Christian teaching about prayers GapFill

1  LukeJohnMatthewMark:13–17 is a passage in the Bible that is often used to explain Christian teaching on the importance of prayer. It states:

'I write these things to you who believe in the name of the  Sondisciplefollowerbeliever of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the  abilityrelationshipjoyconfidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask  anythingeverything we wantone thingsome things according to his will, he  worshipsignoreshumourshears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should  ignore itadmonish thempunish thempray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.'

Christians believe that this passage is saying that when you pray, then God will always hear you – and if your prayer request is in accordance with the will of God then he will answer it. For example – if you pray that someone you dislike suffers, this is not in accordance with God's will (as they believe that he loves everyone) but if you pray for a friend to come to faith, and this is God's plan, then he will answer it. 

Some non-Christians argue that this verse perhaps  supportsespouseschampionscontradicts the power of prayer. Surely, if God is only going to grant prayers which align with his will, then prayer is essentially pointless as God would take those actions anyway. 

Christians would respond to this by pointing out that prayer is an important part of Christian practice regarding a relationship with God. If you want to be friends with someone, then speaking to them is a key part of that relationship. The same, Christians argue, is true of God.