The Holy Spirit is within you but if one is too shy to say a few words it is okay. The Holy Spirit being God knows all things and just a touch is enough for Jesus to do something. For you may know what you want to say in your heart and are unable to have it come forth..there is nothing wrong with that.

one testimony

I was never a speaker. Spoke backwards. People asked me what country I came from when i came from the south bronx. After that knowledge was given I was so teased i would not speak. Because of other difficulties what made it worse that I thought I spoke well. I heard what I was saying as correct.

I would say lellyo for yellow and here myself say yellow.

Then after speech therapy started at age 10 I was more self conscious and never wante to speak again that when I had to I would stutter, the mere job of going into a store and asking for something would make my mind go blank that I could not even remember what I wanted!!!

At age 17 I needed to pass Speech in high school. I gave a 7 minute report in front of my teacher and student friends in 2 minutes. Words running into each other..no one knew what I was talking about.. I passed though..my teacher took pity on me!!!

Going into the churches I stuttered all the time. If you asked me what John 3:16 said I would be completely Blank.

Okay Now here it goes..The wondrous power of Our Lord Jesus Christ....

He, Jesus Told me...yes.. told me "you will speak to multitudes" was my response as well as fear because I knew when Jesus spoke like that to me I had better not laugh.

I got a phone call from my pastor confirming that word and calling for me to speak in front of others.

I wanted to die!!!

In obedience I stood ...in front of people, my speech quivering, my voice small in front of the church body, looking for my AAron. There was no AAron.

I did feel alone and then I felt the warmth of the Lord all over me. spoke for 10 minutes. Left The pulpit knees a shaking..trying to remember what I said..thinking I would faint before I got to my seat.

When service ended ..People came up to me and were grateful and appreciated what I shared. They did not hear any quivers in my speech, not one stutter...and I was not noticebly shaking.. Halleluja

I got better as time went on and they started to call me chatty patty But they needed to understand that this was a testimony of Gods Grace and Mercy in my Life...Jesus testimony of His daughter.

I will say that there were times my voice seemed harsh but Jesus tempered it because I did not know how

If Jesus did this for me.....

He will do this for you...

He is no respecter of persons..

When the time comes, in spite of how you feel (feelings can be deceptive) You will open up your mouth and Jesus will fill it.

I haven't been afraid since. It is not what I think of me, or what others will think, but it is who I am in Christ and the same as for you~

Be not discouraged brethren...it will happen, I promise

[sierra21]

My husband also is very shy about praying in public...lol at first he was even too shy to pray in front of me! SO...I basically just never pressured him. When we pray together we usually do it in bed when we're both nice and comfy, sometimes its in the morning when its bright out, but usually its late at night and very dark. This seems to be the best time for him to pray out loud. Anyways I just pray and pray and he holds my hands. I am very long winded but I pause a lot in case he has something to add, which he sometimes does. Over the past few months he has started to pray more and more, and now in church he will sometimes pray with the group, even though he's a little quiet (if you knew my husband you would know thats unusual because hes a very outgoing person, but thats OKAY )

I just really encourage him and tell him that his prayers are wonderful when he does pray out loud because I think sometimes people are just nervous and worried that others will judge them.

My point is- maybe you could find just one person that you're very comfortable with to pray with so that you're still in "private" but you have someone there listening. Then after that starts to get easy do what my husband did, just praying very quietly so that if you do think you said something silly or whatever (which you probably won't ) most people probably didn't hear it! Eventually you will be a pro and people won't be able to shut you up (that's me!)

Anyways, I hope it works out for you. Pray about it too...

[Carol R]

If I don't know the people I'm with, or if I am not clear of the situation to be prayed for, I do still get nervous. Just remember - God also knows you are nervous - sometimes I find comfort in that - I think He covers me in peace when I get nervous like that. Ok, don't laugh - but I have sometimes silently prayed to God to help me during the public prayer - IT WORKS!!

Yep I've done this in the past it does work. It does get easier the more you practise. I pray out loud at home and in the car (when I'm on my own) it gets you used to to it. Its good too to just think you are talking to God. We all had to start somewhere.