History Main / AnswerToPrayers

More secular works, or even satirical, will play very fast and loose on just who or what is being prayed to, from inanimate objects to that world's equivalent of Satan or some other demon.

* ''VideoGame/FaithTheUnholyTrinity'': The final flashback in ''Chapter III'' has then-amateur exorcist John Ward, having escaped the Martin household and the demon-possessed Amy, praying to God for help. God answers and personally speaks to John, who expresses his fear and desire to save himself even if he has to leave poor Amy behind. God gently cautions that he is acting in cowardice, but otherwise helps him leave. In the final phase of the TrueFinalBoss, [[spoiler:God empowers John to fight Super Miriam, allowing him to take ten hits instead of the usual {{one|HitPointWonder}}]].

* ''Film/{{Patton}}'': During the Battle of the Bulge, as the Germans are overwhelming American positions in Belgium, the titular American General asks the Chaplain to write a prayer for good weather, interspersed with him visiting a church and praying in silence. The very next day, his prayer is answered, with clear skies overhead and American troops pushing the Germans back.

** [[GoodShepherd Father Mulcahy]] lives by the Bible, and prays regularly. Some of his granted prayers are heartbreaking, though, [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Recap/MashS8E11LifeTime such as the time]] they needed an arterial graft from a patient who was mortally wounded, but not dead yet, to save another soldier. "Dear God, I've never asked you for this before, and I don't know what you'll think of my asking it now. But if you're going to take him anyway, do it soon, so we can save that other boy." They do succeed.

'''Jesus:''' Well, believe Me, there are a billion people with the same problem!

-->--'''[[Literature/TheFourGospels Luke 11:10]]''', Literature/TheBible

!!Examples

[[folder:Film -- Animated]]

[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]

* At several points in ''Literature/SmallGods'', the depowered god-turned-tortoise Om manages to answer [[TheOnlyBeliever Brutha's]] prayers, usually unconventionally. For example, he saves him from the sea (by begging another god), provides him with water in the desert (by digging into a water deposit deep under the sand), and at the climax [[spoiler:smites his enemy and saves him from an agonizing death (by [[GroinAttack persuading]] an eagle to fly over him and dropping from the sky like a rock)]].

* TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons:

** In "[[Recap/MashS11E16GoodbyeFarewellAndAmen Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen]]", the series finale, Mulcahy's hearing is damaged when the enemy shells the 4077th. Examined by B.J. it's found that his hearing loss is getting worse. Mulcahy asks God how he can continue to be a priest if he loses his hearing before being inspired to minister to the deaf once he gets home to the United States.

* In the AnimatedAdaptation of ''Literature/WatershipDown'', a desperate Hazel pleads with the great god Frith to spare his warren from the hostile forces of General Woundwort. Hazel even offers to perish himself to make this come true. Frith responds, "There does not pass a day or a night that some honest captain of owsla [sic] does not offer his life for his chief, or a mother rabbit offer her life for her kittens. But there can be no bargain, for what is, is what must be." It's all up to Hazel now: do or die.

-->'''Walter:''' God?
-->'''Walter:''' (switches microphone on, and speaks in a deep voice, pretending to be God) Yes, Walter?
-->'''Walter:''' (as himself) How do you think it's sounding?
-->'''Walter:''' (as God) Well, the title stinks, for a start.
-->'''Grace:''' (who has suddenly appeared in the church) I wouldn't agree with God on that one.

-->'''Patton:''' I'm tired of 3rd Army having to fight <snip> this ungodly weather. I want a prayer, a weather prayer.
-->'''Chaplain:''' A weather prayer, sir?
-->'''Patton:''' Yes, let's see if you can't get God working with us.
-->'''Chaplain:''' Gonna take a thick rug for that kind of praying.
-->'''Patton:''' I don't care if it takes a flying carpet.
-->'''Chaplain:''' I don't know how this will be received, general. Praying for good weather so we can kill our fellow man.
-->'''Patton:''' I assure you, because of my relations with the Almighty, if you write a good prayer, we'll have good weather. And I expect that prayer within an hour.

* A deeply religious man is in financial trouble, and prays, “Dear God, please let me win the lottery.” He doesn’t get an answer. He loses his job and prays again, “Dear God, please let me win the lottery.” Again, he doesn’t get an answer. He loses his house and ends up living on the street, and prays again, “Dear God, please let me win the lottery.” Suddenly, there is a huge flash of light, and a voice comes down from the heavens: “My son, please meet Me halfway and buy a ticket!”

* In the [[Literature/{{Deryni}} Deryni universe]], some advanced Deryni magic workings are couched in explicitly religious terms, with direct calls upon the four Archangels for power and protection, and other religious imagery. In the short story "The Priesting of Arilan", it's strongly implied that Denis Arilan's successful ordination to the priesthood -- the first Deryni priest in two hundred years -- is due to direct intervention by God in response to Arilan's prayers.

* In the world of the Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar, there are many gods, and at least some of them do respond directly to prayers and appeals for aid. In one book, the Star-Eyed Goddess of the Shin'a'in makes a direct appearance in response to a prayer by one of Her followers. In other stories, Vkandis Sunlord, God of Karse, sometimes acts directly in response to prayers by His followers.

* In ''Literature/TheWarGods'', the gods don't often act directly in the world of mortals for fear of destroying it. Instead, they intentionally limit themselves to acting only in specific ways and only in response to direct requests by their followers. Main character Bahzell Bahnakson is a champion of the war-god Tomanak, and his...''unusual'' approach to calling on his god for aid is the source of quite a bit of humor.

* Played for laughs in "Corporal Punishment" in the fourth series of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'': At the end, when George and Baldrick have admitted that they forgot to send the telegram to George's uncle which would have been sure of saving his life [[spoiler:although he was saved anyway]], Blackadder says that he hopes that God will do something nasty to them both. Moments later, he receives a telephone call asking for two volunteers for "Operation Certain Death".

** In the series finale "[[Recap/MashS11E16GoodbyeFarewellAndAmen Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen]] Mulcahy's hearing is damaged when the enemy shells the 4077th. Examined by B.J. it's found that his hearing loss is getting worse. Mulcahy asks God how he can continue to be a priest if he loses his hearing before being inspired to minister to the deaf once he gets home to the United States.
** In the episode "[[Recap/MashS4E9QuoVadisCaptainChandler Quo Vadis Captain Chandler]]", bomber pilot Captain Chandler who had been dropping bombs on what could've been innocent women and children had a mental breakdown and started telling people he was Jesus Christ. Chandler is brought to the 4077 after being wounded. When he tells the staff he is Jesus Christ, Col. Potter summons Dr. Sidney Freedman to assess Chandler and during the evaluation, Freedman asks Chandler if God answers prayers.

* ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'': Played for laughs in a season 19 (1993-94) sketch. Tina (host Creator/SallyField) prays about everything, and after one overly-long prayer, Jesus (Creator/PhilHartman) appears and asks her to stop praying to him all the time.
-->'''Tina:''' (''sobbing'') I’m very, very sorry! I guess I was just wasting your time! I certainly wish you had told me about this sooner!
-->'''Jesus:''' Well, I thought about it, and I decided to finally say something.
-->'''Tina:''' Oh, God, I’m so embarrassed...
-->'''Jesus:''' Well, believe me, there are a billion people with the same problem!

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series backstory, Alessia the Slave Queen led her fellow Nedes ({{Precursors}} to most modern races of Men) in a SlaveRevolt against their [[OurElvesAreDifferent Ayleid]] overlords. She prayed to the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Aedra]] for their aid and, with the Ayleids having largely abandoned Aedra worship to worship the darker Daedra, the Aedra responded. They sent Morihaus (a demi-god "winged-[[OurMinotaursAreDifferent bull man]]) and Pelinal Whitestrake (a [[TheBerserker berserker]] knight simultaneously believed to be a GodInHumanForm and a {{Cyborg}} from the future) to aid her armies to great effect. Further, after Pelinal's rampages, Kyne (one of the Aedra) would "send in her rain" to "cleanse" the [[PaintTheTownRed destroyed Ayleid forts and villages]] so Alessia's forces could use them. After defeating the Ayleids and [[FounderOfTheKingdom founding the first Cyrodiilic Empire]], Alessia would found the religion of the Eight (later [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Nine]], then [[KillTheGod Eight]] again) Divines to worship the Aedra who aided her while she became Saint Alessia. She married and had a son with Morihaus, who seems to have left the mortal world again after her death.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', Paula has the ability to Pray for help during battles. Sometimes it works and you'll party will get a buff or healed for free, sometimes it backfires and harms the party, and sometimes it does nothing at all. [[spoiler:During the FinalBoss fight, your entire party gets beaten into a corner and is so overwhelmed by Giygas that praying becomes your only option. It results in everyone you ever helped or befriended in the game answering your prayers and attacking Giygas, before finally you (that is, ''you'' playing the game) answer and deliver the final defeating blow.]]

* The ''VideoGame/{{Pico}}'' universe game ''Nene's Interactive Suicide'' has one of the titular character's options to [[SuicideAsComedy kill herself]] be praying in the hopes that God will kill her instead. A [[BoltOfDivineRetribution lightning bolt]] then comes through the window to disintegrate her. At least He in His infinite mercy made it a quick death.
* In the prologue story of ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerIII'', Prince Yuri Barkov leads an expedition to [[GrimUpNorth the far northern wastes]] on a quest to find the god Ursun, whose recent disappearance has ushered in an EndlessWinter in his homeland. As the expedition slowly succumbs to attrition, Yuri faces a choice of whether to keep pressing forward or give up and return home. He spends the night praying to Ursun for guidance, begging for a sign. Just as he gives up hope, however, a booming voice calls to him from the heavens, revealing that Ursun has in fact [[SaveYourDeity been kidnapped and needs to be rescued]]. Emboldened by a mandate from his god, Yuri resolves to follow the voice further north, leading his expedition deep into [[EldritchLocation the Chaos Wastes]]. [[spoiler:It is eventually revealed that the voice was not truly Ursun, but [[BigBad Be'lakor]], the demon lord who kidnapped the god to begin with. [[GodGuise Posing as Ursun]], Be'lakor persuades Yuri to adopt extreme measures on his journey, to dabble in BlackMagic and wield {{Evil Weapon}}s, as a ploy to [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain corrupt his soul]] and have the prince betray and wound Ursun.]]

* At the climax of ''WebVideo/AcquisitionsIncorporated'' season 7, Omin, a priest of the goddess Tymora, has second thoughts about piloting a giant magical mech and decides to pray to his deity for a sign of guidance. Not just a mere sign, Tymora takes his call directly and tells him in no ambiguous terms to get into the mech so he can [[spoiler:"fight the {{kaiju}}" a.k.a. the Tarrasque]].

** "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E1BartGetsAnF Bart Gets an F]]", Bart prays for a miracle to help him get a passing grade on a test, or he'll be held back. The next day is a snow day, giving Bart more study time. When Bart is about to go play in the snow, Lisa stops him, pointing out that this is the miracle he'd asked for, and that he shouldn't waste it, to which Bart agrees. After he passes the test by the skin of his teeth and his parents are putting his test on the refrigerator, he says, "You know, part of this D- belongs to God."
** PlayedForLaughs in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E18AStarIsBurns A Star Is Burns]]". Todd Flanders falls into a river and is being swept away. Ned Flanders drops to his knees and immediately prays, "Flanders to God, Flanders to God; Get off your duff and save my Todd!" Instantly, a tree falls over, barring the river and allowing Todd to cling to it and pull himself to safety. When Flanders gives thanks, a giant hand comes out of the clouds making the OK sign, and a booming voice says "Okely Dokely!"

In some cases it can be an AuthorTract, [[TropesAreTools though not necessarily in a bad way]].

* ''Anime/{{Chihayafuru}}'': During the nationals in Season 2, Taichi, who is notoriously unlucky about having his card read during a sudden-death match,prays, "Please, God, I'm begging you, I don't care if my card never comes up in another sudden-death match, again. Just, please, this once," at this point Chihaya recovers from her exhaustion and wakes, looking at Taichi, a radiant light shining from her, "Just this once..." Taichi's card is called, securing victory for Mizusawa High.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDameDisney'': The VillainSong "Hellfire" is, despite its name, a two-part monologue sung by Frollo as a prayer to the Virgin Mary. He begs her to free him from the spell of the gipsy witch Esmeralda, send her to Hell "or else let her be his and his alone ". Immediately after delivering the last line, one of Frollo's guards opens the door to his lord's chambers and reports that Esmeralda left the cathedral. Frollo replies by promising he'll find her even if he had to burn Paris to the ground. Despite not being openly stated, this sudden occurrence is implied to have a symbolic meaning: the Virgin Mary offers Frollo the chance to give up his obsession over Esmeralda, but the villain rejects the divine sign and sets course for the path which, courtesy of a fiery DisneyVillainDeath, will lead him to eternal damnation.

* ''Film/BruceAlmighty'': After God grants Bruce His powers, Bruce starts receiving prayers from the people around the world. God tells him he needs to start answering them. Bruce, not thinking the situation through, decides to grant EVERYONE'S prayers, without regard to consequences. This results in, among other things, EVERYONE winning the lottery, and a woman losing substantial weight on an all-Oreo diet.

* After her cat died, an eight year old girl prayed to God to bring it back. Her older brother heard her and laughed, telling her that God would never answer a prayer like that. The girl ignored him and kept praying. The next day, after the cat hadn't come back to life, the brother told the girl "See, I told you God wouldn't answer your prayer". The girl replied "God did answer my prayer. He said 'No'!"

* In the [[Literature/{{Deryni}} Deryni universe]], some advanced Deryni magic workings are couched in explicitly religious terms, with direct calls upon the four Archangels for power and protection, and other religious imagery. In the short story "The Priesting of Arilan", it's strongly implied that Denis Arilan's successful ordination to the priesthood -- the first Deryni priest in two hundred years -- is due to a direct intervention by God in response to Arilan's prayers.

** In the episode "[[Recap/MashS4E9QuoVadisCaptainChandler Quo Vadis Captain Chandler]]", bomber pilot Captain Chandler who had been dropping bombs on what could've been innocent women and children had a mental breakdown and started telling people he was Jesus Christ. Chandler is brought to the 4077 after being wounded. When he tells the staff he is Jesus Christ, Col. Potter summons Dr. Sidney Freedman to assess Chandler and during the evaluation Freedman asks Chandler if God answers prayers.

** "Timmy's Cabin", Whit and Tom pray for aid when a cabin belonging to Tom's late son is to be seized by eminent domain and torn down for a highway. A wandering historian named Mr. Chapman discovers evidence the long-standing cabin was once used by Johnny Appleseed, and was thus a historical site that must be preserved.

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'' series backstory, Alessia the Slave Queen led her fellow Nedes ({{Precursors}} to most modern races of Men) in a SlaveRevolt against their [[OurElvesAreDifferent Ayleid]] overlords. She prayed to the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Aedra]] for their aid and, with the Ayleids having largely abandoned Aedra worship to worship the darker Daedra, the Aedra responded. They sent Morihaus (a demi-god "winged-[[OurMinotaursAreDifferent bull man]]) and Pelinal Whitestrake (a [[TheBerserker berserker]] knight simulatenously believed to be a GodInHumanForm and a {{Cyborg}} from the future) to aid her armies to great effect. Further, after Pelinal's rampages, Kyne (one of the Aedra) would "send in her rain" to "cleanse" the [[PaintTheTownRed destroyed Ayleid forts and villages]] so Alessia's forces could use them. After defeating the Ayleids and [[FounderOfTheKingdom founding the first Cyrodiilic Empire]], Alessia would found the religion of the Eight (later [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Nine]], then [[KillTheGod Eight]] again) Divines to worship the Aedra who aided her while she became Saint Alessia. She married and had a son with Morihaus, who seems to have left the mortal world again after her death.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'', Paula has the ability to Pray for help during battles. Sometimes it works and you'll party will get a buff or healed for free, sometimes it backfires and harms the party, and sometimes it does nothing at all. [[spoiler:During the FinalBoss fight, your entire party get beaten into a corner and are so overwhelmed by Giygas that praying becomes your only option. It results in everyone you ever helped or befriended in the game answering your prayers and attacking Giygas, before finally you (that is, ''you'' playing the game) answer and deliver the final defeating blow.]]
* ''VideoGame/FaithTheUnholyTrinity'': The final flashback in ''Chapter III'' has then-amateur exorcist John Ward, having escaped the Martin household and the demon-possessed Amy, pray to God for help. God answers and personally speaks to John, who expresses his fear and desire to save himself even if he has to leave poor Amy behind. God gently cautions that he is acting in cowardice, but otherwise helps him leave. In the final phase of the TrueFinalBoss, [[spoiler:God empowers John to fight Super Miriam, allowing him to take ten hits instead of the usual {{one|HitPointWonder}}]].

* In the prologue story of ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerIII'', Prince Yuri Barkov leads an expedition to [[GrimUpNorth the far northern wastes]] on a quest to find the god Ursun, whose recent disappearance has ushered in an EndlessWinter in his homeland. As the expedition slowly succumbs to attrition, Yuri faces a choice of whether to keep pressing forward, or give up and return home. He spends the night praying to Ursun for guidance, begging for a sign. Just as he gives up hope, however, a booming voice calls to him from the heavens, revealing that Ursun has in fact [[SaveYourDeity been kidnapped and needs to be rescued]]. Emboldened by a mandate from his god, Yuri resolves to follow the voice further north, leading his expedition deep into [[EldritchLocation the Chaos Wastes]]. [[spoiler:It is eventually revealed that the voice was not truly Ursun, but [[BigBad Be'lakor]], the demon lord who kidnapped the god to begin with. [[GodGuise Posing as Ursun]], Be'lakor persuades Yuri to adopt extreme measures on his journey, to dabble in BlackMagic and wield {{Evil Weapon}}s, as a ploy to [[ProtagonistJourneyToVillain corrupt his soul]] and have the prince betray and wound Ursun.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': When candy shop owner Flaxseed refuses to offer a donation of candy to an orphanage, the head nun leaves, but returns with her sister nuns to try and persuade him, only to find him menacing the Warners. The nuns [[NeverMessWithGranny prepare to attack]], but Flaxseed reminds them that they're not allowed to use physical violence, which the head nun acknowledges. Instead, she calls for prayer; the sisters huddle up, and in a few seconds, th bus for the Notre Dame football team pulls up outside the candy shop, and everyone on board rushes inside to beat the tar out of Flaxseed.

-> ''For everyone that asketh receiveth.''

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Animaniacs}}'': When candy shop owner Flaxseed refuses to offer a donation of candy to an orphanage, the head nun leaves, but returns with her sister nuns to try and persuade him, only to find him menacing the Warners. Flaxseed reminds the angry nuns that they're not allowed to use physical violence, which the head nun acknowledges. Instead, she calls for prayer, and the Notre Dame football team shows up to do violence on their behalf.

* ''PonyPOVSeries'': Abbatissa is the Alicorn of Prayer. Her duty is to ensure that every mortal’s prayer in the universe, no matter how small, reaches the ears of the deity it was meant for.

Compare with AllWishesGranted and DivineIntervention. May overlap with PrayerIsALastResort, PrayerOfMalice, and TurnToReligion. May become a RetroactiveWish if the answered prayer is immediately followed by more prayers in the hope of similar outcomes. Not to be confused with WordOfGod, which is about creators confirming or denying aspects of their work. Contrast GodsNeedPrayerBadly.

Compare with AllWishesGranted and DivineIntervention. May overlap with PrayerIsALastResort, PrayerOfMalice, and TurnToReligion. May become a RetroactiveWish if the answered prayer is immediately followed by more prayers in the hope of similar outcomes. Not to be confused with WordOfGod, which is about creators confirming or denying aspects of their work.Contrast GodNeedsPrayerBadly.

Compare with AllWishesGranted and DivineIntervention. May overlap with PrayerIsALastResort and TurnToReligion. May become a RetroactiveWish if the answered prayer is immediately followed by more prayers in the hope of similar outcomes. Not to be confused with WordOfGod, which is about creators confirming or denying aspects of their work.Contrast GodNeedsPrayerBadly.

** [[GoodShepherd Father Mulcahy]] lives by the Bible, and prays regularly. Some of his granted prayers are heartbreaking, though, such as the time they needed an arterial graft from a patient who was mortally wounded, but not dead yet, to save another soldier. "Father, I've never asked this before, and I don't know what you'll think of me for asking now, but if you're going to take the other boy, take him soon so we can save the other one " They do succeed.