Answer: The reason for closing a prayer, "in Jesus's name" is based on the following scriptures
Eph 5:20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Col 3:17 "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
Our prayers should be addressed to God the Father as Jesus instructed in Matt 6:9, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."
We close our prayers in "Jesus' name." In closing a prayer a Christian is recognizing that Jesus Christ is our Savior and "advocate" between us and God the Father.
1 John 2:1 "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:"
Answer: What is called the "Lord's prayer" stated in Matthew 6:9-13 was not prayed by the Lord. It was given by Christ as an example of how we should pray and not as a ritual prayer. Verse 9 begins by saying, "after this manner" which means to pray following these guide lines. Some churches who are in doctrinal error such as the Protestants do use this as a ritual prayer. The real Lord's prayer is found in John 17. It records His prayer for believers.
Answer: The Bible is God's complete word to us. It tells us of God and instructs us in salvation and about heaven, hell and how to serve, pray, worship and live for Jesus Christ.
The New Testament speaks many times about "saints" which always means those who have by faith received Jesus Christ alone as their Savior. There is no mention in God's word of Christians praying to saints, communicatiing with dead saints or saints interceding for believers on earth. There is no mention of anyone living or dead being made a saint such as the Romans Catholic church teaches.
Further, no where in the Bible do the dead have communication with the living. That is a false teaching. Therefore seeking advice as to the future from dead saint is a false practice and not according to God's word.
There is however, communications with demons, who mimic and falsely represent themselves as dead people. The Bible refers to this as "witchcraft" and strongly condems the practice. Demons, serve the Devil and they seek to confuse and mislead living people with this occult practice. God strongly condemns anyone from seeking advice from demons or being involved with the occult.
Some people today claim they are communicating with the dead. In most cases the practice is a con game used to get money from people, but some are actually communicating with demons. The demons know of what is happening on earth and when they are consulted by people called medians they relate information they saw happen in the lives of now dead people when they were living. The median then tells the living person of things that happened in the lives of the dead. However, dead people cannot communication with the living. The fact is....no living person can communicate with the dead or the dead with the living. So what appears to be someone contacting the dead is in fact a hoax.
God tells the Christian to boldly go to Jesus Christ in prayer and seek His help and direction for our lives. The Bible never says we are to pray to dead saints. We can communicate with the Lord through prayer and through reading the word of God the Bible. The Bible says, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
Believers are to go directly to Jesus Christ in our prayers and He hears and answers our prayers. God says, "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." (1 Peter 3:12) "The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous." (Proverbs 15:29)
Jesus Christ alone is our "intercessor" who hears our prayers and intercedes on our behalf before God the Father. There is no other intercessor.
The Lord tells us that the Bible, His word, is given to instruct us. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The Christian does not need to consult false fortune tellers, whom God condemns to guide us in our lives. Further, the Lord tells us to live by faith. That means we are to live godly lives serving the Lord. We do not know what the future holds for us, but God knows, and He promises to keep us and guide us daily. So we live by faith....not really knowing that the future will bring, but trusting God and knowing He is with us always and will never leave for forsake us. Thus we live by faith and that pleases God because it shows we are depending on Him.
Answer: You are correct. Jesus Himself gave us the instructions as to how and to whom we address our prayers. "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." (Matthew 6:9)
The Holy Spirit then takes our prayer to God the father and presents the perfectly to Him. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)
God the Father is the Head of the Trinity. It is disrespectful to Him to pray to the Holy Spirit or Jesus. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are our intercessors to God the Father.
Nowhere in God's word are we to pray to anyone but God the Father.
Answer: There is absolutely nothing in God's word the Bible that says God will not fully answer prayer where ever a person is. God is omnipresent which means everywhere. I would advise you to separate yourself completely from any group or persons who are teaching such erroneous teachings.
A believer is indwelled by the Holy Spirit when they by faith receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, Eph. 2:8-9) Romans 8:9 confirms this also saying "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." (Romans 8:9)
I have several articles on my web site that address the matter of assurance of salvation:
https://bible-truth.org/SavedorNot.html "Saved or Not? Dealing with Doubts and the Assurance of Salvation"
https://bible-truth.org/assuran2.html "Can A Person Know For Sure That He is Saved and Will Go To Heaven When He Dies?"
https://bible-truth.org/msg105.html "Eternal Security Romans 8:1-17,35-39"
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The question is about salvation and assurance. I have been repeatedly told that a person must get saved in open air (nature) because if a person is inside a house God sometimes refuses to answer prayer. I heard this superstition many times before and now it scares me. Why would God refuse to answer supplications if a person is indoors? why does it matter the location?
In my case, I feel convicted about sins but not with other sins and I don't understand. If the Holy Spirit lives inside me, how isn't there a much stronger conviction? I hope my heart is not hardened cause I've been influenced by strange superstitions.