Prayer and God’s Sovereignty (Part 3)

We have begun looking at some reasons that we can confidently pray to a Sovereign God who has already ordained everything to happen. So far we have considered 2 reasons: (1) God commands it and (2) Jesus prayed.

3. God is able and will respond to prayer

God hears our prayers and will answer them. It may not be a “yes” or “no”; it could be a “be patient” or “not now” or “pray something different.” But He always answers prayer.David says in Psalm 65:2, “…” James 4:2 says, “.” Here’s a rhetorical question: “God will respond to our prayers when?” Answer: when we pray. This seems like a no-brainer. Prayer – in some supernatural way – does influence His action.

God attends to prayer and He answers every prayer. This is a tremendous point that has many examples in the Scripture (Exod 32:9-14; II Chron 7:14; Dan 10:12).. God answers the prayers of His children.

And what makes this precious is that He is able to answer prayer. He is all-sovereign and all-powerful and there would be no reason to pray to pray to Him if those attributes weren’t consistent with His character. If God is not sovereign, why pray – maybe that’s the real question. You want a reason to pray? He is sovereign and able to respond. W. Bingham Hunter observes, “To be worth praying to, God has first of all got to have the power to do what we ask. Second, he must have sovereignty over creation to do what he wants to do.”

In his , Wayne Grudem states, “Jesus makes a clear distinction between seeking things from God and receiving them. When we ask, God responds.” God actually does respond to prayer! Imagine that!

This is an un-admitted struggle for believers because we don’t really believe prayer accomplishes much. On the contrary, the truth that God can respond to whatever we pray should motivate us to pray more often. Grudem writes again, “If we were really convinced that prayer changes the way God acts, and that God does bring about remarkable changes in the world in response to prayer … then we should pray much more than we do. If we pray little, it is probably because we do not really believe that prayer accomplishes much at all.”

4. Prayer is a means to accomplish God’s will.

This is a very intriguing point: prayer moves God to accomplish His own will. That is what Spurgeon meant when he said it is the nerve that moves God’s omnipotent muscles. Somehow in the divine plan our prayers move God to action.Consider John 16:23 – “.” Whatever you ask in His name – which is His will – is going to be granted. To ask in His name is to ask as if we were Jesus asking. It means we ask for what Jesus would want, what He is after and not for our own desires. Sounds like a safe prayer, doesn’t it? Just ask for prayers based upon His will.

Consider I John 5:14 – “.” If we pray according to what would honor God and not what would please us, we cannot lose. If we pray according to what He wants, He hears and answers our prayers. And prayer helps accomplish the will of God.

A.W. Pink explains this truth this way: “The same God who has decreed the end has also decreed that His end shall be reached through His appointed means, and one of these is prayer…Prayer is not intended to change God’s purpose, nor is it to move Him to form fresh purposes. God has decreed that certain events shall come to pass, but He has also decreed that these events shall come to pass through the means He has appointed for their accomplishment…God has decreed the means as well as the end, and among the means is prayer. Even the prayers of His people are included in His eternal decrees. Therefore, instead of prayers being in vain, they are among the means through which God fulfils His decrees.”

Does God really need a farmer to provide food for His children? No, God is quite capable of creating something out of nothing, especially when it comes to food. But, if it is His will, he will use a farmer to provide food for His children.

Does God really need a doctor to heal diseases? No, God is quite capable – being the Great Physician – of giving people sight or healing someone of a terminal illness. But, if it is His will, he will use a doctor to heal diseases.

Does God really need a missionary to reach a remote tribe in South America? No, God is quite capable of bringing the Gospel on His own. But, if it is His will, he will use a missionary to reach a remote tribe in South America.

God is all-powerful and can do whatever He pleases, whenever He pleases to whomever He pleases. And yet, He allows men and women to co-operate in the execution of His will. He uses us to accomplish His will in the preaching of the Gospel and in prayer.

Ibid., 48.

Wayne Grudem, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 377.

Ibid., 377.

A.W. Pink, (Carlisle: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1988), 116-117.