Does God hear competing prayers from Christians who disagree on war?

March 31, 2003

Does God hear competing prayers
from Christians who disagree on war?
___By John Hall
___Texas Baptist Communications
___Christians worldwide have encouraged believers to pray for national leaders, troops and Iraqi citizens. However, they continue to be divided on the justness of the war in Iraq, and prayers vary from person to person.
___So, what happens when believers pray different desires for the war with Iraq?
___God will bring them closer together and nearer to his will through prayer if they let him, insisted Ted Elmore, director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas' prayer and spiritual development office.
___People come to prayer with their own baggage, biases and viewpoints, Elmore acknowledged. Iraqi Christians and American Christians view the conflict differently in many aspects, and that carries over in

to their prayer lives, he said.
___While Iraqis may pray for the safety of friends and family, Americans concentrate on the troops in the conflict. Americans with different opinions on the war effort also may pray for different events to occur.
___Christian desires are a good starting place for prayer, but believers need to remember they do not have all the information about the situation, Elmore said.
___"All of our information is limited," Elmore stated. "No one person has all the information. We know what God has revealed. For example, Scripture teaches us to pray for our leaders and the lost."
___ If a Christian is open to the will of God, the Holy Spirit moves the desires of the person to be synchronized with God's will, Elmore suggested.
___"He moves us into seeing the world through his heart," he said.
___Prayer is not something to take lightly, Elmore said. Consistent prayer with the desire to encounter God and decipher his will enables Christians to be sure in their efforts.
___"It is incumbent upon me to stay in the Scriptures and heart of God until I am as confident as I can be that I am praying the will of God," he said.
___Immediate needs and concerns, such as family members and Iraqis in the conflict, are important to voice in prayer because our needs are certainly close to the heart of God, Elmore said. God helps and supports Christians in times of need.
___Prayer also should consist of seeking God's long-range purposes of bringing all people to know him better, Elmore said. He encourages believers to pray for righteousness to prevail in the conflict and for God's glory to clearly shine.
___Praying in God's will benefits believers in ways other than meeting needs, Elmore added.
___"The most basic realistic expectation is greater insight into the redemptive purposes of God," he said.
___People with different views should gather and pray, he exhorted. Believers can gain new insight into each other and the will of God by discussing their prayer lives with other Christians.
___"You have to look at things like this from all angles, all perspectives," he said. "We get in a lot of trouble if we're not open to sincere Christians. If we as Christians cannot respect one another and listen to what a sincere Christian feels is the conviction of his heart, we are on dangerous ground."
___Limited and different as Christians are, Elmore said, they can find God's common will through open and determined prayer.
___"We're human," Elmore summarized. "But if we continue praying, we will encounter God's will and pray his will for all nations."
___ If a Christian is open to the will of God, the Holy Spirit moves the desires of the person to be synchronized with God's will, Ted Elmore believes.

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