Few subjects surrounding the Christian life raise deeper or more heartfelt questions that that of prayer. How do I pray? How many times should I pray for something? Does God always answer prayer? These questions and many more have been asked surrounding this most important issue of the Christian life. However, if I may be so bold, may I suggest that I believe the central question surrounding prayer - the one in which all other questions to prayer may be found - is this: Can prayer change God?
It has been said by many that prayer changes God. However, I would profoundly disagree with this for several reasons. First and foremost is the Scriptural record. It is found in Malachi 3:6 that the Lord does not change. Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. I am aware of the Scriptures that would perhaps indicate that God’s mind was changed or that His plans were somehow altered by means of prayer. Yet, upon close examination we see that God’s sovereign plan and will always come to pass. His ultimate goals are never thwarted by prayer. I would therefore with full assurance, and the support of Scripture to uphold me, conclude that prayer does not change God; rather, prayer changes us!
Besides, who would want to change God? Who among men would presume to know more than God and thus need to inform God by way of prayer? Who would for a moment think that our insight into life’s problems could improve upon God’s almighty, immeasurable , infinite knowledge and wisdom? No, my friend, trust God and rest in the knowledge of God’s unchanging, immutable, unalterable, incontrovertible Word. The only person prayer changes is the only one who needs changing. Prayer changes US!
Prayer causes God’s desires to be our desires. Prayer causes our goal to be God’s holiness; our calling, God’s work; our source, God’s power; our supply, God’s riches; our foundation, God’s promises. Prayer causes God’s love to be our vision; God’s victory, our hope; God’s Word, our truth; God’s joy, our strength; God’s presence, our passion. Prayer refocuses our blurred ambitions. It destroys worldly lusts. It balances our extremes. Prayer changes US!
Prayer causes God’s heart to be our speech. It causes our will to be surrendered; our commitment, sincere; our yes to be yes and our no to be no; our attitude, that of a servant. Prayer changes US!
Many are waiting upon mountain sized faith to move problems the size of mustard seeds. The Bible says with faith the size of a mustard seed we will move mountains into the sea. Prayer moves the mountain, and the biggest mountain is US!
We are instructed to pray by Jesus - Matthew 6:5-13. We are empowered to pray by the Spirit - Romans 8:26,27. We are needed in prayer by a lost and dying world that needs to see people who have been with Jesus - ordinary people who do extraordinary exploits in the power of the Holy Spirit and the name of Jesus - Acts 4:13. Prayer changes US!
Prayer does not give us unlimited access to God; it gives God unlimited access to us. Prayer does not cause God to bow before our whims; it causes us to surrender to His will. Prayer changes US!
The man who thinks that prayer is permission to waltz up to the Throne while twisting and shouting to the rhythms of this world will find himself excluded from the dance. Real prayer is in sync with the heartbeat of God.
The man who tries to move the hand of God by praying will be disillusioned and disappointed. The man who through prayer allows God to move his hands will find his life satisfying and his work effective. The man who tries to manipulate God will find himself manacled - powerless without God. The man who allows God to manage his affairs will find freedom. Prayer changes US!
The man who would not change should not pray. The man who desires change, desires prayer. The contented man is discontented by prayer. The man discontented with this world finds absolute contentment in prayer. The man who tries to change others is poor at prayer. The man who wants himself to be changed will be made rich in prayer. Prayer changes US!
Now one might argue that Jesus didn’t need changed and he prayed. On one hand you are absolutely correct. As the Son of God, he couldn’t change if he had wanted - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever - Hebrews 13:8. On the other hand, as the Son of Man, I have no doubt that he had to pray continually in order to not take advantage of his Divine reputation; to make himself nothing - Philippians 2:7. I have to believe that God in the Flesh was constantly having to pray to keep from being changed back into his Divine Being that he had from before the beginning of the world. I would speculate that there was an ever present struggle to prevent the Transfiguration of the Mountain - Matthew 17:12 - from being a much more common event. Jesus himself said that all he needed to have done was ask for assistance and 82 thousand angels would have been at his disposal - Matthew 26:53. Rather, he prayed that he, for the joy set before him - Hebrews 12:2 - might remain the Son of Man long enough to thoroughly and completely endure the agony of the Cross.
Just as Jesus prayed in order to lay aside Divine power that he might take on the likeness of sinful man - Romans 8:3 -, so too, we should pray so that in him we might become the righteousness of God - II Corinthian 5:21- that we might partake of His life - Galatians 2:20. Just as Jesus endured the Cross that we might live in Him, we should endure the Cross that he might live in us - Matthew 10:38-39. Prayer changes US! Prayer changes US! Prayer changes US!
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