2006-12-27 01:14:26 · 17 answers · asked by u_olwez_hav_me 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes. One of the greatest examples of this is when Abraham prayed for God not to destroy Sodom, in Genesis 18:20-33. Abraham talked Him down to not destroying the city for the sake of 10 righteous individuals that live in it. Unfortunately for Sodom, it didn't have 10 righteous people living in it, so God destroyed it anyway.
Another great example of God changing His mind on the basis of someone's prayer is Moses' intercession for Israel at Mt. Sinai. This is found in Exodus 32. The Children of Israel made a molten calf, and committed abomination before the Lord while Moses was ontop of the mountain receiving the ten commandments. The Lord wanted to destroy the entire nation and start over with Moses, but Moses spoke to the Lord and convinced Him that His enemies would rejoice in that. So the Lord did not destroy them. There are actually many other instances in the Bible where God was moved by prayer, or He made a decision on the basis of someone's prayer. These are just the first two that come racing to mind.
"Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."
(James 5:17-18)
2006-12-27 01:50:26 · answer #1 · answered by firebyknight 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, I think that if God exists then he is omnipotent, so he knows exactly what your going to do. So if you pray he knew you where going to pray and he know how it was going to effect him. Its like a giant clock, the movement of every atom and partical in the cosmos is under his direct control and plan. Nothing can change this, the clock is set in motion from the beginning and forever and even before the start. God knows everything, God can not be spontanious, and yes prayer is powerful but God knows them before you say them and he also knows what he will do when you say them. Don't worry everything is under gods control. There is nothing else, god is great, he knows whether you will live as a sinner or an athiest and whether you will go to hell or heaven. He made you for his enjoyment. The great clock ticks . . . tick tok . . . tick tok . . . go back to sleep.
On the other hand, if there is no God, then no, he has no mind so prays have no effect and its all quantum pysics.
Thanx for the unnecessary violation notice( If you, who ever you are, keeps sending them then I will assume that your faith is very week, no feeble.).
2006-12-27 09:35:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
That is a great question. Why would we have to ask God for anything if He is all-knowing? Wouldn't He know what we need before we ask it? My belief is that prayer is not for God, but for us. It teaches us to communicate with God. Prayer is not a wish list, even though we are to ask God for the things we need. It is a two-way communication. At first, when we learn to pray, we usually just talk to God, but we don't listen. When we grow in our faith, we learn to listen too. So, no, I don't think God changes His mind. He knows what is good for us from the beginning and will give us those good gifts. However, He does want us to learn to depend on Him and to learn to have communication and communion with Him. Prayer is a great gift of God - direct communication with the Most High.
2006-12-27 09:21:33 · answer #3 · answered by padwinlearner 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hundreds of millions prayed for your god to stop Hitler before he caused 30+ million to die during WWII and he did NOTHING. A simple little blood clot would have done the trick, say in 1934, but NOOOOOO. If this god of yours could turn a good woman into a pillar of salt for looking over her shoulder, why couldn't he answer the prayers to end evil. Either your god is heartless, powerless, both, or does not exist at all.
2006-12-27 09:17:25 · answer #4 · answered by iknowtruthismine 7 · 3⤊ 2⤋
The biggest change when we pray takes place inside ourselves. WE change through prayer, and sometimes through suffering. But then my experience is that God hears and answers in awesome ways whenever we need him.
2006-12-27 09:21:24 · answer #5 · answered by Amelie 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
actually the Bible gives contradictory answers
"God is not like men, who lie; He is not a human who changes his mind. Whatever he promises, he does; He speaks and it is done." - Numbers 23:19
"So the Lord changed his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he threatened." - Exodus 32:14
2006-12-27 09:34:42 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. People may debate on the power of prayers. But it ether make the prayer deserve the thing he prayes for, or God wants to give something to someone, and waits for him to pray.
2006-12-27 09:19:46 · answer #7 · answered by Avner Eliyahu R 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It isn't that God "changes his mind" it's that the Bible shows us that God responds to intercessory prayer. God is a God of relationships and He can allow us to intercede on behalf of others and still have his will come to pass overall. Here's an example of God listening to prayer and doing things differently as a result.
"And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you."
But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people. (Exodus 32:9-14)
2006-12-27 09:39:53 · answer #8 · answered by Martin S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
God already has a plan for us.So if he wants to change it he will.Praying helps us get to know God so does the bible.Praying is a good thing
2006-12-27 09:18:24 · answer #9 · answered by halleyluvu 2 · 3⤊ 2⤋
Not always is it God's will that your prayer be answered in the way you ask it. God will answer it according to his will.
2006-12-27 09:19:05 · answer #10 · answered by iwant_u2_wantme2000 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋