Recently, I received an email requesting that I address the following:

1. "Is it okay to pray out loud, or do we have to pray in silence?"
2. "Can Satan block our prayers from our Father?"

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My response to question 1:

There was a time when I thought that silent prayer, praise, and worship were sufficient. If God knows my thoughts from afar, why should I have to pray aloud? One morning as I was reading Psalm 34, the Holy Spirit corrected me: I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. (Highlights mine) I repented and made the choice to pray aloud—to praise and worship aloud. Words are powerful, words can wound, words can heal, words can move mountains. When we pray according to God’s will (His Word), we know that He hears us, and we know that we have the petitions we desire of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

The disciples of Jesus recognized the importance of prayer and asked Him to teach them to pray. He gave them a model for prayer, which we follow today. Praying aloud is scriptural. Jesus prayed aloud in John 17; in Acts 4:24 the Church lifted their voices together to God and said—obviously they prayed aloud. Sometimes it is necessary to pray silently, but I always prefer praying aloud.

You have a standing invitation to come boldly to the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy and grace in time of need. Jesus taught us to begin our prayers with “Our Father.” He also said whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. (Matt. 21:22) We are His children. Jesus told us to ask, seek, and knock. I have four children, and when any one of them wanted or needed something, they asked, and sometimes they continued asking and asking. They were not silent!!

A major benefit of praying aloud is “ever-increasing faith.” Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word. I have instructed people many times to pray aloud the powerful scriptural prayers from Prayers That Avail until they are assured and really believe that their prayers have been answered!

Another benefit of praying aloud is “hiding God’s Word in Your heart” so you won’t sin against Him. Whether you pray scriptural prayers aloud or silently, the Holy Spirit writes them on your mind and heart. When the Word is sown in your heart, the Holy Spirit will bring all things to your remembrance. Often, people ask me how I memorized so many scriptures. I didn’t. I prayed the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit emblazoned them on my heart and mind. He will do the same for you!

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My response to Question 2:

"Can Satan block our prayers from our Father?"

Let me say up front... NO, Satan cannot block your prayers. In Daniel 10 we read: “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.”

You can approach God with the confidence that He will hear you. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

When thoughts come to you that are contrary to the Scriptures and the promises of God, make the choice to believe the Word of God. His promises are yes and amen! Satan cannot stop your prayers from reaching the ears of the Father. You are a child of God, and when you choose to believe Him, you are submitting to Him. You are resisting the devil and he has to flee from you!

Remember the words of Jesus in Mark 11:22-24, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."