Questions and Answers | Praying Out Loud
Is it okay to pray out loud to our heavenly Father? Is it better to pray silently so that Satan doesn't hear our prayers?
Author C. S. Lewis wrote that there are two errors in the way we think about Satan: seeing him as weak and insignificant or seeing him as so powerful that we are helpless against him. You don’t have to worry about Satan hearing your prayers because God is more powerful than Satan (1 John 4:4).
Jesus prayed openly and out loud, and He instructed His disciples to pray in the same manner. He gave them a model with what is called The Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–13). Praying out loud can help keep you from getting distracted. Speaking aloud keeps you present to the prayer. When we pray silently, we can lose track of our thoughts or even fall asleep.
What is more important than worrying about whether or not Satan can hear our prayers is the way in which we pray. Ask yourself: Am I praying without potential distraction? (For example: Have I turned off my cell phone and moved it out of sight?) Am I praying thoughtfully? Am I praying specifically and honestly? (Matt. 6:7–8).
BY Dr. Rosalie de Rosset
Dr. Rosalie de Rosset has been teaching at Moody Bible Institute in the Communications Department for over five decades. She is occasionally featured on Moody Radio. Rosalie is a published author, respected speaker, and talented writer. She lives on the northside of Chicago, a city she enjoys for its natural beauty and multi-faceted art offerings.