5 Reasons Why You Should Stop Shouting in Prayer

Have you ever wondered why people keep shouting in prayer? You will probably meet many people in Pentecostal churches shouting while praying.  This happens when, as they say, “they are under the power of the Holy Ghost.”  I am yet to understand this meaning though. We need to know what prayer is and to whom we pray for us to understand how we should do it.

Prayer is basically, “talking to God.” It involves giving honor and praise to him for who He is and thanking Him for every gift. It may involve giving our cares to Him.  God is the believer’s best friend. God speaks to us through His word and we speak to Him through prayer.  When we are praying we need to understand that we are begging for His mercy and not demanding anything from Him.

Many people shout at the top of their voices, command, and declare while praying. Some even go ahead and start addressing devil in their prayers. In this article today, I am going to point out biblically why all this is wrong.

Below are some of the reasons Christians should not shout while praying

1.      God is not Deaf

Almighty God is not Deaf. He hears every prayer of his children. His ear is not too deaf to hear when we call. ( Isaiah 59:1). He is able to hear prayers which are whispered in very low tones. God hears the prayer of the heart, it does not necessarily need someone yelling so that they can be heard. Such was the prayer of Nehemiah before King Artaxerxes. (Nehemiah 2:4). You can be sure that Nehemiah was not praying at the top of his voice before the King.

2.      God is Almighty and Powerful

How would you address a mighty King? Which words would you use to address your case before the president of your nation?  No doubt you would mind your tone. See how Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, and others addressed Kings. Phrases like ‘Let the King live forever’ were said in such a way to show humility. It was a request for favor and for what it pleased the King, not what people adamantly wanted. Yet all this was done to mere mortals, men whose breath was given by God Himself.

How then should we address God in our prayers? God is Almighty and Powerful and we should never raise our voices to Him. He is like no other, He is seated in the Heavens and He rules all Kingdoms of the earth. Be mindful of your language before this King, because there was not nor will there be his equal.

God will listen to those who have contrite hearts. The sacrifice God is looking for is a broken spirit. He will be near to those one and he will not despise those who have poured their hearts out to him. Prayer is a sign of total surrender to God and those who surrender their lives to God will have God attend to their prayers. May God give us the gift of a broken spirit.

3.      God does not owe us anything

Those who yell while praying tend to show that God owes them something.  The truth however is that there is nothing we deserve from God but wrath and condemnation. Everything we get from God is a gift and we should be thankful for it.

Even when we have done all we can, Jesus tells us that we are still unworthy.

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. Luke 17:10

Prayer is a request, not a demand and therefore we should not shout while praying.

4.      God Already Knows

Even before we pray, God already knows all we want to tell him. So, you don’t have to yell, jump, and roll on the floor to be heard. We need to remember that God is omniscient. He knows what we need even before we think of praying.

5.      We have no Power

Declaring and decreeing changes nothing. This is because we have no power. When people say that they are commanding this and that, they are using language which is new to the Bible. Only God has the power to do anything according to his will.

Most of what is seen in the pentecostal churches is just emotionalism destitute of the spirit and the heart of the worshipper. God is not a carnal being to be moved by tears, jumping, rolling and yelling. God is spirit and those worship must do so in spirit and in truth. He is looking for contrite and broken spirit.