SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT GOD ANSWERS PRAYER
Millions of people testify of specific answers to prayer — healed relationships, unexpected provisions, physical healing, or guidance. Common stories include money or food showing up just when needed, dramatic encounters after praying for help, peace or comfort during crisis beyond explanation.
Why don’t we see more scientific reports that show the remarkable power of prayer? The fact is that many researchers or reporters don’t want these reports to be published. The “cancel culture” has been alive for years, so that researchers who try to research prayer-effects face more intense criticism, philosophical resistance, & ideological bias. But the millions of answers to prayer can’t be shut up! Here’s a few of the reports that have surfaced:
I. STUDIES: CHRISTIANS DO BETTER THAN NONS
Research shows that Christians have better family lives, better mental health, better physical health, live longer, have better marriages, and produce kids more resistant to sin than non-Christians! Examples of findings:
1. A Family Research Report (1993) found “Churchgoing” was a key characteristic of VIOLENCE-FREE families.
2. BETTER MENTAL HEALTH. A Pew Research Study [1/31/2019] found “Actively religious people are more likely than their less-religious peers to describe themselves as “very happy.”
3. LESS HEALTH PROBLEMS. A Purdue Univ. study [In Other Words, #400] of 1,473 Americans found that those who were religious were half as likely to report health problems as those who weren’t. Forbes Mag. Published a new study 3/29/2019 which stated “Science Says: Religion Is Good For Your Health.”
4. LIVE LONGER. A Minister’s Life Insurance Co. advertisement stated (backed up by research), “Ministers go to Heaven 23% slower” than other mortals.
5. STRONGER MARRIAGES [In Other Words # 922]. The National Divorce Rate = 1 in 3. If people are Married in Church, the Divorce Rate drops to 1 in 50. If they marry in Church, attend weekly, pray & read Bible = the divorce rate is 1 in 1,105!
6. PRODUCE KIDS RESISTANT TO SEX & DRUGS. A Rand Corp. study of 13,000 girls found them less likely to become pregnant if religious. [Aug. 21,1988 study]
7. Effects of Prayer on Physical Health: Lower blood pressure and heart rate, better coping during illness, great life satisfaction.
II. MEDICAL DOCTORS BELIEVE PRAYER WORKS
1100 physicians were surveyed by HCD Research, et.al, [12-22-2015] in New York City. They found that 73% believe that miracles still occur today. 55% said that they have seen results they would consider miraculous. Thus, of the 1100 physicians examined, 605 claimed to have witnessed a medical miracle. Most physicians (51%) pray for their patients as a group, (59%) pray for individual patients.
https://jamesbishopblog.com/2015/12/22/55-of-doctors-have-seen-medical-miracles-74-believe-in-miracles/
III. SEVEN STUDIES SHOW PRAYER WORKS
In his 2007 meta-analysis titled, “A Systematic Review of the Empirical Literature on Intercessory Prayer,” David Hodge found 7 studies which reported statistically significant positive effects for patients who received intercessory prayer compared to control groups. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240699604_A_Systematic_Review_of_the_Empirical_Literature_on_Intercessory_Prayer?utm_source=chatgpt.com
IV. CARDIAC CARE UNITS
Research at San Francisco General Hospital. Cardiologist Randy Byrd assigned 192 patients to the “prayed-for” group and 201 patients to the “not-prayed-for” group. The prayed-for group had significantly fewer complications. The “not-prayed-for” group was 5X more likely to develop infections requiring antibiotics, and 3X more likely to develop a lung condition, leading to heart failure. Published in the American Heart Association & printed in the Chicago Sun-Times. Another study verifying this: Arch Intern Med. 1999;159:2273-2278
V. SOLDIERS IN WW2: 72% of American soldiers in World War II found their main motivation to be prayer (not the thought of returning home after war) to endure battles. https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/05/28/study-world-war-ii-soldiers-relied-on-prayer-not-returning-home-to-loved-ones-for-motivation
VI. CANCER PATIENT’S MIRACLES
1. Faith and Health: Psychological Perspectives, book 2001 by Thomas G. Plante, et al, in chap. In chapter 3, Michael McCullough reviewed evidence for relations between religious involvement and mortality. McCullough analyzed 42 independent estimates of the association, reporting that "religious people had, on average, 29% higher odds of survival during any follow-up period than did less religious people.”? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faith_and_Health
2. Nurses' Health Study: This large-scale study involving 74,534 women found that those who attended religious services more than once per week had a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality, including a 21% lower risk of cancer mortality, compared to those who never attended services. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27183175/
3. EPESE Study: In a six-year follow-up of 3,968 older adults, frequent attenders of religious services had a 46% lower risk of death compared to infrequent attenders. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10462170/
4. Breast Cancer Study: Among women with breast cancer in a low-income population, those attending religious services more than once per week had a 40% reduced hazard of death compared to non-attenders. https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-21908-z?utm_source=chatgpt.com
5. Intercessory Prayer Study: A randomized study found that cancer patients who received intercessory prayer showed small but significant improvements in spiritual well-being, which can contribute to overall health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22894887/
VII. SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS
1. Prevalence of Spiritual Components in Treatment Programs: Approximately 73% of substance abuse treatment programs in the United States incorporate spiritual elements. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6759672/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
2. Impact on Recovery Outcomes: People who engage in faith-based, 12-step programs are associated with a 75% success rate in maintaining abstinence over 24 months, compared to 57.9% for non-faith programs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcotics_Anonymous?utm_source=chatgpt.com
3. Reduction in Substance Abuse Risk: A comprehensive review of studies revealed that nearly 90% found faith to reduce the risk of alcohol abuse, and 84% found it reduced the risk of drug abuse. https://spokanechristiancounseling.com/articles/faith-and-recovery-facts-from-a-christian-counselor?utm_source=chatgpt.com
