“If God is sovereign, why pray?” This is a question I have pondered over the past few months. Like me, you may have prayed for something, really believed it was God’s will…. But the answer didn’t come. At least not what you prayed for. Often, friends offer encouragement by saying something like: “Well, it must not have been God’s will.” This sent me on a personal journey of studying His Word. Does an outcome different than my prayer, mean it wasn’t His will? If so, why pray? If God is sovereign and my prayers don’t really make a difference, why pray?
Here is what I discovered:
*We pray, because His Word tells us too.
1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray continually
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart
Matthew 7:7-8 Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 6:9-13 Jesus shows us how to pray
*Prayer develops a relationship
1 Chronicles 28:9 If you seek Him, He will be found of you
James 4:8 Come close to God and He will come close to you
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God
*Prayer does make a difference – prayer can change the outcome
Psalms 24:6 The generations that seek Him are blessed
2 Chronicles 7:14 Then, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.
Genesis 19:22-33 Here we see Abraham intercede for the people of Sodom. God was going to destroy the city because of the unrighteousness. Abraham prayed, asking God if He would spare the city if 50 righteous people could be found. God agrees, He will not destroy it for the sake of the 50. Abraham continues talking with God (prayer) asking God to spare the city for the sake of ten. God agrees. God is sovereign, however, the prayers of His people move His heart.
*Answers can be delayed because of spiritual warfare
Daniel 10:13 Here we see that the answer was coming… God did not delay the answer. There was a spiritual warfare that took place, causing the answer to be delayed by 21 days. “But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”
*There are things we can do that hinder our prayers (these things hinder our prayers, when indeed it may be God’s will to answer our prayer. What we do cause our prayer to go unanswered.)
Unforgiveness (Mark 11:25)
We don’t ask (James 4:2)
We don’t ask according to His will – His Word (1 John 5:14-15)
Discord (! Peter 3:7)
Unconfessed sin (Psalms 66:18)
Doubt (James 1:5-7)
So, if my prayer is not answered, does that mean God is saying No? Does it mean it wasn’t His will? Healing didn’t come. The job didn’t happen. My electric still got turned off. My spouse still left. And so on…..
Here is what I see after reading the Bible:
*Sometimes, there is no answer this side of Heaven. That is where faith comes in. Prayer is what keeps our relationship with God healthy. Prayer is what allows us to say, “I don’t understand, but I trust you.” Trust is built when we spend time getting to know our Father God.
*We can trust God to work out all things for our good…. Even if it is not as we prayed. (Romans 8:28)
*Sometimes a seemingly no… is not a no…. it is an opportunity for spiritual warfare. “Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places.13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing.” Ephesians 6:12-13
*Spiritual truth and earthly truths do not always agree. I have to choose to believe His truth. I have to find out what God says in His Word and hold onto it. For we live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
*We have a real enemy – whose purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. John 10:10
*Jesus came so that we could have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10
The final answer: Yes, God is sovereign. Yes, we are to pray always. Yes, He hears us and answers us. Yes, sometimes we don’t receive the answer. Sometimes it is a delay. Sometimes spiritual warfare is needed. Sometimes He is protecting us from ourselves simply because He knows best. Sometimes we will never understand, allowing us to choose to trust our Father. Our heart should always be Your kingdom come Your will be done.
