No, doesn't bother me at all. I need prayer...
I have no problem with others praying for me as long as they are sincere. Prayers of the righteous availeth much so I most definitely want the prayers of others that are alignment with God.
Other times people can use "I'll pray for you" in a sarcastic way and there is no real intention behind their words. The statement can be used to hurt and demean another person. Those type of people can keep their ungodly "prayers".
It's sometimes preceded by "No offense, but..."
What are your thoughts/experiences? Is there really a difference between a prayer request and an unsolicited move to offer prayer on someone's behalf?
I love it when people offer to pray for me, so long as its scriptural and beneficial I don't correct them. However sometimes I'll pray against certain prayers because I don't like everybody speaking things into my life. I'll pray for people even when they say "don't pray for me" umm my job is to pray so telling me not to do it is not going to really change my mind. In fact, it would probably make me more inclined to pray for you. However while doing so I ask the Holy Spirit for His guidance to remove myself from the prayer.
Hi, Tasha,
That's an interesting comment... how are we to know the sincerity of someone's offer to pray???
It's unfortunate someone's effort to reach out can be seen as sarcastic or even not well-received, but sometimes I think it's the perception of the receiver? Maybe I'm reaching here.
Prayer to me is instantaneous...I try not to say "I will pray for you" because it's a commitment I have to fulfill. If I do, I'm commited to pray that prayer. But I prefer to pray then and there and move on, lest I forget to put that person up in prayer later. Sometimes I pray anyway without saying anything...
Be encouraged...
Laela
I typed out my response and then my system crashed I am not going to go back and try to retype everything but my statement was misunderstood.
You be encourged as well.
I think it comes with spiritual maturity to know that you can't stop someone else from praying but even as the enemy may try, we know that our enemies that try to rise up against us will be defeated before our face. They will come out one way to attack and flee before us 7 ways.
But having a "white" witch come up and say, "Let me pray for you," and you letting is not profitable because it is walking in the counsel of the ungodly. But for someone to tell another brother or sister in Christ, "Don't pray for me," is like...wow!
One thing that I learned is that even if a person, pehaps a witch trys to speak things into your life...they will be null and void.
That's an interesting comment... how are we to know the sincerity of someone's offer to pray???
It's unfortunate someone's effort to reach out can be seen as sarcastic or even not well-received, but sometimes I think it's the perception of the receiver? Maybe I'm reaching here.
Hi ladies!
Laela- I think I understand what Tasha meant in her comments. Sometimes you can tell when someone is being sarcastic by their tone of voice, body language, facial expressions, through spiritual discernment, etc. I also agree with Chicanella's comments concerning our authority as believers to nullify ungodly prayers. As a whole though, I welcome prayers from fellow believers.
I don't think that someone else's prayer will trump G-d's will for your own life. Whatever He allows will happen and whatever He doesn't allow will not happen.