Our prayers

No. I have struggled with this question many times as well. If he changes His plans according to our prayers, then that would make His will dependant on something (us). That cant be. But I do know that he wants us to pray and we are told to do so

 

God told Hezekiah that he was about to die. Hezekiah prayed and God added 15 years to his life. Prayers can change God's mind.

 

Do you really think that our prayers will change God's will?

 

I think prayers are designed to change our heart. God knows our prayers and the answers before we pray them or even know them ourself. So if he knows the prayer and the answer, why do we have to pray them at all.

I believe the answer is that prayer and dependence on God changes us. It helps us to realize our total dependence on Him and learn not to try to reley on ourselfs. So even when we pray for other people the one who benifits from that prayer is us. The same thing with service, when we help others it is us that benifits.

 

Well said, DeeJay. I just asked my husband the question in the OP and that is exactly how he explained it to me.

We benefit from our prayers to God! Thank you for expressing this so well.

 

The part we have to remember is that God knows everything past, present and future at the same time. He knows every choice we will be faced with and what our desision will be. This is hard for us to picture, but true.

Hezekiah was about to die, God knew that he would pray and God knew Hezekiah would not die. If it would have been in Gods plan for Hezekiah to die, no amount of prayer would have saved him.

Let me head one off at the pass. This is not a lie.

If you had unsurvivable cancer on Monday and on Monday God told you that you were going to die. And on Thursday God removed that cancer and you live another 15 years. God did not lie to you on Monday even though on Monday (and since before the earth was created) God knew that on Thursday he was going to remove the cancer. You were still going to die on Monday.

Now if God knew He was going to remove that cancer since before the begining of the world (and He did because He is allknowing) then how did a prayer said on tuesday change what God already decided since before the begining of the world.

What God has done is taught you that your life rests in His hands. Your prayer changed your heart not your cancer.

 

Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
Gen 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Gen 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Gen 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that [are] therein?
Gen 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Gen 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Gen 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which [am but] dust and ashes:
Gen 18:28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for [lack of] five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy [it].
Gen 18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do [it] for forty's sake.
Gen 18:30 And he said [unto him], Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do [it], if I find thirty there.
Gen 18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for twenty's sake.
Gen 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for ten's sake.