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Can Prayer Change God's Mind?

5/2/2016

2 Comments

 
One of my favorite Christian authors is W.T. Purkiser.  The following article was inspired by a portion of his book, Give me an Answer.

​There are two ways we can interpret this question. The first would be asking if prayer can cause God to do something He has no intention of doing. In that case, the answer would be "No."

However, if we are asking if its possible for things to happen in answer to prayer which would not occur any other way, then the answer is a resounding "Yes!"

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.  2 Chronicles 7:14

​Things can happen, as an answer to prayer, that would not happen if someone didn't pray. Consider Abraham and the impending destruction of Sodom. If Abraham had not prayed, Lot would have perished with the rest of Sodom, plain and simple. That's a sobering thought, isn't it?

W.T. Purkiser expands on this by pointing out that God has chosen to make us partners in his work, and our obedience and prayers make a real difference. Our failure to pray can have a negative impact on the kingdom of God. That's why it is so vital that God's people pray!

So, can prayer change God's mind? It can cause things to take place that would never have taken place if we hadn't prayed.
2 Comments
sam
7/4/2018 09:34:06 pm

You said ; Prayer changes things. where do you put the foreknowledge of God to the scenario that Adam needs a help meat.
If we Christian don't pray, you are insinuating that everything around us is going to be in chaos?. Hebrews 1:3 says that he uphold the universe by the power of his word. can we really change God's mind?. That would be something! then let's pray that God will not judged the world? and it's sin?. sure we pray that God will answer prayer to someone who is in need of healing, but just temporary because everyone will soon die anyway. We literally are asking to prolong our stay here in the world and literally didn't want to go to him!!. When Paul was about to be executed, He accept his fate and said I have finished my course I have kept the faith...." Paul is ready to go. He didn't pray to God to rescue him from the sharp sword of the executioner. shouldn't this be the way we should pray?

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S.E. McCaslin
7/4/2018 09:43:01 pm

Good questions. Take the example of Abraham praying for Sodom and Gomorrah. What would have happened had he not prayed? How much of the chaos we already have in this world is the result of Christians not praying?

As to healing as a means of avoiding death, recall in Philippians 1 that Paul discussed death. He pointed out that to die was to be with Christ, but that at that time it was better for him to remain and work for the Lord.

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    Sara McCaslin is  an engineer, a computer scientist, and a freelance writer.

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