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1. Introduction to Prayer and NDEs
Prayer is one of humanity’s oldest and most enduring spiritual practices – revered across cultures, religions, and history as a means of reaching beyond the physical world to commune with God. From whispered words in solitude to the collective prayers of communities, prayer has served as a bridge between humans and God with gratitude, healing, and love. But in recent years, prayer has also become the subject of modern scientific studies. A growing body of research – spanning medical studies, psychological analysis, and controlled experiments – now points to prayer as a phenomenon with measurable effects. Studies suggest that intercessory prayer can improve health outcomes, that heartfelt intention may influence recovery, and that consciousness itself may be more deeply interconnected than previously thought. At the same time, firsthand testimonies from people having near-death experiences (NDEs), mystics, and spiritual teachers add to our understanding, describing prayer not only as a healing power, but as a radiant energy that is seen, felt, and responded to in the spiritual realms.
This article explores prayer through multiple lenses – scientific, experiential, theological, and universal practices. From clinical studies and scriptural insights to visions from beyond death, they offer a holistic and deeply moving description of prayer’s power to heal, transform, connect, and redeem. The following invites you to rediscover prayer as a vibrant, living current in the stream of human and divine consciousness.
Some of the following NDE quotes come from Dr. Jeffrey and Jody Long’s NDERF online database.
2. Science on the Efficacy of Prayer
In recent decades, the relationship between prayer and healing has moved from the realm of personal belief into the domain of scientific investigation. A growing body of research, conducted under rigorous clinical conditions, suggests that prayer may indeed have measurable effects on physical health. Studies published in respected medical journals and reported by major news outlets such as the BBC have found statistically significant improvements in outcomes for patients who were the recipients of intercessory prayer – even when they were unaware they were being prayed for. These findings span a range of medical conditions, from heart disease to AIDS, and have been echoed in the work of researchers like Dr. Larry Dossey, who has extensively explored the healing power of prayer. Together, this emerging evidence points to the possibility that prayer taps into a form of transcendental consciousness – one that may influence health and healing in ways science is only beginning to understand.
Studies show prayer to be effective under scientific controls
On October 25, 1999, BBC News reported, “Healing Power of Prayer Revealed” about a study at a university hospital in Kansas City, U.S. about scientific evidence of healing through the power of prayer. The massive study found that patients admitted to the hospital with heart trouble fare better if someone is praying for them. This study supports NDE research findings which demonstrates the reality of a transcendental consciousness. (CBS News)
Prayer has been linked to improved outcomes in heart and AIDS patients
A massive 1999 study based at a university hospital in Kansas City and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine has found that patients admitted to hospital with heart trouble fare better if someone is praying for them. On average, the 500 patients prayed for had 11% less complications during their stay in hospital. Another study into AIDS patients found significant improvements in the number of infections acquired when intercessory prayer was given. (PubMed)
Prayer works as a cure
A 2000 study carried out by the University of Maryland has found prayer and spiritual healing may reduce pain and speed up the recovery of patients. Researchers analyzed the results of 23 clinical studies which examined the effect of prayer, spiritual healing and other unconventional treatments on patients’ health. More than half of these studies – 57% – found a positive impact on patients. In one study of nearly 1,000 heart patients, those who were being prayed for without their knowledge suffered 10% fewer complications. (BBC News)
Larry Dossey on the efficacy of prayer
Dr. Larry Dossey has done extensive research on the efficacy of prayer and has written several excellent books on the subject. (Larry Dossey)
3. God Answers All Prayer
Across cultures and faiths, prayer is often viewed as a sacred connection between humans and God – a way to express gratitude, seek guidance, or ask for help. But what happens to those prayers once spoken or thought? Accounts from NDErs and spiritual teachers suggest a profound truth: all sincere prayer is answered, though not always in the ways we might expect. From Edgar Cayce’s reassurance that we shouldn’t dictate how God should respond, to Betty Eadie’s deeply moving realization that every prayer is heard and answered with divine wisdom, these insights reveal that prayer is more than just wishful thinking – it is a dynamic, spiritual force that engages with the universe in unseen but powerful ways. Whether the answer comes in unexpected ways, or through personal spiritual growth, these testimonies affirm that no heartfelt prayer goes unnoticed, and that God’s responses are shaped by a love and understanding far beyond our limited perspective.
“All prayer is answered. So don’t tell God how to answer it.” (Edgar Cayce)
God answers all prayers perfectly
“God has a vantage point we can never perceive. He sees into our eternal pasts and futures and knows our eternal needs. In his great love he answers prayers according to this eternal and omniscient perspective. He answers all prayers perfectly.” (Betty Eadie)
Every sincere prayer is answered although not always in the way expected
One of the key lessons Betty Eadie learned during her NDE involved the spiritual mechanics of prayer. Eadie was shown that every sincere prayer is heard and responded to, although not always in the way one might expect. She was told that prayers are powerful forces of energy that are never wasted, and that even when people feel their prayers are unanswered, they are still influencing the situation in unseen ways. (Betty Eadie)
God answers all prayer although not always in ways intended
“I know God is everywhere and hears every word and thought and does listen to prayers and answers them, though I joke that God’s interpretation of a prayer is much different than the intentions of the one praying.” (Bonnie J.)
God often answers prayer in ways that may seem difficult or contrary to expectations
In the presence of Jesus, Betty Eadie felt the loving responsiveness of heaven to human longing and desperation expressed through prayer. She came to realize that while humans often pray for specific results, the higher wisdom of God often provides answers in forms that promote long-term spiritual growth, even if they seem difficult or contrary to expectations in the moment. (Betty Eadie)
An experiencer learns that prayer works
“I found that praying really worked. I learned to be careful what I prayed for. My prayers were answered, but it doesn’t happen in the way I expected it. There are lessons to be learned and some of them are very hard.” (V. V.)
An experiencer learns that prayer is the most powerful tool in the universe
“We are here to grow love. When you are thankful for everything you grow love in your heart which is the same as growing God. I think that we put up morphogenetic fields in our universe through our conscious thought. So I now believe that prayer is the most powerful tool in the universe.” (Tara S.)
When sharing your light with others, God answers your prayers in preparing you to become the light
“As we each find one person with whom to share our light, a wonderful miracle begins to take place: we find the Lord answering our individual prayers and preparing us to become the light, the answer, to yet many others.” (Betty Eadie)
An experiencer channels messages from God whenever he prays
“When I pray, I can reach a place where I feel elevated above this world. I can channel messages from The Divine. When that happens, I can feel and sense that oneness like I did when I was dead.” (Tyrone H.)
This agrees with Kahlil Gibran, the famed mystic poet: “I cannot teach you how to pray in words. God listens not to your words save when He Himself utters them through your lips.” (Kahlil Gibran)
4. Prayer as Seen From the Other Side
From the vantage point of this world, prayer often seems like a solitary act – words whispered in the dark, longings cast into silence, or rituals performed in hope. But to NDEs, prayer is anything but invisible. These NDErs describe prayer as a living, luminous force – vibrant beams of energy, glowing orbs, waves of sound and light – that rise from Earth and connect directly with God.
On the Other Side, prayer takes on various forms and functions. Some see it as radiant shafts of light streaming upward toward heaven. Others describe prayers as musical notes linking one soul to another, or as ethereal “sound files” embedded with love and intention. Group prayers and those offered with deep sincerity are shown to be especially powerful, while hollow or repetitive ones fall short of heaven’s reach. In these glimpses beyond death, even the Earth itself is seen as offering up its own prayers, pleading for healing and mercy.
The following are firsthand accounts from those who have seen the spiritual mechanics of prayer from a higher perspective. Their stories reveal that prayers are never lost. Each one is heard, seen, and responded to in ways beyond human understanding.
An experiencer sees prayers on Earth as beams of light
During Betty Eadie’s NDE, she was actually shown how the prayers of people on Earth create spiritual “beams of light” shooting out from the Earth and into outer space toward heaven. She saw how group prayer creates an even larger and stronger beam of light to God. She saw how a mother’s prayer for her children also produces a much stronger beam of light. She saw how insincere prayers – or prayers of repetition – create very weak beams of light falling short of the boundaries of Earth and never reach heaven. (Betty Eadie)
Experiencers are shown prayers on Earth resembling points of light
“He (a voice) said, ‘I am going to show you some things.’ Then, in the distance, I saw a globe that looked like the moon during an eclipse. He said, ‘That is the Earth,’ and I saw many points of light in the globe. Then He said, ‘In every point of light there is someone praying, if all the people on Earth could pray, it would look like that,’ and the Earth became illuminated as the sun. ‘But so is not,’ and the globe darkened again.” (Nilda P.)
“There were little beams (orbs) of light shooting from Earth into the heavens and I asked Him (Jesus) what they were. He told me they were prayers.” (Elsa)
An experiencer saw prayers appearing like musical notes
“And then I was shown the image of all the prayers being said by my family and friends. Each prayer appearing like a musical note and linking one to another and reaching up toward where I was. Lastly, I saw my daughter’s prayer forming the last link to reach us. Suddenly, all the emotional ties to my husband and children rushed back into me and I remembered being a little girl myself, when at the age of 7, I had prayed so urgently that my father wouldn’t die. It seemed that my prayer wasn’t answered and my father died. I knew I couldn’t let my children grow up without their mother, like I had grown up without my father. Hard as it was to leave this place of overwhelming unconditional love and indescribable peace, I knew I had to return to my life.” (Karen T.)
An experiencer saw prayers displayed like sound files
“I remember being in a vanilla, pink-colored, and misty tunnel. I could hear the prayers of people. Some of the people I knew, like my youngest son. Many people I didn’t know. But these prayers I could hear them individually and as a whole at the same time. They were also displayed like a silver audio play-button on a sound file as I passed through this tunnel. I could reach out and touch these files and hear them. It was an overwhelming feeling of love and caring.” (Amy C.)
An experiencer saw prayers as “emails to God”
“I heard prayers layered over each other, like the “emails to God” scene in Bruce Almighty. Voices from people in my Texas hometown came to mind, including ones I hadn’t thought of in twenty years. A churchgoer later told me it was intercessory prayer. Whatever it was, it worked. Still, I’m cautious now about what I pray for.” (John-Michael S.)
An experiencer saw prayers rising like smoke into the heavens
“The people up close were all praying for me. I believe they were kneeling. Their prayers appeared as smoke rising into the heavens. They were all facing towards me, more or less, all over the yard.” (James W.)
The Being of Light shows a Muslim experiencer the energy of prayers
In the June 2001 issue of the Muslim Urdu magazine, Al Balagh, the NDE of a Muslim doctor Amjad Ali Jaffri is documented: “I was now near my body with this man of light when suddenly a tunnel of light formed on my right side. I enjoyed the beautiful scenes in this tunnel. I also saw waves of energy leaving the hospital and was told by the Being of Light that these were the prayers of people praying for me rising up.” (Jaffri, 2001)
An experiencer saw the Earth praying for humanity to help it heal
“I saw that there were terrible wounds and sores on different parts of her body (the Earth), and that she was gasping for breath, and calling out to God and to her children to stop the killing and destruction and hatefulness – that she was dying and praying for all of us to help her to heal and regenerate.” (A Gay Man’s NDE With Jesus)
That same experiencer saw people around the world praying with angels assisting them
“I saw all of the people on the planet simultaneously in that one moment… I saw people praying in mosques and temples, synagogues, and churches; and people individually expressing their own silent prayers. I saw indigenous tribes in all different parts of the world drumming and chanting. And God was sending multitudes of angels to the Earth, to assist in answering all of the countless, millions of prayers being offered up at that single moment.” (A Gay Man’s NDE With Jesus)
An experiencers is shown God answering a prayer
“I was taken to a prayer (no other way to describe this) where a person was praying that their Mum would be safe. The Mum was walking across a crowded street and did not see a motorbike travelling through the cars at speed. The Energy of God stopped her and gave her a ‘feeling’ to stop for about 3 seconds. She was then safe. The motorbike crossed in front of her.” (Vicki W.)
Experiencers heard people praying for them during their NDE
“I was aware of everything around [my body]… what they were THINKING and what they were FEELING and what they were HOPING and what they were PRAYING.” (Reinee Pasarow)
“Then, I started to hear the prayers of all the people that cared about me. My wife, Pauline, my older neighbors, my mother, my in-laws, and my brothers and sisters. I could hear their thoughts and prayers as if they were right there with me.” (Anthony M.)
An experiencer visited a garden before the gates of heaven where she came to God in prayer often
“I saw a huge crystal-blue sky, a beautiful waterfall with some vibrant green grass around its edges. I saw a huge, stone gate that led to what I believed was Heaven’s gate… I then heard a voice talking to me. It was the sound of a boom of authority and sweet loving kindness at the same time. It said, ‘You are here because you have come to me often.’ I immediately knew all the prayers I had ever prayed had paid off. I had prayed constantly as a child, preteen, and teen of severe physical and emotional abuses, and at times depression. I was in a garden of Heaven that was at the foot of the entry gate.” (Alma B.)
5. Praying For Ourselves
Prayer is more than words offered in solitude or times of crisis – it is a profound act of communion between God and our soul. Across spiritual traditions and NDE testimonies, prayer emerges as a means by which we align ourselves with higher wisdom, healing, and love.
Edgar Cayce taught that prayer connects us to a universal consciousness, harmonizing our spirit with divine frequencies that foster healing and inner transformation. NDErs like Betty Eadie describe prayer as a living force that draws divine energy and spiritual helpers to our aid, illuminating the sacred thread that links all souls. Others, like Roy Mills, suggest that through prayer, we can even go beyond the veil that hides our heavenly origins.
Far from being confined to religious ritual, prayer is revealed as a way of being – a soul-centered awareness that can infuse every act, from play to service, with sacred intent. True prayer transcends the “gimme” requests of ego and moves toward gratitude, surrender, and alignment with God’s will. As these testimonies show, praying for ourselves is not selfish – it is an act of awakening, a reclaiming of our divine heritage, and a step toward becoming who we truly are – our Higher Self.
Edgar Cayce on prayer connecting us to universal consciousness
Prayer connects us to a universal consciousness or collective mind, where all souls are interconnected. Through prayer, people can tap into this universal energy for guidance and support. Prayer can change the vibrational frequencies of the body and mind, aligning them more closely with higher spiritual frequencies. This alignment could bring about healing and greater harmony in life. (Edgar Cayce)
Prayer draws spirit beings including angels to help you
Betty Eadie was made to understand that the act of prayer creates a spiritual connection between the person praying and God. It draws spiritual beings, including angels, to the person or circumstance being prayed for. (Betty Eadie)
Prayer can connect us to pre-birth memories
Roy Mills is a rare example of a person who hasn’t forgotten his pre-birth memories. When asked why everyone cannot have these memories, Roy states, “Because if we all remembered heaven, it would alter our earthly experience and our opportunity to learn. That’s why there is a veil put over everyone’s memory. Through prayer, your spirit can tap into these memories and bring them to your mind as truths.” (Roy Mills)
Merging with our soul after death is strengthened through prayer
“What impresses me, however, is the extent to which the dying of any age can and oft times do merge into their own soul as they cast aside the physical body in death. This merging, this becoming more of what we really are, a soul, is one of the higher goals of any spiritual calling or religious ritual. It’s what undergirds the practice of prayer and meditation.” (Sandy Lemke)
Praying without ceasing is to play, love, laugh, and live for the joy of it
“Savor fully the loveliness of each experience. Self-awareness is the prayer of the heart, and to pray without ceasing is to play. Play with the joyful abandon of the child, absorbed in the delight of each moment. Let go of obligation and duty, and live for the pure joy of being… I heard the words, ‘Remember, pray without ceasing. Play, love, laugh, live for the joy of it. Have fun. Happiness is holy. The purpose of life is joy. Savor fully the loveliness of each experience… Let go of obligation and duty. Live for the pure joy of being.”” (Jan Price)
“Gimme prayers” are childish
There are many types of prayer. Unfortunately the most common one is the “gimme” prayer, wherein we beg God for favors. Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but thine be done.” The enlightened soul relegates the gimme prayer to the nursery toy box, and turns to the prayer of thanksgiving, of adoration, of petition for the woes of others, always adding, “Thy will be done.” (Edgar Cayce)
Performing every day tasks can be a form of prayer
“There is no difference between scrubbing floors and praying, between balancing your checkbook and praising God. It’s all the same energy from the same Source. The only difference is how we choose to manifest that energy at any given moment in time and space.” (P.M.H. Atwater)
Unless we correct the wrongs we commit, we will not feel forgiven when praying to God
Praying to God for forgiveness shows proper repentance for wrongs committed, but unless those wrongs are righted by our own conscious effort, we shall never feel forgiven. (Edgar Cayce)
Jesus prayed to escape the cross, but knew it was part of his mission in life
Should we pray to escape further trials and tribulations? Certainly. Jesus did; but when he knew that he had to die on the cross to fulfill his purpose, he accepted it unfalteringly. (Edgar Cayce)
6. Praying For Others
Prayer is not just a solitary act of faith – it is a profound force of connection, compassion, and healing. NDErs and spiritual teachers consistently affirm that prayers offered on behalf of others hold immense power. From sending beams of light to those in need, to shaping the path of souls on the edge of death, the energy behind intercessory prayer has been witnessed as a real and transformative presence.
More than the words themselves, it is the love and intention behind the prayer that reaches across spiritual realms. Whether it’s a mother’s desperate plea, a group gathered in unity, or a silent wish from a stranger, these heartfelt expressions can call forth divine attention, spiritual aid, and even miracles. Stories shared by NDErs and spiritual witnesses reveal how prayer can delay death, facilitate healing, summon angelic help, and even serve as a sacred gift bestowed upon those returning from death.
This collection of insights and testimonies reveals that when we pray for others, we become vessels of divine love – capable of channeling light, easing suffering, and lifting souls. Prayer is not just heard; it is felt, received, and responded to – sometimes in ways we cannot immediately understand, but always in accordance with a greater spiritual reality.
The love behind the prayer is more important than the words
Betty Eadie returned from her NDE with a renewed commitment to prayer, viewing it not merely as a ritual or request, but as a sacred act of co-creation and communion with God. She emphasized that the sincerity of intent and the love behind the prayer were more important than the words themselves. (Betty Eadie)
Prayer is a tangible force for good
In describing her life since her NDE, Derry says, “Prayer is a tangible force – a power for good here on this Earth! Many people ask me what was the first thing I thought or felt when I came out of my coma, about three weeks after the accident. I could feel Christ’s love and compassion for me and I believe the prayers of many for me made him tune into me personally, and led to my incredible experience with Christ in that heavenly garden.” (Derry Bresee)
Prayer sends light to those we are praying for
The energy of prayer was sent by thought – almost like a beam of white light being sent out to the individual(s) for whom we are praying. (Edgar Cayce)
Pray often and joyously to become a blessing for others
“Those who want to know the way must pray often and joyously, knowing that God gives life to those who sincerely seek to be a channel of blessing to someone.” (Edgar Cayce)
Experiencers felt the prayers of others slowing down their progress into the light
“As I got deeper into to the light, I felt the prayers of my mother, father, grandmothers, and a couple of my aunts. I especially felt the prayer of a great-aunt who lost a daughter in a car wreck. I very clearly heard her pray and beg God that my mother not suffer the pain she suffered when she lost her daughter. This touched me, and I almost wanted to return because of her sweet prayer…A prayer is meaningless without love… The prayers of those who loved me felt like wind, slowing down my progress toward the light. Though their love felt sweet, and reminded me of my life on Earth, their prayers did not stop my desire to keep going deeper into the light.” (Tricia Barker)
“What I find unique about my grandfather’s NDE is the fact that he couldn’t have known and nobody told him, that my mother, her sister and my grandmother actually were in the hospital chapel. They were one floor below him and were praying for him to live at the very moment he was on the operating table when his heart stopped. I think the fact my grandfather said he could actually see his family ‘huddled together’ while they actually were together praying for him to live is pretty convincing evidence that he temporarily left his body when his heart stopped. My mother also told me that she was the one praying aloud, while holding my aunt and grandmother’s hands during the time my grandfather’s heart stopped for a minute. My grandfather didn’t even tell his own wife about his NDE first. Instead, he told my mother first. He was specifically saying ‘You,’ referring to my mother, ‘Wouldn’t let me go.’ I think because she was the one leading the prayer.” (James’ Grandfather’s NDE)
Prayer for the recovery of a terminally ill person can impede the time of their death
The following deathbed account was told to Dr. Melvin Morse by a physician in Utah. A five-year-old boy was in a coma, dying from a malignant brain tumor. He had been in the coma for three weeks and was surrounded almost the entire time by his family. They encircled his bed and prayed constantly for his recovery, taking only brief breaks to eat and rest. At the end of the third week, the pastor of the family’s church came into the hospital room and told them a remarkable story. He’d had a dream, he said, in which the boy told him: “It’s my time to die. You must tell my parents to quit praying. I am supposed to go now.” The pastor was nervous about delivering this message to the family. Still, he said, it was a message too vivid to ignore. The family members accepted the minister’s dream as a message from their son. They prayed, they touched his comatose body, and they told him that he would be missed, but he had permission to die. Suddenly, the boy regained consciousness. He thanked his family for letting him go and told them he would be dying soon. He died the next day. (Dr. Melvin Morse)
An experiencer received the gift of healing prayer as an aftereffect
Tiffany Snow saw the lightning strike that almost killed her, leading to her NDE, as divine intervention because of the divine gifts she received which she uses to help others. She has used her psychic gifts in working with the FBI regarding the September 11 terrorist attacks. Her psychic abilities were also utilized for a nationally publicized child abduction case. Today she serves as an ordained minister, a Divine Healing practitioner (Christian prayer combined with hands-on-healing), a Reiki Master, teacher, and author of the book, “Forward From the Mind: Distant Healing, Bilocation, Medical Intuition & Prayer in a Quantum World.” (Tiffany Snow)
Dr. George Ritchie and the miracle involving prayer
In 1972, at one of Dr. George Ritchie’s youth meetings, a miraculous healing occurred when Ritchie asked one of the boys to offer a prayer. Ritchie reminded them of the Bible verse where Christ says, “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on Earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20). One of the boys asked God to heal the horse of his friend – referring to a young girl whose horse was dying from an infection so severe the veterinarian advised the family to “put the horse down.” Ritchie then told the girl’s father, who was also attending the meeting, that the Lord had spoken to him while the boy was praying, saying, “If you will give thanks for the horse’s healing now, he will be well in two weeks.” The girl’s father did what Ritchie said; but on the thirteenth night after the meeting, the horse was no better. But on the next morning, sometime during the night, the horse was completely healed. Even the incision was gone. The miraculous healing had occurred just as Ritchie said God promised. (Dr. George Ritchie)
7. Praying For the Deceased
Praying for the deceased is more than a tradition – it’s a powerful spiritual act affirmed by NDEs, religious teachings, and ancient scripture. NDE researchers and NDErs describe prayer as a radiant force that reaches souls on the Other Side, offering comfort, healing, and guidance. It connects us with loved ones beyond death, often acting as a catalyst for their spiritual growth and transition.
NDE researcher Nora Spurgin and NDEr Sandra Rogers emphasize that prayer directs divine energy to the departed soul and enlists the help of spiritual guides. NDE testimonies reveal that souls are aware of our prayers and deeply moved by them. Biblical and early Christian sources, including 2 Maccabees 12:46 and the writings of Tertullian, also affirm the practice of praying for the dead.
Ultimately, prayer keeps love alive beyond death – reassuring those who have passed that they are remembered, loved, and supported.
NDE researcher Nora Spurgin on praying for the deceased
“Do our prayers for the deceased help? As a form of positive mental energy, prayer rightly directed represents our joining our energies with those of God as He seeks the growth and well-being of His children. Through prayer we cooperate with both God and the angelic and spiritual beings of the spirit world in an on-going, cosmic effort for the liberation of humanity. Because God looks to humanity as co-creators, and because He cherishes all efforts for the well-being of others, prayer is never wasted. Sooner or later, these efforts inevitably bear fruit, assisting in the positive advancement of those persons on whose behalf they are made. Calling out a specific name in prayer will draw cosmic energy to that person.
“Praying for someone who has passed on will be a boost on the Other Side to enlist the help of spiritual guides for the new arrival. Indeed, living in the spirit world, spirit persons may be even more sensitive to the beneficial effects of prayer than they were on Earth. It is extremely important on passing into the spiritual world to look toward the light and accept orientation from spiritual guides.” (Nora Spurgin)
Prayer for the deceased helps their spiritual transition
“Cries, wishes, hopes, desires, and thoughts are all forms of prayer. Prayer is talking to God. Meditation is listening to God.. We can help a deceased loved one’s spiritual transition through prayer. Prayer helps because of our connection of love with that person.” (Sandra Rogers)
Prayers of many helped an experiencer tune into Jesus
“I could feel Christ‘s love and compassion for me and I believe the prayers of many for me made him tune into me personally, and led to my incredible experience with Christ in that heavenly garden.” (Derry Bresee)
How to contact deceased loved ones through prayer
Kevin Williams states, “There is a little known, but very important, fact about the Other Side which shows up from time to time in NDEs. It is the fact that we can communicate with loved ones on the Other Side through prayer. Sometimes it is the prayers of loved ones that NDErs hear on the Other Side which causes them to return. I have heard it said numerous times that the most important thing the Other Side desires from us is our prayers. There is evidence that prayers for a loved one on the Other Side can literally free them from a hellish spiritual condition. Our prayers actually help those on the Other Side. Prayer is especially critical for someone who committed suicide and is now seeking forgiveness and reassurance from the living. When we pray for someone on the Other Side, they are suddenly filled with the light of God and know they are being thought of and helped by our prayer.
“Think of prayer as a spiritual ‘telephone’ which we can connect to our loved ones on the Other Side. Think of God as the ‘Switchboard Operator’ because that is exactly one of the roles that God plays – to bring us together and remind us of our one-ness with all things. When you pray to God, ask God to connect you to your loved one. Then start talking to your loved one in your prayers and they will hear you. It is our outpouring of love to them that reassures them that you don’t think of them as just ‘thin air’ which the living seem to do frequently. So when God connects you to your loved one in prayer, pour your light of love on them and you will be doing a wonderful thing for them. What most people often don’t realize is that our deceased loved ones want to know that we believe they are still alive – which they are. We just can’t see them. Our prayers for them are like a light that suddenly shines on them that fills them with your love. It means a lot to our loved ones on the Other Side to continue to communicate with them through prayer. They would like to hear from us just as badly as we do – except they know for sure we are fine, whereas, it is the living who lives in the land of death and doubt. The problem is that some people believe that praying for the dead is somehow ‘evil‘. Although the Catholic Church has traditionally sanctioned praying for the dead, Protestants do not. And a large number of people don’t even believe in the afterlife or that their loved ones have survived death. Imagine the disappointment you might feel if you died and discover that none of your loved ones believe you exist anymore. Or suppose you discover that they believe you are in hell for some reason and in torment. By directing our prayers to our loved ones on the Other Side, we give them reassurance that our relationship remains intact even though physically it is not. (Kevin Williams)
The Bible affirms the efficacy of praying for the deceased
An apocryphal book from the Old Testament affirms the efficacy of praying for the deceased: “For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead.” (2 Maccabees 12:43-46). At the time of the Maccabees the leaders of the people of God had no hesitation in asserting the efficacy of prayers offered for the dead in order that those who had departed this life might find pardon for their sins and the hope of eternal resurrection. This passage assumes the possibility of redemption for those who have died unredeemed. The Books of the Maccabees is accepted only by the Catholic Church and Orthodox Jews. The above passage from Maccabees is the basis for the Catholic doctrine of praying for the dead.
The early church’s practice of praying for the dead
From Wikipedia about praying for the dead: Prayer for the dead is well documented within early Christianity, both among prominent Church Fathers and the Christian community in general. In the Catholic Church the assistance that the dead receive by prayer on their behalf is linked with the process of purification known as purgatory. In Eastern Orthodoxy, Christians pray for “such souls as have departed with faith, but without having had time to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance.” Among Church writers Tertullian (230 AD) is the first to mention prayers for the dead: “The widow who does not pray for her dead husband has as good as divorced him”. This passage occurs in one of his later writings, dating from the beginning of the 3rd century. (Wikipedia)
A verse in the Bible is a prayer for a deceased person
The Apostle Paul wrote the following: “May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.” (2 Timothy 1:16–18)
8. Praying Can Release You From Hell
Across numerous NDE testimonies, a recurring and powerful theme emerges: the act of sincere prayer – especially during moments of spiritual darkness or despair – can lead to rescue, transformation, and liberation from hellish realms. Whether rooted in Christian, Buddhist, or non-religious backgrounds, many NDErs testify that heartfelt calls for divine help, particularly invoking God or Jesus, initiate immediate shifts in their reality.
This collection of testimonies begins with the gripping story of Howard Storm, a former atheist who found himself tormented in a hell realm with other souls until he instinctively began to pray. Despite not knowing how to pray, even fragmented or remembered phrases infused with spiritual intention caused his tormentors to flee. His eventual cry to Jesus brought his dramatic rescue. His story is not unique. Other NDErs similarly found themselves in terrifying spiritual states only to be saved through spontaneous, desperate prayers.
These testimonies also include Buddhist perspectives and the involvement of benevolent spiritual beings, such as “The Shining Ones,” who respond to prayers by guiding souls out of darkness. The message across these testimonies is consistent: no soul is ever beyond hope. Prayer acts as a bridge to higher realms, a lifeline to God’s love, and a key that can open even the most locked gates of spiritual imprisonment.
Whether in hellish dimensions, the silent void, or earthbound limbo, prayer becomes the force that lifts, redeems, and awakens.
Howard Storm was rescued from hell by praying to Jesus
While in hell, Storm was subjected to extreme torment and torture by hideously dark souls. The following passage describes the situation:
“Exactly what happened was …and I’m not going to try and explain this. From inside of me I felt a voice, my voice, say: ‘Pray to God.’ My mind responded to that: ‘I don’t pray. I don’t know how to pray’… The situation seemed utterly hopeless, and I seemed beyond any possible help whether I believed in God or not. The voice again told me to pray to God. It was a dilemma since I didn’t know how. The voice told me a third time to pray to God. I started saying things like: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want …God bless America ..’ and anything else that seemed to have a religious connotation. And these people went into a frenzy, as if I had thrown boiling oil all over them. They began yelling and screaming at me, telling me to quit, that there was no God, and no one could hear me. While they screamed and yelled obscenities, they also began backing away from me as if I were poison. As they were retreating, they became more rabid, cursing and screaming that what I was saying was worthless and that I was a coward. I screamed back at them: ‘Our Father who art in heaven,’ and similar ideas. This continued for some time until, suddenly, I was aware that they had left. It was dark, and I was alone yelling things that sounded churchy. It was pleasing to me that these churchy sayings had such an effect on those awful beings.” Then Howard Storm called out to Jesus and was rescued from hell. (Howard Storm)
Other experiencers prayed to Jesus and were rescued from hell
Cynthia C. attempted suicide and had an NDE where she experienced an evil force rising from a darker place below, intent on dragging her somewhere from which she could never return. Overcome with fear, she began to pray, crying out “Yeshua” – a name she had never used for Jesus before. Suddenly, she woke up on an air mattress at her friend’s house. (Cynthia C.)
“I was petrified beyond what I could ever express. I really felt that I was headed for some sort of hell and so I started thinking that there really must be some sort of a God. Then for some strange reason, I started thinking of a prayer my grandmother use to say with me when I was a little child, which I had totally forgotten about until now. It went, ‘I pray to the Lord to forgive my wrongs. If I should die before I wake. I pray the Lord my soul to take.’ I started praying this over and over. The next thing I knew, I saw my sister who had just recently been hit and killed by a drunk driver. She had a light glowing around her and there was a peace about her that was indescribable. She started to guide me…” (Linda S.)
“Each of us has the ability to call out to God or to Christ … and immediately … we will be taken home to Heaven. Or we (the living) can pray and call out to God to send his Angels to come and take others home.” (Christian Andreason)
A Buddhist experiencer escaped hell through prayer
“The Yamatoot asked me if I really wanted to see heaven. ‘If so, then you must contemplate the three treasures of The Lord Buddha, His Teachings, and the community of monks who follow his teachings. Concentrate your mind, pray, and you will go to heaven.’ After I closed my eyes and put my hands in the prayerful gesture, the Yamatoot disappeared and I was no longer in hell.” (Suwannathat, n.d., Vol. 2)
Souls called “The Shining Ones” help those in hell through prayer
The psychic medium Margaret Tweddell states: “There are souls called ‘The Shining Ones’ who dedicate themselves to going into this dark realm and bringing spiritual light. The souls who are dedicated to this work of rehabilitation are clothed in protective garments so that they are not harmed or pierced by the dagger-like thoughts of hatred which those in the dark realms are throwing out. The Shining Ones are not allowed to go and talk to these people, but they stand nearby and call to them through thought – prayer, if you like. The moment the souls in this dark area respond in a positive way, the Ones who have come to help are able to bring them out into a less dense, foggy world and eventually out into the realm of light.” (Margaret Tweddell)
Praying for a suicide can free them from an earthbound condition
One remedy for helping a person who has died by suicide cope with afterlife challenges comes from the Tibetan Book of the Dead – an ancient Buddhist text that serves as a guide through the afterlife and is one of the earliest writings describing near-death-like states. The text notes that those who take their own lives may become trapped in a repeating cycle of the trauma surrounding their suicide, reliving the moment of suicide. However, it also teaches that they can be liberated from this state through the prayers and loving intentions of the living. Visualizing streams of light pouring over them and guiding them toward higher realms of peace is said to help free them from this painful condition. (Tibetan Book of the Dead)
Edgar Cayce revealed that the souls of people who commit suicide remain close to the earthly realm (earthbound) to receive spiritual assistance from the living, particularly through prayer and guidance. (Edgar Cayce)
“They (suicides) can progress. This is why it’s so important that people, no matter what your religious belief or persuasion, even if you’re an atheist, remember to pray for those who have passed on. Because that embraces them in love and encourages them to progress.” (George Anderson)
“People who have experienced death through suicide are greatly helped by the prayers and supportive thoughts from those still on Earth.” (Margaret Tweddell)
A prayer was answered summoning Jesus
“Suddenly, I felt a strange sensation of lifting out of my body… A figure began to appear, starting with the feet, then the calves, then the thighs. A sense of fear came over me. When the head appeared, it looked terrifying, like a demon or something from a horror movie. I quickly prayed to Jesus, saying, “Please help me.” Suddenly, the face changed, filled with light, and it was Jesus!” (Wes C.)
An experiencer escaped the Void through prayer
“After I suddenly passed out without warning, I found myself in a black, silent void. I strained to see any light but there was none. There was no sound, no touch, no smell, nothing. I felt totally alone with just my thoughts… I then began to pray to God, ‘Hello! God! Jesus! Please help me!’ Almost immediately, I began to sense that I was now moving through the black void instead of just hanging in place there. I could see a very small bright light in the distance and I was moving towards it.” (Kenneth N.)
9. NDE Outcomes and Prayer
NDEs often occur in moments of intense crisis or surrender – times when people cry out to God or the universe with desperate prayers for help, healing, or release. In many such cases, these heartfelt prayers appear to be the catalyst for profound spiritual encounters that transcend the physical world. The following testimonies illustrate how prayer can serve as a spiritual trigger for NDEs. For some, the prayer is answered with a vision of God; for others, with rescue from trauma, or the reassurance of God’s love and purpose. These testimonies reveal a recurring theme: that sincere prayer opens a channel through which higher powers respond, often with life-changing and soul-affirming consequences.
Prayers are answered resulting in NDEs
At a breaking point, Jennifer Bryant cried out in a desperate prayer, demanding God either fix her life or take her home. Moments later, she had a vision of a car crash – then saw it happening in real life. As the car collided with hers, Archangel Michael appeared and pulled her spirit from her body just before impact. Jennifer rose through a peaceful void, surrounded by love, and entered a brilliant light with Archangels Michael and Gabriel at her sides. There, she encountered God. When told she had to return, she resisted, but a flash of light sent her back. Grateful and changed, she realized her bold prayer had been answered in a profound way. (Jennifer Bryant)
Charles E. was in an extremely abusive relationship and would pray to God “to take me from this hell on Earth I had found myself in, and to allow the peace of death that Christ had promised within his teachings. You have heard the old saying that ‘beware of what you pray for because your prayers may be answered?’ In my case, it was the truth. It took him only three months of such prayers for him to answer them.” At that time, Charles had an NDE during sleep when he was engulfed in a tremendously bright light full of euphoria and otherworldly love. (Charles E.)
Sara A. had an NDE resulting in prayer: “Before my accident, I had prayed for help in finding happiness in my life and had been in the accident instead. Things had become much worse, instead of getting better.” Sara A. said a second prayer as a “soul-cry for help.” Sara states, “What I didn’t understand before my NDE was that my accident was the beginning stages of God’s answer to my prayer. God’s second answer to my request: to deliver me from the depths of my midnight of the soul came in the form an NDE that very evening.” (Sara A.)
Experiencers’ prayers to return to life are answered
“I felt as though I were on a very dark stage, with the most brilliant spotlight on me. I knew I had died and my soul was telepathically communicating with God. My soul began to pray, ‘Dear Heavenly Father, I thought I had done something to lengthen my life. It looks as though I have done something to shorten it. Please forgive me of any sin that might be keeping me from your presence.’ I remember all of this. At the moment I finished my prayer, I remember the most angelic face, with the most beautiful smile, coming right close to my face and saying, ‘you’re going to be all right.'” (Brenda I.)
“I began to pray. I told God I couldn’t die because I had a baby to raise.” God replied, “Shea, you’re not going to die.” (Shea B.)
“I knew that I didn’t want to die so I prayed really hard to go back to my mom. I prayed to an entity whose presence I felt high above. I am not religious, but I felt somebody for sure towards whom I was being elevated. Then I got depressed and started praying harder and begging to be sent back to my mom because I didn’t want to die. Suddenly, I dropped down into my body and became conscious.” (Saurabh C.)
10. Prayer and the Future
Many NDErs return with visions not just of the afterlife, but of humanity’s possible future – and in those visions, prayer plays a pivotal role. Rather than being a passive act of devotion, prayer is shown to be a powerful force that can influence events on both a personal and global scale.
Some NDErs present stark warnings: Lou Famoso was shown a devastating future war in the United States, but the Being of Light told him this suffering would continue “until man will pray for man.” Others, like Ned Dougherty, were told that prayer and meditation could alter or prevent catastrophic events altogether – shifting humanity back into alignment with God’s plan.
These NDE testimonies suggest that the destiny of our planet does not lie solely in the hands of political leaders or institutions, but in the hearts and prayers of individuals and small groups. Whether it’s preventing war, awakening spirituality, or even controlling the climate, as Howard Storm saw in his visions, the future can be shaped by love, prayer, and conscious connection to God.
The Being of Light on the future of humanity and prayer
During his NDE, Lou Famoso was shown a future war in the U.S. resulting in hundreds of thousands dead and dying. Famoso could feel the suffering of those involved. Famoso asked the Being of Light why this was, and how long this was to go on, and the Being said, “Man will prey on man, until man will pray for man.” (Lou Famoso)
The Being of Light revealed prayer can prevent future Earth changes
“The Lady of Light told me that none of these future events would have to take place if mankind began to recognize and work with God’s plan. The Lady of Light told me: ‘The way to understand and work with God’s plan is through prayer and meditation, through prayer to call to God, and through meditation to receive His message.’ I was told that the world could be saved, not by its leaders, but by prayer groups throughout the world. I was told that the prayers of a group of twenty could save a nation from war. I was told that the fate of mankind rested on our ability, individually and collectively, to change the direction of mankind in accordance with God’s plan. The Lady of Light specifically told me, ‘Pray for the conversion of China. The conversion of China to God is necessary for the salvation of the world.'” (Ned Dougherty)
An experiencer learned that prayer can lessen or delay future Earth changes
Martha St. Claire learned that certain catastrophes (future Earth changes) could be lessened or delayed through the power of prayer. She says we have spiritual amnesia, having forgotten the knowledge we possessed before birth; there is a higher consciousness for each of us and it is important that we connect with God through prayer and meditation to be awakened in our souls. (Martha St. Claire)
In the future, people will be able to control the climate through prayer
Howard Storm received visions of the future during his NDE. He foresaw that humanity will evolve to the point where people praying together will be able to control the climate. Love and prayer will become a stronger force on Earth. Gardens will grow by the power of prayer. All knowledge can be accessed through prayer. (Howard Storm)
11. ADCs and Prayer
Throughout history, people have turned to prayer in times of grief, fear, and uncertainty – often seeking comfort, answers, or a sign from the Other Side. Remarkably, many people report experiencing after-death communications (ADCs) as a direct result of heartfelt prayer. These encounters range from subtle signs to vivid visions and verifiable messages, often occurring in moments of quiet meditation or desperation. Whether it’s a grieving mother discovering a miraculous message, a sister praying for a lost brother’s soul, or a woman forgiving a childhood abuser through a divine visitation, these ADCs suggest that sincere prayer can open a channel between the living and the departed. Drawing from numerous firsthand testimonies collected by researchers Bill and Judy Guggenheim, as well as others, the following explores how prayer can act as a spiritual bridge – one capable of delivering healing, guidance, and even reunion with those who have passed on.
A woman received an ADC sign from heaven through prayer
A woman’s 12-year old daughter was killed after being hit by a car while riding her bicycle. The grief-stricken mother prayed to God to allow her daughter to give her a sign that she is “okay.” She prayed this prayer all day and nothing happened. That night she had to attend a meeting at church. As she backed out of the driveway, she happened to glance down and saw a pencil on the side of the road. Something told her to pick it up and she did. When she looked at the pencil, she was surprised to see that it had written on it, “I’m okay.” She had no doubt that this was the sign she prayed for. (Bill and Judy Guggenheim)
A type of ADC called “twilight experiences” occurs during prayer
ADCs of the “twilight type” occur while the experiencer is in an alpha brain-wave state: such as when waking up, or just falling asleep, praying or meditating. This type of ADC may involve any or all of the other types of ADCs while in this state of consciousness. (Bill and Judy Guggenheim)
Persistent prayers can result in an ADC
Emily, an office manager in New York, was deeply troubled after her brother Leon died of cancer at 49 without accepting Jesus, despite her efforts. Fearing he was lost, she prayed daily and asked others to do the same, seeking a sign he was with the Lord. Five months later, while driving after a storm, she saw a vivid ray of sunlight and a vision of Leon with Jesus – both life-sized, smiling, and radiant. Leon looked young and healthy, and the message was clear: he was at peace with the Lord. Overwhelmed with relief, Emily believed persistent prayer had helped her brother reach salvation. She encourages others not to give up hope, even after death. (Bill and Judy Guggenheim)
Prayer can result in verified ADCs
After learning of her grandfather’s death, Debra lay down to pray and say goodbye. With her eyes closed, she received a vivid telepathic message from him. He urgently instructed her to tell her father about a yellow legal pad in the top left drawer of a credenza in his apartment. The pad listed stocks and bonds, some of which needed to be sold immediately. True to her grandfather’s no-nonsense nature, the message was all business. Debra called her mother to relay the experience. Days later, her father checked the drawer and found the pad exactly as described. Though they never discussed the contents, he admitted, “There must be something to this, Debra, because you had no way of knowing about that list.” Her experience likely occurred in a prayerful, meditative state – often a gateway for after-death communication. (Bill and Judy Guggenheim)
Rosalyn, a 39 year old chemical dependency counselor in Washington, had the healing power of prayer and forgiveness dramatically revealed to her. At age seven, her Uncle Mickey – an alcoholic – came to live with her family and sexually abused her for two years. By her late teens, Rosalyn had fallen into alcoholism and drug use herself, eventually finding sobriety. As part of her recovery, she revisited painful memories and chose to forgive Mickey, believing he wouldn’t have hurt her if he’d been sober. She even wrote him a letter expressing her forgiveness, though she never knew if he received it. Over the years, she prayed that her love might cover his sins. One night that spring, she awoke to see Jesus and Uncle Mickey beside her bed, radiant with light. In her mind, she heard Jesus ask, “Do you hold anything against this man?” She replied, “No, I don’t.” Jesus then turned to Mickey and said, “Neither do I hold anything against him.” Rosalyn knew Mickey was finally at peace. Days later, she learned he had died. (Bill and Judy Guggenheim)
A dying woman’s prayer is answered by an angel
Maureen K. attempted suicide but had second thoughts while she was dying. She stated, “As I was quickly fading, I spoke aloud to God telling God that all of me was dying. I said a prayer. I do not remember what I prayed that night, but I do have a total recall of how God responded. As I spoke to God, I heard a booming Male voice command me: ‘You have two minutes to live. Get out of that apartment now or you will die there!’ Maureen obeyed the voice – whom she identified as the Archangel Michael – and left her apartment where her neighbor called an ambulance that led to her survival. (Maureen K.)
An experiencer saw an “angel” praying with her daughter
“When I woke up [from my NDE] I saw my daughter and another person at the end of my bed praying. I closed my eyes and opened them again and two people were still there. My daughter was praying and asking God to keep [me] here on Earth, that she didn’t want me to die. She said she still needed her mother. When I opened and then closed my eyes for the third time, there was only one person standing there, my daughter. Later on, my daughter told me there was no one whatsoever in the room at that time besides her. I believe it was an angel.” (Genny H.)
An experiencer was given the gift of prayer
“The most remarkable part about my NDE has been the psychic and paranormal gifts afterwards. The most pronounced as being the connection with Jesus and the power of prayer.” Bob then recounted some of his answered prayers. (Bob A.)
Something compelled an experiencer’s wife to pray for him
“While [my NDE] was going on, my wife, who was at home 35 miles away, had no idea what was happening. But something told her to get down on her knees and pray for me like she had never prayed for me before. After she did this, she called my work because she knew something was wrong… They did heart surgery and I came through it okay. If it weren’t for God’s mercy and grace, I wouldn’t be here today.” (Charles T.)
12. The Universal Nature of Prayer
Prayer transcends religious boundaries and cultural distinctions, forming a central spiritual practice across the world. From ancient civilizations to modern religions, people have instinctively turned to unseen realms for comfort, healing, guidance, and divine connection. Dr. Ken Vincent emphasizes that prayer, in its many forms, is not only a universal phenomenon but one deeply rooted in humanity’s relationship with the dead and God. He notes that many religious figures prayed to beings such as saints, prophets, and deities who were once living humans, and yet continue to serve as spiritual intercessors long after death. Whether through Catholic devotion to Mary and the saints, Hindu reverence for Rama and Krishna, or Buddhist prayers to the Amida Buddha, the pattern of spiritual veneration remains remarkably consistent across time and tradition.
In addition to spiritual communion, prayer also plays a vital role in healing practices worldwide. Dr. Vincent highlights how faith healing, particularly when combined with prayer and meditation, has demonstrated measurable psychological and physiological benefits. From the mystical influence of shamans to contemporary scientific studies on the mind-body connection, the act of prayer continues to prove itself a potent force – regardless of one’s religious background. In this way, prayer is not merely a religious duty but a universal language of the soul, linking humanity through shared hopes, intentions, and the mysterious power of belief.
Dr. Ken Vincent describes how prayer is universal in world religions
“Most of the entities prayed to around the world are dead humans. Humans have worshiped the dead since the beginning of recorded history and quite probably before. Two dead humans, Osiris and Isis, were worshiped by the ancient Egyptians for over 3,500 years and are still worshiped by some New Agers. One should remember that Roman Catholics who make up 2/3 of all Christians pray not only to God and Jesus, but also to the saints and angels. Jesus and St. Mary are dead humans; so are Lord Krishna, Rama and Seta, the Amida Buddha. Rama and Krishna have a similar relationship to Vishnu of the Hindu trinity as Jesus does with the Cosmic Christ of the Christian Trinity. When people pray to lesser divinities, it would appear that the ancient Hindu idea that all sincere worship to God in all God’s forms is acceptable and heard. The Bhagavad-Gita (7.21) says: ‘Whatever form any devotee with faith wishes to worship Me, I make that faith of his steady.'” (Dr. Ken Vincent)
Faith healing is universal if you include healing prayer
“In their 800-page book, Irreducible Mind, Edward Kelly, et al. devote 124 pages to psychophysiological influences, many of which are directly or indirectly related to faith healing. The short answer is: If you pray for yourself, it does help. The data are mixed about other folks praying for you. Also, there are some rare individuals who appear to be gifted with genuine healing abilities. For whatever reason, Rasputin could stop the bleeding of the little prince, but there is no record that he could will a severed arm to grow back. If meditation is added to prayer, even more positive research has been published, as in Mario Beauregard and Denyse O’ Leary‘s book, The Spiritual Brain. In Wondrous Events, James McClenon (www.jamesmcclenon.com) notes that indigenous priests and shamans often supplement what appears to be genuine psychosomatic healing with fraud and trickery.” (Dr. Ken Vincent)
13. Religion and Prayer
Across the world’s major faiths and sacred texts, prayer is seen not merely as a spiritual ritual, but as a profound connection between humans and God. In early Christianity, this connection extended beyond the death – prayers and even baptisms were offered on behalf of the dead, reflecting a belief in spiritual intercession across realms. Christian Gnostics took this further, teaching that prayer could not only influence one’s fate in the afterlife but even help avoid the cycle of reincarnation entirely. Texts such as The Apocalypse of Peter and The Book of Thomas the Contender suggest that through earnest prayer, souls could be rescued from hell and liberated from repeated rebirths.
Prayer also played a central role in the spread of Christianity, as evidenced by early missionaries in China who carried with them only two books: the Gospel of Matthew and the Didache, an ancient Christian prayer manual. These texts emphasized salvation through Christ and offered hope of escaping the suffering of earthly rebirth. Meanwhile, mystics and teachers throughout history have taught that prayer is not about reciting empty words, but entering into a sacred dialogue where divine truth is revealed – if approached with humility and sincerity.
Other traditions echo this sacred view. In Islam, prayer is one of the Five Pillars, yet even greater is the act of making peace – showing that God’s love is best expressed not only in words to God, but in compassionate action toward others. In all these teachings, prayer emerges not just as ritual, but as transformation – a way to bring light into the world, healing to the soul, and unity between heaven and Earth.
The early Christian Church believed in prayers and baptism for the deceased
In the early Church there were not only prayers for the dead, but St. Paul notes there were also baptisms for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29).
Christian Gnostics believed reincarnation can be avoided through prayer
The following quote from Jesus from the Christian Gnostic gospel, the Book of Thomas the Contender, describes Jesus teaching how reincarnation can be avoided through prayer: “Watch and pray that you may not be born in the flesh, but that you may leave the bitter bondage of this life.” (Book of Thomas the Contender 9:5)
Christian Gnostics believed prayers for those in hell can save them
In the Christian Gnostic text The Apocalypse of Peter, Peter asks Jesus to have pity on the people in hell, and Jesus says they will eventually all be saved. Later, Peter (who is writing to Clement) says to keep that knowledge a secret so that foolish men may not see it. This same theme is repeated in the Second Book of the Sibylline Oracles in which the saved behold the sinners in hell and ask that mercy be shown them. Here, the sinners are saved by the prayers of the righteous. Another 2nd Century work, The Epistle of the Apostles, also states that our prayers for the dead can affect their forgiveness by God. (The Apocalypse of Peter)
An early Christian prayer book and Matthew’s gospel were the only texts used by missionaries in China
We know from Martin Palmer in the Jesus Sutras that the Nestorians who proselytized in China in the early days had only two Christian books: the Gospel of Matthew and an early Christian prayer book known as the Didache or The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles. The appeal of Christianity in the Far East was that Jesus could save you and take you to Paradise, avoiding the risk of an undesired reincarnation. (Jesus Sutras)
Reading the Bible prayerfully reveals spiritual truth
NDEr Howard Storm learned the following from Jesus: “If you read the Bible with the idea of finding contradictions and problems, you will find them. The Bible contains spiritual truth and it has to be read spiritually in order to understand it. It should be read prayerfully. When read prayerfully, it talks to you and reveals itself to you.” (Howard Storm)
God speaks through your voice in prayer
The mystic poet Kahlil Gibran wrote: “I cannot teach you how to pray in words. God listens not to words save when He Himself utters them through your lips.” (Kahlil Gibran)
Islam teaches that making peace with your enemy is greater than prayer
“Shall I tell you what acts are better than fasting, charity, and prayers? Making peace between enemies are such acts; For enmity and malice tear up the heavenly rewards by the roots.” (Book 43, Hadith 4903)
14. Jesus Christ on Prayer
Prayer was central to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Not only did he instruct his followers on how to pray, but he also modeled a life of deep, sincere, and often solitary prayer. From quiet moments of communion with God to passionate pleas in the face of suffering, Jesus demonstrated prayer as an intimate conversation with the Father – marked by humility, trust, and love.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasized the importance of sincerity over showmanship, teaching that true prayer is a private and personal dialogue with God. He warned against empty repetition and offered a simple yet profound model – the Lord’s Prayer – to guide believers in aligning their hearts with God’s will. He taught that faith, forgiveness, and perseverance are essential elements of effective prayer.
Jesus also revealed the transformative and powerful nature of prayer: it can heal relationships, bring about divine guidance, and even transfigure the soul. Through his own example – praying alone in quiet places, interceding for others, and surrendering to God’s will in moments of anguish – Jesus showed that prayer is not just a religious duty, but a sacred lifeline to God. The following verses highlight the depth and breadth of his teachings on prayer.
Jesus Christ said the following concerning prayer
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:5-13)
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16)
“Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:28)
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Matthew 21:22)
“[Jesus] fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'” (Matthew 26:39)
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25)
“As [Jesus] was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.” (Luke 9:29)
“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” (Luke 18:1)
15. Conclusion
From the sacred teachings of Jesus Christ to the modern scientific studies confirming its tangible effects, prayer emerges as a profound and universal force – one that connects humans with God. Across religions, cultures, and NDEs, prayer is consistently portrayed as a transformative act of love, intent, and spiritual connection.
Science affirms that prayer can influence physical healing. NDEs reveal that prayer radiates like light and music into afterlife realms; and spiritual teachers insist that sincere prayer – whether whispered in solitude, cried out in despair, or offered in gratitude – is always heard, always answered, and never wasted.
Prayer heals bodies, soothes souls, lifts the departed, protects the living, and changes the future. It is the soul’s language, the highest expression of our divine nature. Whether we pray for ourselves or others, in silence or in groups, in temples or while doing the dishes, every act of true prayer is a step toward aligning with the Source of love and life itself. In the end, prayer is not merely about asking – it is about becoming: becoming a channel of light, a vessel of healing, and a participant in the divine unfolding of creation.
