Dear Praying One,

Yes, God does hear our prayers. The Scripture that is coming to me is the parable about the widow who needed help. She had an adversary coming against her and she went to a just judge for help. However, the door did not open for her right away, but she persisted until the door was opened to her. She said to the just judge, “Get me justice against this adversary!” Well, sickness and disease are adversaries against us! We need help to get rid of it so that is why we ask. Our just judge is Jesus Christ (see Luke 18:1-8).

God never gets tired of our prayers! Prayer does change things. It is a wonderful privilege to be able to pray for friends and loved ones. Yes, God hears us the first time we pray, but different situations arise concerning the same problem so we have different areas to pray about during the crisis. When I understand that God has heard me, I start to thank Him for His intervention in the situation.

I believe the very first prayer before healing of the body is healing of the spirit. So with your friends being unbelievers, this would be my first prayer for them. I would pray that God would open their eyes to see truth and the One who brings truth—Jesus Christ, the One who died on the cross for their spiritual and physical healing. People without the Lord have no hope. Hope to the Christian means to anticipate with pleasure that the Word is true. We always have hope and it is that hope inside us that can work through us! Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).

Yes, your friend needs your prayers but she needs your love, faith, and hope to stand strong no matter what. Just keep loving her and thanking God for His healing power to surround her. Then leave it to God, knowing His word, the Bible, is the truth we stand on!