Prayer works and aids healing

NewsMax posted the following:

Dr. Crandall: The Healing Power of Prayer

Numerous research studies and anecdotal stories have shown the power that prayer can have in our lives and for our health.

Dr. Chauncey Crandall, world-renowned cardiologist and director of preventive medicine at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Florida, has observed the power that prayer can have on health firsthand.

“When I was at Yale University and I rounded on the wards of the hospital, I found something that just really amazed me,” Crandall tells Newsmax’s “Newsline.” “The people that were being prayed for seemed to get well faster than those that weren’t,” he observed. …

Numerous research studies and anecdotal stories have shown the power that prayer can have in our lives and for our health.

Dr. Chauncey Crandall, world-renowned cardiologist and director of preventive medicine at the Palm Beach Cardiovascular Clinic in Florida, has observed the power that prayer can have on health firsthand.

A recent review of 32 studies, published in the International Journal of Depression and Anxiety, came to the same conclusion. In nearly every one of the studies, religion in general, and religious training, spirituality, faith, prayer and a religious community were associated with reduced anxiety. The effects were observed in healthy adults and those with cancer, cardiovascular disease or other illnesses.

And another study performed over 20 years ago on 1,000 cardiac patients in a hospital in Kansas City found that those who were prayed for daily for four weeks (without them knowing it) fared better, with fewer complications, such as pneumonia, chest pains, infections or death, than those who were not prayed for. https://www.newsmax.com/health/health-news/prayer-health-anxiety/2025/04/18/id/1207451/

God hears prayers, and often answers them.

Prayer is not just about asking God to give us things or to think God should be pleased because we address Him.

Here is some of the information in our free ebook Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? 28 tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers:

What is prayer?

Prayer is simply talking to God. It can be out-loud, though it is often silent. Prayer is an important part in the worship of the Great Creator.

Prayer gives us an opportunity to express love towards others, explain our circumstances, and give thanks to God for the many blessings we are given.

We have an opportunity in prayer to ask God for help, for guidance, for strength, and to support His work.

Prayer is the completion of a two-way conversation between God and humans. God speaks to people through His Word, and people speak to Him through prayer.

When you pray, understand that this is not really doing God a favor. Believe it or not many people think that God should be grateful that we will try to talk to Him. Should it not be the other way around?

When you pray don’t you realize you are speaking to the most perfect and powerful being in the universe? Which of you should be honored by that?

In this busy 21^st century, in our busy lives, it can seem that there is never enough time to do all the things we want or need to do. When there is not enough time to go around, what do even some Christians neglect?

Prayer.

As never before, as we see the end approaching (Hebrews 10:2425; Luke 21:34-36), true Christians should be drawing near to God in prayer. Yet some true Christians have confessed that they have not prayed for days, weeks, or even months.

We are not to wait long to talk to God, but should:

⁶ Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. (Isaiah 55:6, NKJV throughout, except where otherwise noted)

Also, don’t you want to support the work of God as we get closer to Jesus’ return (cf. Matthew 6:33; 24:14)? While that work ultimately involves the entire universe, God’s work in this age includes HIS people.

Which means, that while many feel that they could better serve

God if He answered their prayers a certain way, the reality is that YOU and your spiritual state are more important than you probably think. God may not answer prayers the way people want Him to, because God wants to help perfect His people more than probably most realize. Do your part, God will do His.

Notice what followers of Jesus have been told:

⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48)

²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰ Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:2830)

If you believe that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE THAT LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE CALLED

ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE, then presuming you love God and were called, whatever God does in response to your prayers means that He has answered them in a way that HE KNOWS is best for you. He wants to help perfect you now (Psalm 138:8).

On the other hand, it should also be understood that many seem to believe that God’s work is primarily about helping themselves physically in this age. This is a distortion of reality. This wrong belief is often the result of unrecognized selfishness and listening to ministers that promote it (cf. 2 Peter 2:1-3). God’s work is MORE than just you or how you feel.

But getting back to prayer, can it change anything?

Certainly.

Throughout history, people have utilized prayer. Prayers and intercessions by Moses, Joshua, Ezekiel, and others have been shown to change outcomes.

Yet also throughout history, God’s people have also had questions about how to pray. This booklet provides 28 tips about prayer to keep in mind that can lead to the type of answers that most should really want.

Tip Number 1: Pray to God the Father

Jesus’ disciples wondered about how to pray. Notice:

Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.”

So He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. (Luke 11:1-2)

We see here that we should normally direct our prayers to God the Father. We must first acknowledge the greatness of our heavenly Father. Our faith increases when we realize that what He has promised He can and will perform! He is the God of Heaven — the Ruler of the whole universe. It is His name, His authority, that is to be hallowed—to be considered holy.

Even in Old Testament times, David realized that he should pray to God the Father:

¹⁰ … David said:

“Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our Father, forever and ever. ¹¹ Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over all. ¹² Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great And to give strength to all.

¹³ “Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

Do you glorify the majesty, the power, and the wisdom of God in prayer like David did?

David realized that God was the Father, God was great, and that His name should be praised. There are several concepts in David’s prayer that Jesus shared with His disciples when they asked Him how to pray.

Jesus personally prayed to the Father:

²At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. ²⁶ Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. (Matthew 11:25-26)

⁴¹ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, ⁴² saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Luke 22:41-42)

We should follow His example (cf. John 13:15; 1 Peter 2:21).

Tip Number 2: Worship God in Truth

Many people do not understand who or what God is. Because of that they often do not pray to the true God of the Bible.

Because of the ‘progress’ of the interfaith and ecumenical approaches to religion, many think that praying to some vague ‘spirit being’ or to an idol of a Hindu deity is the same as praying to the true God of the Bible. But that is not the case.

Notice something that the Apostle Paul taught:

through whom are all things, and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:5-6)

Notice what Jesus Himself taught:

²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

Many think that it does not matter what or how they worship, only that they make some attempt. That is not what Jesus said that the Father wants.

Jesus also taught:

⁸ “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. ⁹ And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:8-9)

People may pray out loud or silently, but notice that they can be worshiping God in vain if they are following the imaginations of their own mind or ‘traditions’ of human beings which are contrary to God’s ways. Intentionally praying to the east (Ezekiel 8:16) and certain holidays that many who claim Christianity observe, do not come from the Bible, but from compromises with pagan “traditions of men” (see also our booklet Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays?).

Since Jesus warned that one can worship God in vain and that the Father seeks those who will worship Him in truth, those who want to truly worship God and receive answers to their prayers should not rationalize away disobedience to Him and His ways.

Notice something that Jesus prayed:

¹ Father, the hour has come… ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (John 17:1, 16-19)

Jesus also taught:

⁴ It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ (Matthew 4:4)

The world compromises with the truth and does not adequately believe that the word of God is truth. While many pay lip-service to the idea of believing the Bible, most accept ‘traditions of men’ that the Bible does not condone above truly living by every word of God.

However, it is not that God never hears the prayers of those that do not really know Him, but if one truly intends to worship God, they should worship the true God.

Even if you do not believe that you are worshiping God in vain, consider examining your own life (Galatians 6:3-4) as there are probably areas in it that are not true to God. Do not overlook this tip as it also specifically applies to true Christians in these end times (cf. Revelation 3:1-22).

Tip Number 3: Believe God

The Bible warns that there are those who do not really believe God, and because of that, they do not get their prayers answered.

Notice:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:5-8)

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Jesus taught that those who pray need to have faith in God:

²² So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. ²³ For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. ²⁴ Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. (Mark 11:22-24)

You need to believe that God will answer you. If it is God’s will, yes, the prayers of the truly faithful can move mountains. The time will come when this likely will literally happen. Where does faith come from? The Bible says that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). (For more on faith, check out our free booklet Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen.) Study and believe God’s word.

While God is aware of all prayers, some prayers God listens to.

Notice whose prayers God listens to:

² Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. (Isaiah 66:2)

Tremble at His word—do you really believe the Bible over false traditions of human beings?

In the Bible, God declares:

⁸ “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. ⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:89)

Do you really believe that? While that can seem to be hard to accept at times, the reality is that God “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:5) and knows so much more than any of us possibly can. That is part of why it is good, wise, and right to submit to His will.

Jesus said:

⁴⁶ “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)

Are you humble enough that you will believe God over your own opinions and feelings? All the time?

Really? …

Here is a listing of the 28 tips:

Pray to God the Father

Worship God in Truth

Believe God

Obey God: Do More than the Demons

Worship God in Spirit

Resist Satan

Don’t Fight God

Pray for Others

Pray for Your Needs

Remember God’s Will and Have Your Priorities in Order

Praying Positions from the Bible

Pray Every Day

Forgiveness

Recognize God’s Spirit

Pray for What the Bible Says to Pray For

Ask for Spiritual Gifts

Don’t Pray for Show

Obey the New Testament About Head Coverings

Ask Often, Do Not Use Vain Repetitions, But Be Fervent

If You Are Suffering or Sick, Pray About It

Pray for Church Leaders

Pray for Secular Leaders

Put Jesus in Your Prayers

The Difficult: Remember Fasting

Pray With Thanksgiving

Deal With ‘Secret Sins’

Change Can Make the Impossible, Possible

Close with Amen

Some may be thinking:

“Wait a minute! I want God to do things MY WAY. That is why I pray. And you keep quoting verses that I should confess my sins, pray for others, pray for the work, pray for God’s will to be done, give thanks, and even fast. Those are not the kind of tips I was hoping for.”

Well, you either believe the God of the Bible or you do not. You can pray for your wants and needs, but you need to understand that prayer is intended to be more than a ‘please give me this, please give me that’ process.

Study, review, and strive to understand all the tips in this booklet. Read the Bible. Pray regularly to the Father.

If you believe and will follow what the Bible says, God will answer your prayers. The twenty-eight tips in this booklet should give you at least a start to realize how God wants you to view prayer.

¹⁷ Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)

Pray.

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:14:30

28 Tips on Prayer

People talk a lot about prayer. Many pray in public. Does God listen? What does the Bible teach about prayer? Can what you do or do not wear be a factor? How can your prayers be more effective? Why doesn’t God seem to answer all prayers? How should you deal with the difficult? How should you deal with ‘the impossible’? Here is a listing of the 28 tips that Dr. Thiel goes over in this sermon: 1. Pray to God the Father 2. Worship God in Truth 3. Believe God 4. Obey God: Do More than the Demons 5. Worship God in Spirit 6. Resist Satan 7. Don’t Fight God 8. Pray for Others 9. Pray for Your Needs 10. Remember God’s Will and Have Your Priorities in Order 11. Praying Positions from the Bible 12. Pray Every Day 13. Forgiveness 14. Recognize God’s Spirit 15. Pray for What the Bible Says to Pray For 16. Ask for Spiritual Gifts 17. Don’t Pray for Show 18. Obey the New Testament About Head Coverings 19. Ask Often, Do Not Use Vain Repetitions, But Be Fervent 20. If You Are Suffering or Sick, Pray About It 21. Pray for Church Leaders 22. Pray for Secular Leaders 23. Put Jesus in Your Prayers 24. The Difficult: Remember Fasting 25. Pray With Thanksgiving 26. Deal With ‘Secret Sins’ 27. Change Can Make the Impossible, Possible 28. Close with Amen.

Here is a link to the sermon video: 28 Tips on Prayer.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? 28 tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers People talk a lot about prayer. Many pray in public. Does God listen? What does the Bible teach about prayer? How can your prayers be more effective? Does the Bible give particular positions to pray in? What does God want you to pray for? What if what you want is difficult? What if what you want is humanly impossible? Why doesn’t God seem to answer all prayers? This free booklet answers all those questions and more. This contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)? There is also a single sermon available: 28 Tips on Prayer.
What Should I Pray About? An old article by Lynn Torrance on prayer.
Does God Heal Today? This historical article is by Herbert Armstrong and provides his views circa 1952, which he seemed to later modify, at least to some degree.
Ten Simple Rules that Lead to Health Herbert Armstrong gives his opinions on this.
Importance of Fasting An old article by Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject.
Faith for those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Here is a link to a pdf. booklet titled Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido.Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章
 Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.