Read in entirety -
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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Prayer as Medicine:
how much have we learned?
www.mja.com.au - The Medical Journal of Australia
The spiritual search for
meaning and hope in life is integral to human existence. This is
particularly evident during times of personal stress and crisis. Recent
census findings indicate that 74% of Australians and 96% of Americans
believe in a higher power, and similar percentages claim some form of
religious affiliation.1,2
Evidence also suggests that certain spiritual beliefs
and the practice of prayer are associated with improved coping and better
health outcomes.3-6
Although North Americans have been the predominant participants in most of
the research available, the findings are relevant to the Australian
experience, as they reflect a basic human desire for supernatural
involvement in matters of health and wellbeing.
Read in entirety...
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Prayer in Cancer Research
www.lifeguardministries.org
Research is extremely important in fighting cancer.
As a physician, I understand the significance of the miraculous healings
claimed in the Bible. Jesus is described as touching a leper and his
leprosy is healed.
He commands the crippled from birth to stand up and
walk, and he stands up and walks. He commands a friend who has been dead for
four days to walk out of his grave, and he does. On the surface this
seems more than a little interesting but yet, as a physician and scientist
looking into the depths of what actually is happening at the molecular
level, it is quite astounding.
For a blind man to see, the optic nerve must be
restored. The optic nerve is very complex and the transmission of
disease or defective neural tissue to normal - instantaneously - without
anesthesia seems beyond comprehension. Likewise a body that's been dead for
4 or 5 days is well beyond any kind of functional capacity. All of the
cells are destroyed, organic compounds denature, and bacteria grow over the
putrefying body. To return back to a normal, healthy state requires
the conversion of abnormal tissue to normal tissue instantaneously. As
a scientist the amount of energy required to do this transformation is
unimaginable and the intricacy and complexity of the mind that controls that
energy is beyond comprehension.
It doesn’t have to be the Bible or science; it is the
Bible and science. God is a God of science, and quality research
verifies the work of God on the earth, and specifically, in the fight
against cancer.
Find
prayer support, cancer fighting seminar video, cancer research topics and
more...
Source
www.cancerforum.org.au
In cancer research, we found a positive impact of intercessory prayer on the
spiritual wellbeing of newly diagnosed patients in Australia.10
Nine hundred and ninety-nine patients were randomised to receive either
remote Christian intercessory prayer or no prayer, with the intervention
being unknown to the patients, thus eliminating expectation bias. This trial
was unique as it was in oncology, was interested in the impact of prayer on
‘spirituality’ and did not pre-define how intercession should be achieved,
rather using a well established prayer chain. As hypothesised,
results showed that the prayer (intervention) group evidenced a small,
statistically significant improvement over time in spiritual wellbeing
compared to the control group
(p = .03, partial η2 = .01).
Of the other quality of life measures, only emotional wellbeing was
significantly improved for the prayer group (p = .04, partial η2 = .01) more
so than controls. Although effects were small and therefore only clinically
meaningful for few of the intervention patients (10.2% showed positive
reliable change in spiritual wellbeing),
this study did show that the impact of intercession was indeed measurable.
It did not seek to explain the mechanism of action. However, there is no
clear data available on how well utilised intercessory prayer is for ill
health. This is likely to be because it is a particularly difficult CAM to
gauge, given it is practised by groups and individuals alike for ‘unknown
others’ for varying periods of time. On the other hand, there is research on
the use of other prayer as a CAM...
Conclusion -
Research into the prevalence of CAM use is clearly suffering from the lack
of a universal definition. Some researchers have moved toward examining
patterns of CAM use in an attempt to solve this issue, suggesting prayer
should be classified as a separate domain. However, including prayer use in
CAM research still raises many difficulties due to the enormous scope of the
definition of ‘prayer’ itself, including measurement challenges of certain
types (such as remote intercession).
Despite the inherent problems ahead for CAM researchers,
the use of prayer for health seems to have stood the test of time, even as
other CAM use has increased. If we are to truly adopt the bio/psychosocial/spiritual
model of health,
then it appears that physicians should accept society’s move
toward the integrative and start asking their patients about CAM use
.
In an antithetical way, this may actually improve adoption and compliance
with conventional treatment.
Retrieved from
www.cancerquest.org
Scientific
Research - The majority of research pertaining to spirituality is
focused on quality of life and not necessarily survival time or recovery
rate. One study has recently found that cancer patients who reported a
higher level of spiritual well-being also reported a higher quality of
life. (8) (9) (10)
Prayer, on the other hand has been relatively widely
studied in the context of general illness and surgery but not specifically
cancer. Most of these studies involve intercessory prayer, which employs
other people to pray for patients. The evidence for prayer as a way to
improve patient health is quite contradictory.
Some studies show prayer can improve health
conditions (11) (12) (13) and increase survival (14)rates. Alternatively,
recent studies have shown no correlation between prayer and health
improvement exists. (6) (15) (16) The problem with much of the research is
how the study defines benefit to the patient. They do not all coincide and
so research is not only nonuniform in procedure but contradictory in their
findings. More research is necessary to determine if prayer is truly
beneficial to patients.
There are currently three studies being conducted by the M.D. Anderson
Cancer Center, the Albert Einstein college of Medicine, and the Canadian
Breast Cancer Research Alliance that regard spirituality and its influence
on cancer. No trials investigating the power of prayer against cancer are
currently underway. (17) For
information about ongoing clinical trials involving prayer and spirituality,
please visit our section on Finding
Clinical Trials.
www.ourjourneyofhope.com
Quality of life is becoming more important for cancer
patients as treatment advances extend the length of survival. Researchers
studying a random sample of 296 breast cancer survivors in Southern
California found that spiritual care was more important to the patients'
quality of life than counseling sessions, support groups, peer support, and
even spouse support.
Spiritual well-being among these patients often
involves feelings of hopefulness,
sense of purpose, participation in prayer
or meditation, and church attendance. A second study of 1,337 cancer
patients in the United States and Puerto Rico found that spiritual
well-being influenced their quality of life as much as did their emotional
and physical well-being. Spiritual well-being was associated with the
ability to enjoy life even when experiencing negative symptoms, and the
relationship remained strong even after controlling for many other factors
associated with quality of life.
Other studies have found that the most common coping
strategy for cancer patients is praying alone or with others, as well as
having others pray for them. Cancer patients also place a high value on
interactions with clergy, noting that pastoral visits and prayers help them
maintain hope and optimism.
The frequent use of religion and spirituality when
coping with illness and caregiver stress is no surprise given how important
a religious community is to the majority of Americans. There are nearly
500,000 places of worship with a presence in almost every U.S. community.
According to a recent Gallup poll, approximately 70 percent of Americans
claim membership in a church or synagogue, and about 40 percent attend one
of these places of worship at least weekly. The Gallup Research Center
reports that the 353,000 Christian and Jewish clergy serving congregations
in the United States (4,000 rabbis, 49,000 Catholic priests, and 300,000
Protestant ministers according to the U.S. Department of Labor) are among
the most trusted professionals in society. Surveys by the National Institute
of Mental Health found that clergy are more likely than psychologists and
psychiatrists combined to have a person with a mental health diagnosis see
them for assistance. More than 10,000 of these clergy serve as chaplains in
hospitals and other health-care institutions working closely with medical
professionals.
Family caregivers of those with chronic illness often
rely heavily upon their religious faith to cope with the burden of providing
care. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University surveyed caregivers of persons
with end-stage cancer and Alzheimer's Disease. They discovered that
successful coping was associated with only two variables: number of social
contacts and support received from religious faith. When these persons were
followed over two years to determine what characteristics predicted faster
adjustment to the caregiver role, again only number of social contacts and
support received from personal religious faith predicted better adaptation
over time.
Thus, having support from one's faith appears to be one
of the most important factors responsible for successful coping with the
stress of caregiving. Religious teaching can foster an ethos of care and
responsibility that is an important recourse for those facing the stress of
long-term caregiving. Furthermore, those who have an active faith tend to
have a better relationship with the care recipients than do non-religious
caregivers, which can reduce their risk of depression.
Cancer patients tend to focus on religious issues more and more as the
illness advances. When 231 patients with end-stage cancer were asked what
maintained their quality of life, their "relationship with God" was the most
common response among 28 choices that included "how well I eat," "physical
contact with those I care about," and "pain relief." According to these
findings, terminal cancer patients maintained their relationship with God in
spite of severe functional difficulties and serious physical symptoms. In a
study of 108 women in Michigan at various stages of cancer, about half felt
they had become more religious since they were diagnosed…
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The Power of Prayer to Heal Cancer
www.canceractive.com
© Copyright
CANCERactive. All Rights Reserved.
"Prayer is not an old woman´s idle amusement. Properly understood and
applied, it is the most potent instrument of action" - Gandhi
The Power of Prayer to heal cancer
- However skeptical or nonreligious we may have been in the past, for many
people the challenge of cancer is a spur to investigating or re-engaging
with the spiritual aspect of our natures. Often the experience of cancer can
have a transformational impact - causing us to become more truly ourselves,
more connected to our own values and life purpose and more in touch with a
sense of the spiritual.
Frequently people who are
sick will call upon prayer to help with the challenges they face. But does
prayer work, or is it just a panacea for the desperate? Does praying
actually have a physiological effect or could it be just the effect of the
placebo at work?
Dr. William Kelley, an American working in the field of
nutritional and metabolic therapy, urged his patients to trust in God, to
read the bible and to pray. He believed a positive attitude could play an
enormous part in helping to kick out disease. And at Duke University Medical
Centre in Carolina, doctors have noticed that patients with a God live
longer than those who neither believe nor pray regularly. Doctors are now
conducting research into this discovery.
Link to
Dr. Kelley's - Steps to Spiritual & Physical Recovery
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Proof That Prayer
Works 
www.foxnews.com reports,
When it comes to saving lives, God
trumps doctors for many Americans. An eye-opening survey reveals widespread
belief that divine intervention can revive dying patients. And, researchers
said, doctors "need to be prepared to deal with families who are waiting
for a miracle."
More than half of randomly surveyed adults
— 57 percent — said God's intervention could save a family member even if
physicians declared treatment would be futile. And nearly three-quarters said
patients have a right to demand such treatment.
When asked to imagine their own relatives
being gravely ill or injured, nearly 20 percent of doctors and other medical
workers said God could reverse a hopeless outcome.
"Sensitivity to this belief will
promote development of a trusting relationship" with patients and their
families, according to researchers. That trust, they said, is needed to help
doctors explain objective, overwhelming scientific evidence showing that
continued treatment would be worthless…
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Look at What the Experts Are
Saying 
www.ourjourneyofhope.com
"Patients with a strong religious commitment recover
faster, live longer or cope better in 7 out of 8 studies of cancer, 4 out of
5 studies of high blood pressure, 4 out of 6 studies of heart disease and 5
out of 7 studies of general health," - Dale Matthews, MD, and David Larson,
MD, of the National Institute of Healthcare Research
"As a physician, I have seen spiritual strength
transcend what would otherwise result in rapid deterioration." - Dr. Joel
Granick, CTCA Medical Oncologist, Director of Palliative Care
"People who went to church regularly had significantly
lower blood levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), which rises with unrelieved
chronic stress. High levels of IL-6 reflect a weakened immune system, which,
in turn, increases the risk of infection, autoimmune disease and certain
cancers." - The Healing Power of Faith, Harold G. Koenig, M.D.
www.breakingchristiannews.com reports,
"The proof of the power of prayer is overwhelming. What I discovered
astonished me. Over the past 30 years a growing, and largely unnoticed, body
of scientific work shows religious belief is medically, socially, and
psychologically beneficial. Atheists can sneer at faith all they like, but
they can't assume science is on their side." -Tom Knox
Newsmax reports
that an "exhaustive analysis of more than 1,500 reputable medical studies"
supports Dr. Harold G. Koenig's belief that people who are "more religious
and pray more have better mental and physical health."
Said Koenig: "The benefits of devout religious
practice, particularly involvement in a faith community and religious
commitment, are that people cope better. In general, they cope with stress
better, they experience greater well-being because they have more hope,
they're more optimistic, they experience less depression, less anxiety, and
they commit suicide less often. They have stronger immune systems, lower
blood pressure, and probably better cardiovascular functioning."
Researcher Tom Knox, a one-time atheist who became a "regular
worshipper" after doing in-depth study of the medical benefits of faith,
notes: "The proof of the power of prayer is
overwhelming. What I discovered astonished me. Over the past 30 years a
growing, and largely unnoticed, body of scientific work shows religious
belief is medically, socially, and psychologically beneficial."
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The Science
of Prayer
Source
www.healthy.net
Larry
Dossey on the science and spirit of prayer.
Dossey, former co-chair of the National
Institutes of Health's Panel on Mind/Body Interventions. Unusual phenomena have
been the basis of his research since the 1970s.
Dossey is a firm believer in conducting research to back up his belief in
the correlation between prayer and healing.
For years, Dossey claims, medical scientists
have mistakenly treated physical illness as though it were caused only by the
improper functioning of the body. He is aiming to use scientific evidence to
demonstrate that a patient's thoughts, feelings, and attitude have an impact on
their physical well-being, and to convince healthcare professionals of the vital
role that a patient's mind and spirit play in the healing process.
Since 1982, Dossey has published nine books,
including The New
York Times best-seller Healing
Words (1993), its sequel, Prayer
is Good Medicine (1996), and his most recent work, Healing
Beyond the Body (2001). According to the George
Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health at the George
Washington School of Medicine in Washington,
DC, before Healing
Words (1993) was published, the curriculum of only three American
medical schools included courses about the use of prayer in health. Today,
around 80 of the nation's 125 medical schools offer such courses,
many of which utilize Dr. Dossey's works as textbooks.
In his 1989 book Recovering the Soul, he
introduced the concept of "nonlocal mind" -- mind unconfined to the brain
and body, mind spread infinitely throughout space and time. Since then,
"nonlocal mind" has been adopted by many leading scientists as an emerging
image of consciousness. Dr. Dossey's ever-deepening explication of nonlocal
mind provides a legitimate foundation for the merging of spirit and
medicine. The ramifications of such a union are radical and call for no less
than the reinvention of medicine.
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Prayer
and Medical Science
Retrieved from
www.mercola.com
This Commentary originally appeared in Archives
of Internal Medicine
by Larry Dossey, MD
"It is fatal to dismiss
antagonistic doctrines, supported by any body of evidence, as simply wrong."
Alfred North Whitehead, 1948 1
THE RANDOMIZED, controlled trial by Harris et al2 on
the effects of remote intercessory prayer on outcomes of patients admitted
to a coronary care unit evoked several comments from physicians.
Several respondents implied that the attempt to study
the remote effects of prayer is wrong in principle. This is because,
according to Dr. Sandweiss,3 science deals with facts, not "miracles." Yet,
if events occur in controlled laboratory studies, as suggested by evidence
cited below, these happenings presumably follow natural law and are not
considered miraculous.
We should be cautious in calling events miraculous or
mystical, because the subsequent course of history may reveal that these
terms reflect little more than our own ignorance. For example, when Newton
invoked the notion of universal gravity in the 17th century to explain his
observations, he was charged by his contemporaries with surrendering to
mysticism, as prayer researchers are often accused today.
As philosopher Eugene Mills4 describes, "[Newton's
critics] disapproved of his failure to explain why bodies behaved in
accordance with his laws, or how distant bodies could act on one another . .
. This sort of worry no longer bothers us, but not because we have answered
it."
Today we are as baffled by the remote effects of prayer
as Newton's critics were by the distant effects of gravity. But, just as the
dispute over gravity gradually abated, the debate surrounding intercessory
prayer may also diminish with time, even though our ignorance about the
mechanism involved may remain…
Several respondents implied that the attempt to study
the remote effects of prayer is wrong in principle. This is because,
according to Dr. Sandweiss,3 science deals with facts, not "miracles." Yet,
if events occur in controlled laboratory studies, as suggested by evidence
cited below, these happenings presumably follow natural law and are not
considered miraculous.
We should be cautious in calling events miraculous or
mystical, because the subsequent course of history may reveal that these
terms reflect little more than our own ignorance. For example, when Newton
invoked the notion of universal gravity in the 17th century to explain his
observations, he was charged by his contemporaries with surrendering to
mysticism, as prayer researchers are often accused today…
There is indeed no consensus, but whether this is
because of a lack of data or ignorance of current evidence is a valid
question.43 Certainly further investigation of intercessory prayer is
warranted, but we need not wait until all the answers are in before
employing prayer adjunctively. This view is represented by Lancet editor
Richard Horton44 in his "precautionary principle."
Horton states, "We must act on facts and on the most
accurate interpretation of them, using the best information. That does not
mean that we must sit back until we have 100 percent evidence about
everything. When the . . . health of the individual is at stake . . . we
should be prepared to take action to diminish those risks even when the
scientific knowledge is not conclusive."…
Dr. Mercola's
Comment: There appears to be no question that prayer works. We have many
studies now that document that. The science is very solid in excellent
peer-reviewed publications. The science is so solid, that it is criminally
negligent for physicians not to recommend it…
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The Problem with Prayer Research
www.arcapologetics.org © Apologetics Resource Center. All rights
reserved.
Some Christians now claim the power of prayer is
supported by scientific research with “overwhelming, undeniable results”.(6)
Is that really the case? Highly sophisticated medical studies have been
conducted on the effectiveness of prayer for healing. However, many of the
studies have not shown clear evidence of benefit. For example, the most
recently published study found that those prayed for in a scientific study
did no better than those in a control group.(7)
How do we reconcile these results with our belief that God calls us to pray
when sick (James 5:13-16) and that he can bring healing? Results of research
on the impact of spirituality and religious faith on health and healing have
been published in mainstream medical journals.(8)
Does that make faith a therapy that works for some and not for others? We
are both firm believers in the power of prayer as described in the Bible. We
both put our faith in Jesus Christ. But should scientific studies be used to
validate those beliefs? Alternative medicine raises many such issues that
require careful discernment—and more space than we have here...Read in
entirety-
www.arcapologetics.org
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Religious traditions across the world display beliefs
in healing through prayer. The healing powers of prayer have been examined
in triple-blind, randomized controlled trials. We illustrate randomized
controlled trials on prayer and healing, with one study in each of different
categories of outcome. We provide a critical analysis of the scientific and
philosophical dimensions of such research. Prayer has been reported to
improve outcomes in human as well as nonhuman species, to have no effect on
outcomes, to worsen outcomes and to have retrospective healing effects. For
a multitude of reasons, research on the healing effects of prayer is riddled
with assumptions, challenges and contradictions that make the subject a
scientific and religious minefield. We believe that the research has led
nowhere, and that future research, if any, will forever be constrained by
the scientific limitations that we outline…
Prayer may result in benefits that are due to divine intervention
Although the very consideration of such a possibility
may appear scientifically bizarre, it cannot be denied that, across the
planet, people pray for health and for relief of symptoms in times of
sickness. Healing through prayer, healing through religious rituals, healing
at places of pilgrimage and healing through related forms of intervention
are well-established traditions in many religions…
…Where does this leave us? God may indeed exist and prayer may indeed heal;
however, it appears that, for important theological and scientific reasons,
randomized controlled studies cannot be applied to the study of the efficacy
of prayer in healing. In fact, no form of scientific enquiry presently
available can suitably address the subject. Therefore, the continuance of
such research may result in the conducted studies finding place among other
seemingly impeccable studies with seemingly absurd claims (Renckens et
al. [42] 2002).
Whereas we have attempted to be scientifically and politically correct in
our critique, other authors, such as Dawkins, [43]
have been humorous, nay even
scathing, in their criticism.
The aim of science is not to open a door to infinite
wisdom but to set a limit to infinite error (attr., Galileo[44]).
Read in entirety...www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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Fervent and
Effectual Prayer
Source
worldinvisible.com
“Pray for one another that ye may be healed. The
effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Elijah was a man of like passions (or nature] with us
and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and it rained, not on the
earth for three years and six months. And he prayed again; and the heaven
gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit” (James 5:16—18).
James knew that a faith which obtains healing is not
the fruit of human nature; therefore he adds that the prayer must be
“fervent.” Only such can be efficacious. In this he stands upon the example
of Elijah, a man of the same nature (“subject to like passions”) as we are,
drawing therefore the inference that our prayer can be and ought to be of
the same nature as his. How then did Elijah pray? This will throw some light
upon what the prayer of faith should be.
Elijah had received from God the promise that rain was
about to fall upon the earth (I Kings 18:1), and he had declared this to
Ahab. Strong in the promise of his God, he mounts Carmel to pray (I Kings
18:42; James 5:18). He knows, he believes that God’s will is to send rain,
and nevertheless he must pray, or the
rain will not come. His prayer is no empty
form; it is a real power, the efficacy of which is about to make itself felt
in heaven. God wills that it shall rain, but the rain will
only come at Elijah’s request, a request
repeated with faith and perseverance until the appearance of the first cloud
in the sky. In order that the will of God shall be accomplished, this will
must on one side be expressed by a promise, and on the other it must be
received and laid hold of by the believer who prays. He therefore must
persevere in prayer that he may show his God that his faith expects an
answer, and will not grow weary until it is obtained.
This is how prayer must be made for the sick. The
promise of God, “The Lord will raise him up,” must be rested on, and His
will to heal recognized. Jesus Himself teaches us to pray with faith which
counts on the answer of God; He says to us: “All things whatsoever ye pray
for, and ask for, believe that ye have received them and ye shall have
them”~ (Mark 11:24, R.V.). After the prayer of faith which receives
beforehand that which God has promised, comes the prayer of perseverance,
which does not lose sight of that which has been asked until God has
fulfilled His promise (I Kings 18:43). There may be some obstacle which
hinders the fulfillment of the promise; whether on the side of God and His
righteousness (Deut. 9:18), or on the side of Satan, and his constant
opposition to the plans of God, something which may still impede the answer
to the prayer (Dan. 10:12, 13). It may be also that our faith needs to be
purified (Matt. 15:22—28). Whatever it may be, our faith is called to
persevere until the answer comes. He who prays six times fervently and stops
there, when he ought to have prayed seven times (II Kings 13:18, 19),
deprives himself of the answer to his prayer.
Perseverance in prayer, a perseverance which
strengthens the faith of the believer against all which may seem opposed to
the answer, is a real miracle; it is one of the impenetrable mysteries of
the life of faith. Does it not say to us that the Savior’s redeemed one is
in very deed His friend, a member of His body, and that the government of
the world and the gifts of divine grace depend in some sense upon his
prayers? Prayer, therefore, is no vain form. It is the work of the Holy
Spirit, who intercedes here on earth in us and by us, and as such, it is as
efficacious, as indispensable as the work of the Son interceding for us
before the throne of God. It might seem strange that after having prayed
with the certainty of being heard, and having seen therein the will of God,
we should still need to continue in prayer. Nevertheless it is so. In
Gethsemane, Jesus prayed three times in succession. On Carmel Elijah prayed
seven times; and we, if we believe the promise of God without doubting,
shall pray until we receive the answer. Both the importunate friend at
midnight and the widow who besieged the unjust judge are examples of
perseverance in seeking the end in view.
Let us learn from Elijah’s prayer to humble ourselves,
to recognize why the power of God cannot be more manifested in the Church,
whether in the healing of the sick, or in conversion, or sanctification. “Ye
have not because ye ask not” (James 4:2). Let it also teach us patience. In
the cases where healing is delayed, let us remember that obstacles may exist
over which only perseverance in prayer can triumph.
Faith which ceases to pray, or which is allowed to
relax in its fervor, cannot appropriate that which God has nevertheless
given. Let not our faith in the promises of Scripture be shaken by those
things which are as yet beyond our reach. God’s promise remains the same:
“The prayer of faith shall save the sick.” May the prayer of Elijah
strengthen our faith. Let us remember that we have to imitate them who
through faith and patience inherit the promises (Heb. 6:12). If we learn to
persevere in prayer, its fruit will be always more abundant, always more
evident, and we shall obtain, as Jesus obtained when He was on earth,
healing of the sick, often immediate healing, which shall bring glory to
God.
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Learn How to Pray Effectively
www.understandingprayerandfaith.com
-
Prayer works, prayer is powerful, and prayer changes things. So then,
why is prayer effective for some, and others do not see tangible
results? Are your prayers being answered? Do you doubt your prayers are
heard? Have you lost faith? Do you want to learn how to pray
effectively? If you answered yes to any of these questions, this book
is for you.
There is not a magic formula
in the process and development of prayer, but many facets that comprise and
encompass a whole in making prayer powerful and effective. So as we begin
our journey on the path of enlightenment and revelation based only on
biblical based Scriptures, we will pull the pieces together, dismiss the
fallacies, and provide pragmatic, step-by-step guidelines and keys to
unlocking and discovering the power of prayer and how to pray for results.
We have a propensity when we are in trouble,
unfortunately, and usually only in that dire time of the need, to call on
God in prayer, a source of power greater than ourselves. Whether it is
facing an insurmountable challenge, hopelessness, an illness, a loss of a
loved one, or at the onset of facing death, we then call on a power higher
than that of ourselves. But the Bible calls for us to, “pray without
ceasing.”
The atheist does not believe there is anyone or
anything listening.
The doubter or skeptic believes that God has no
intervention or role in the manifestation of answering prayers, because if
He did, why is it that so many suffer, and why would He answer some prayers
and not all prayers? This would mean that God is discriminatory. Well, He is
not, for Romans 2:11 declares, “For there is no respect of persons with
God.”
A large number of Christians
or faith-based believers believe that it is all God’s doing and do not
acknowledge that the person praying plays the most important role in having
prayer answered.
Our prayers are the method by which we commune with the
Spirit of God. It is the medium through which our spirit is purposed to
affect, and be affected, by God. Answered prayer is predicated on both the
person praying doing their part, and God intervening and doing His part
through grace and the spiritual laws that are in operation.
More than not, many are disillusioned, disappointed,
tired, and discouraged because prayers appear to go unanswered. Well, change
is coming … and if change doesn’t come, it’s not God’s fault!
We will address wisdom, faith, the Holy Spirit, and our
relationship with God and Jesus Christ, which are the cornerstones and the
fundamental elements for developing a powerful and effective prayer life.
This book takes you step by step into a fuller understanding in what makes
prayer work, how it works, why it works, how to make it work for you, why
prayer is not answered, and how to develop your God-given divine potential,
power, and authority to get results.
The Bible is the source of all wisdom. It teaches one
how to think, believe, speak, and act so that you can manifest your dreams,
turn despair into hope, fear and worry into faith, defeat into victory,
sickness into healing, and prayer into power. By applying this knowledge,
you can change every aspect of your life and positively impact the lives of
others!
Purchase excerpts of the
book, The Spirit of Wisdom in Understanding Prayer and Faith in PDF
format:
-
Returning to the Bible
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Our Heavenly Creator
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Our Relationship with Our Heavenly Creator
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The Believer's Spiritual Authority
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Chapter 5 – Understanding the Power of Prayer
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Chapter 6 – How to Pray Effectively
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Chapter 7 – Understanding the Power of Faith
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Chapter 8 – Developing Your Faith
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Chapter 14 - A Relationship, Not Religion
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Christian Healing Courses
healthvisioninternational.org
The Theosis
Course for faith-based organizations, persons in religious and health
care leadership, parish nursing, and healing and health ministries
worldwide. The Theosis Course combines sound science and clinical practice
with the ancient wisdom of Christian spirituality to
bring about Christ-centered healing and transformation for the whole person,
our mission statement.
oralroberts.com
The Miracle
Living Series - Do you know that the miracles of the Bible are still
happening today? Have you ever experienced a miracle from God or do you know
someone who has? If your answer is yes then you know that miracles from God
are real and that miracles still happen today; truly, a miracle from God
settles the issue. There are many people who are in desperate need of a
miracle in their life due to their problems, heartaches, and needs. Some
individuals have been struggling so long that the thought of receiving a
miracle from God has not even occurred to them. Many, if not most, would
give anything to receive a miracle from God if they could only know that God
is concerned about them and understand what they can do in order to receive
miracles from God.
In this course, Lindsay takes students through a daily
guide to experiencing God’s miracles and successful living through
Seed-Faith. Through a variety of class work, lectures, testimonies, and
personal study at home students will gain a clearer understanding that God
is a good God, and He still desires to provide miracles in the daily affairs
of people. School of Miracles courses that teach
Christians to reach out in faith to God for their needs to be met, as well
as how to minister the love and power of God to those around us.
Students will discover key points that will be
faith building and important to successful daily living; with a special
emphasis on the importance of helping friends, loved ones, coworkers, and
others experience God’s miracles in their lives as well.
www.rhema.org
You are healed. That's
the message those who attend Healing School hear. And it's the message Rev.
Kenneth E. Hagin intended for them to hear when the school began in 1979.
Brother Hagin believed that people need the medicine of God's Word. At
Healing School, that Word is put into action every day. Healing School is a
place, as Brother Hagin desired, where the sick can go and have faith put
into them, so to speak, rather than have their faith taken out of them
through religious tradition and unbelief. It is a place where the sick are
healed and the oppressed are set free—a place where miracles happen every
day!
cfan.org
Here you can subscribe to edifying and empowering Bible
studies written by Evangelists Reinhard Bonnke and Daniel Kolenda. Every two
weeks, you will recieve a new study right in your inbox.
With decades of combined ministry, both have been able
to perfect many messages on evangelism, but also it has given them insight
into how God works – particularly in the areas of faith, the Holy Spirit,
and evangelism. These are the real working areas of the Gospel – the place
where the “rubber meets the road” so to speak. These are the areas that will
be most productive in your Christian walk and development.
christianscience.com
Through prayer, we can learn more of God’s nature and
ability to touch and heal our
lives and the world. If God is divine Love and has infinite wisdom, how
could He cause sin or sickness? If God is all powerful and ever present, is
there anything He can’t address?
Jesus' life and works showed how God helps us through prayer, and Mary
Baker Eddy explains that how this works is similar to the way light
dissolves darkness. Studies show that increasing numbers of people are
discovering how prayer
and health are related. Many Christian Scientists find that prayer
consistently results in healing. If
you would like to talk about this idea or have someone pray with you for
more light, health, and inspiration, Christian
Science practitioners and teachers are
available to help.
First and foremost, a
Christian Science teacher is a healer who is deeply convinced that anyone
who loves God can learn in some measure to heal as Christ
Jesus did. A teacher’s training, depth of understanding, and extensive
experience as a practitioner of
Christian Science healing qualifies him or her to be authorized by the
Church to teach others how to utilize the precepts of Christian Science to
heal. Every year a teacher offers a course, generally lasting twelve
sessions, in which pupils are taught how to deepen their ability to heal.
This Primary class of instruction in Christian Science healing marks the
beginning of a deeper commitment to a lifetime of spiritual growth,
progress, and love of humanity. Also, once a year teachers invite their
students, who make up an Association of pupils, to come together to be
spiritually refreshed, receive further teaching, and share current examples
of healing.
Teachers appreciate inquiries and are always happy to
answer your questions. They are available to provide spiritual treatment
through prayer. You should feel free to contact any teacher, not just those
in your own area, to find out more about class instruction or to get help. Find
a Christian Science teacher
Practitioners and teachers are
available full time to talk with and help anyone, anywhere, anytime, through
prayer. Feel free to contact a practitioner or teacher by phone, email,
Skype, text, written letter, etc., or to drop by for a visit to their
office. If you're interested, you should feel free to contact any teacher,
and not just those in your own area, to find out more about taking a class
with them, which is called "Primary
class instruction."
You can find official
listings and contact information for the people in The
Christian Science Journal directory. It's available online, and in print. People are listed at
various locations throughout the United States and around the world, but you
should feel free to contact anyone, anywhere, anytime.
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Learn How to Experience
the Supernatural
www.rhema.org
The Key to the Supernatural - To download a free PDF of
this book, click
here.
Is Your Miracle Passing You By? - To download a free
PDF of this book, click
here.
sidroth.org
The It's Supernatural TV program features guests who have experienced
extraordinary healings, miracles and personal encounters with God.
Through our It's
Supernatural TV show, Messianic
Vision radio show and
ISN (the It's
Supernatural Network) we are committed to teaching you how you can do the
same works Jesus did and even greater (John 14:12).
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Prayer Guides
prayer.ag.org
– National Prayer Center
Ways to Pray
Prayer Guides:
“Ways to Pray” provides a number of prayer guides that will
help you pray meaningfully for your pastor, church family, ministries in the
church, and mission outreaches at home and abroad. “Ways to Pray” simply is
available to give additional scope and focus to your prayers.
prayer.ag.org
Prayer Basics is a downloadable, biblically based prayer
training resource, prayer topics include:
- What’s
It All About
- Who
Should Pray
- What
Should We Pray About
- When
Should We Pray
- Where
Should We Pray
- Why
Should We Pray
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Need Prayer - Prayer
Partners
Christ For All Nations
Could you use a supernatural intervention from heaven
in some area of your life? The same miracles we see on the mission field are
available for you on the main streets of America. Right where you live. God
is no respecter of persons. It doesn't matter who you are, where you are
from, the color of your skin or the clothes you wear. It makes no difference
to Him. If you have a need, we have a God who hears and answers ours
prayers.
The Bible teaches us that we are to bear one another's
burdens. We can do this most effectively as we bring these burdens to the
Lord in prayer. Please take a moment to fill in the requested information
below and send us your prayer request.
Each request is prayed for by our staff in the United
States and then sent to an actual Christ for all Nations crusade where I,
the local pastors, and all the attendees stretch out their hands toward your
needs, and agree in prayer that God will do a miracle in your life! Let me
know how I can pray for you, today! Your prayer request will receive our
immediate attention. -
Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke
www.rhema.org
Would you like someone to agree with you in prayer?
Telephone prayer lines are staffed by a dedicated team of volunteer prayer
partners. The lines are open Monday - Friday, 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
(CT). Just call (918) 258-1588, ext. 5566, to speak with your Prayer
Partner. – or submit prayer request online. - Kenneth Hagin Ministries
www.world-healing-crusade.org.uk
We are simple Disciples of Christ, dedicated to Crusade
for World Brotherhood through Love and Faith in God. Without denomination,
belonging to all, serving all.
Our aim is total commitment to helping people in need
through Love, Faith and Prayer. The essence of our work is Faith Healing and
we thank the Lord for using us as His channels of Healing Love.
Our Sanctuary of Divine Healing is dedicated to
everyone. Divine Healing Services are held in our Sanctuary as we link up in
prayer partnership with our world-wide membership. We have an absolute
faith in the Almighty and pray in the name of His Son, our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. We merely act as His channels of Healing, for He is the true
labourer.
The Worldwide outreach uses the Internet to share God's
blessings on our Web site and through our free email inspirational.
prayer.ag.org
– National Prayer Center
The National Prayer Center was established
in 1994 to provide a call center and receiving point for requests from people
seeking help through prayer. Since its establishment, millions of calls and
requests have come to the 1-800-4-PRAYER phone line and through
the web site, email, fax, and mail.
A central office and phone center located at
the Assemblies of God headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, handles calls that
come to 1-800-4-PRAYER. Volunteers take the callers’ needs to God in prayer.
Callers regularly express heartfelt thanks to volunteers for taking the time to
spend a few moments in prayer with them.
Additionally, many requests come to the
National Prayer Center via the Internet. These requests are distributed weekly
to the Intercessory Prayer Network.
Faithful volunteers across the United States take these requests to the Lord
individually, in prayer groups, or in church services.
www.24-7prayer.com
Hundreds of non-stop prayer meetings now
link up here on the web to form a unique chain of prayer.
Along the way, this unusual prayer meeting
has given rise to numerous new initiatives, communities and ministries
particularly focusing on the poor, the marginalised, students and those
outside the reach of normal expressions of church.
How It Works:
Participating groups pledge to pray 24 hours a day for a week or more in
a dedicated prayer-room. They then 'carry the baton of prayer' for that period.
The prayer passes from location to location in a never ending flow linked up by
the Worldwide Web. We are a virtual community praying in real locations. Right
now someone, somewhere is praying 24-7.
What
Is the Aim:
The dream behind 24-7 is to turn the tide of youth culture back to Jesus
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These
numbers may be phoned directly. No operator assistance is necessary.
All lines to heaven are available 24 HOURS A DAY!
These
are more effective than 911, When
-
You
are sad, phone
John
14
You
are facing danger, phone
Psalm
91
People
have failed you, phone
Psalm
27
It
feels as though God is far from you, phone
Psalm
139
Your
faith needs stimulation, phone
Hebrews
11
You
are alone and scared, phone
Psalm
23
You
are worried, phone
Matthew
8:19-34
You
are hurt and critical, phone
1
Corinthians 13
You
feel like an outcast, phone
Romans
8:31-39
You
are seeking peace, phone
Matthew
11:25-30
It
feels as if the world is bigger than God, phone
Psalm
90
You
need Christ like insurance, phone
Romans
8:1-30
You
are leaving home for a trip, phone
Psalm
121
You
are praying for yourself, phone
Psalm
87
You
require courage for a task, phone
Joshua
1
Inflation's
and investments are hogging your thoughts, phone
Mark
10:17-31
You
are depressive, phone
Psalm
27
Your
bank account is empty, phone
Psalm
37
You
lose faith in mankind, phone
1
Corinthians 13
It
looks like people are unfriendly, phone
John
15
You
are losing hope, phone
Psalm
126
Paul's
secret for happiness, phone
Colossians
3:12-17
With
big opportunity/ discovery, phone
Isaiah
55
To
get along with other people, phone
Romans
12
For
dealing with fear, call
Isaiah 41:10
For
security, call
Psalm
121:3
For
assurance, call
Mark
8:35
For
reassurance, call
Psalm
145:18
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Praying
for the World & America
www.worldwideprayer.com
“Calling the people of God in America to Prayer"
- To encourage and establish 24/Hour Prayer Throughout Cities, States and
the Nation.
"Calling the People of God Worldwide To Prayer" - To
encourage and establish 24/Hour Prayer In every Nation of the World.
awakeningamerica.us
Uniting Together in Prayer For
America’s Future:
The
present condition of our nation demands united, decisive action. We need more
than one positive election, more than one court decision, more than one good
series of sermons, and more than one significant local church revival. We must
experience a new national awakening. Join
with us in the Awakening America Alliance today!
Awakening America Alliance exists in order to provide
a broad umbrella under which the body of Christ in America can unite
together in seeking a contemporary spiritual awakening. Awakening America is
issuing a wake-up call for revival in the church and a Christ awakening in
the nation by utilizing unified activity, various forms of media, and highly
visible events, as well as encouraging collaboration together in prayer,
fasting, and God-inspired action to impact the nation's non-Christian
population.
www.ifapray.org
- Intercessors For America
Mission:
Uniting Believers in Effective Prayer and
Fasting for America
www.nationalprayercenter.org
The
National Prayer Center
is an inter-denominational, non-profit organization dedicated to activating,
mobilizing and inspiring Christians across America to become involved in the
Biblical mandate to pray for our leaders and for national revival in order to
heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2).
The
National Prayer Center is headquartered in Washington D.C. within walking
distance from the United States Capitol building. The facility’s primary
function is to be a place of prayer for our nation and its leaders.
Please
continue to join with us in prayer for our nation and our leaders.
-
Pray
for our President, Members of Congress and Supreme Court Justices.
-
Pray
for all Presidential candidates and those running for re-election.
-
Pray
for a nation wide awakening that would lead to a spiritual transformation of
our nation
-
Pray
for wisdom for our national leaders in this economic and spiritual time of
challenge
-
Pray
for a spirit of healing and unity
Pray
for all in America to experience an outpouring of God's Love.
www.prayercaucus.org
Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, Inc. is a
non-profit, non-partisan organization committed to protecting our freedom to
publicly pray and express our faith in God; and restoring Judeo-Christian
principles to their rightful place in the marketplace of ideas. Our goal is
to work alongside members of congress to unify the nation to trust God
again.
As
we look across America today, the spiritual prayer wall that helped America
reach her greatness seems to be under attack and in need of repair. That is why
on November 18, 2005 certain members of Congress issued a "Call to Prayer
for America." That is why we invite you to join us in rebuilding this
prayer wall around our nation by committing to pray five minutes each week that
God will hear our land
.
www.presidentialprayerteam.com
Presidential Prayer Team:
Mobilizing millions of Americans to pray daily for our President, our
Leaders, our Nation and our Armed Forces
Many have wanted to pray for our President
and our country, but haven’t known how to pray or what to pray. The
Presidential Prayer Team provides you the most accurate and up-to-date
information so that you can pray with intelligence, conviction and power.
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With Love,
Live Healthy Naturally
