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I am a chaplain working in palliative services. I have to document my visits and I am always searching for the right vocabulary that can accurately describe each patient's particular beliefs and spiritual and/or emotional circumstances. I often encounter people who believe that God will consistently grant their wishes if they only have enough faith. I would like a word to describe that belief without making a judgment as to the accuracy or misconception of said belief.

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  • What kind of wishes? Pious prayers for nice things to happen to good people, desire for money and worldly success, wishing for evil things to happen to other people?
    – Stuart F
    Sep 20 at 16:37
  • A theist. An atheist won't depend on gods for anything.
    – John Lawler
    Sep 20 at 17:09
  • I’m voting to close this question because it belong on christianity.stackexchange.com
    – user 66974
    Sep 20 at 17:56
  • Contented. After all, whatever happens in their life, they believe that God is giving them everything they desire.
    – Obie 2.0
    Sep 23 at 10:19

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If I understand your description correctly, the belief itself is called prosperity theology (among other names):

Prosperity theology (sometimes referred to as the prosperity gospel, the health and wealth gospel, the gospel of success, or seed faith) is a religious belief among some Charismatic Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always the will of God for them, and that faith, positive speech, and donations to religious causes will increase one's material wealth. ... Prosperity theology views the Bible as a contract between God and humans: if humans have faith in God, God will deliver security and prosperity.

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If looking for a neutral way of describing the belief in a God that helps people, I'd use the word interventionist.

The person holds an interventionist view of the deity, trusting that a truly devout prayer will be answered.

Another way that this attitude towards God has been described is the belief in a personal God.

The person believes in a personal God, that God hears their prayers, and that by praying they are communing with God.

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    Your description of "personal God" doesn't imply a belief that God grants wishes. All Christians believe God hears their prayers, but few that I know believe God will always answer in the way they wish he would. There's a saying, "God answers all prayers, but sometimes the answer is 'no'."
    – nnnnnn
    Sep 20 at 17:39
  • @nnnnnn ... Aslan is not a tame lion.
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Sep 20 at 18:10
  • @nnnnnn It depends on who you ask. BBC.co.uk: Christians believe that God is concerned with the lives of people, working miracles and answering their prayers. In this way, Christians believe that God is a ‘personal’ God, meaning a being they can develop a relationship with. bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zf626yc/revision/…. The point is that sometimes, they believe, the answer is "Yes".
    – TimR
    Sep 20 at 18:23
  • @TimR - Sure, but the question asked about people who believe God will always grant their wishes.
    – nnnnnn
    Sep 22 at 23:31
  • @nnnnnn Indeed, hadn't read the question title carefully. In the body of the question it says "consistently".
    – TimR
    Sep 23 at 15:28

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