Q: #77. Do I need to pray silently to keep Satan from hearing, or in tongues to keep Satan from understanding my prayers?
A: This is a concern many Christians, including myself have struggled with before. However, we need to ask ourselves if it is Biblical or logical to truly be worried about this.
We know that Satan cannot do anything unless God allows it (Job 1:6-12)(Job 2:1-7)(Lk 22:31). In addition, we should ask ourselves, “Will Satan really be more likely to act against us if he hears or understands our prayers?” I would ask you this. Do you really think Satan isn’t ALREADY aware of the needs you are praying for? I don’t mean that Satan is omniscient or omnipresent. However, Satan is well aware of what is going on in the world.
Are you praying for help with temptation? Who is doing the tempting?
Are you praying for help with wrong thoughts? Who is placing them there?
Are you praying for someone else’s problem? Satan is aware of the problem.
Are you praying for forgiveness? Satan had a part in you needing to seek it.
Are you praying for more of the Lord? Satan knows you need that.
Are you praying for healing? Satan is well aware you, or someone else is sick and need healing.
When we worry about what Satan is going to do when he hears or understands, he gains the victory. He is disrupting our prayer life, and prayer is the Christian’s most powerful weapon.
Now, there is nothing wrong with praying silently according to the Bible (1 Sam 1:9-18)(Gen 24:45)(Ps 19:14). (Go here for more on this.) However, there are also benefits to praying out loud. Praying out loud often helps us individually to focus better. The Bible also talks about the importance of praying with others in a group setting. Some of the most powerful, answered prayer I have been a part of has been in small group settings. Of course, Satan wants to disrupt this, and does if we worry about him hearing.
The same is true with the tongues prayer. I have heard so many say that God gives tongues to pray in so that Satan can’t understand the prayer. Is God REALLY worried about Satan understanding? Is God concerned that Satan might stop His plans, so He needs to give us a secret language? No… This is simply a way to disrupt prayer as well.
Pray in whatever way you feel comfortable, but do not let Satan alter the WAY you pray.