When we pray about a situation does God change His mind?

Question

If we pray for someone who is say sick and they are healed after we pray, did God Change his mind on their health? So by that standard if we don't pray the person would not have been healed. With that logic I guess God is impressionable to the point if lots of us (I guess thats why we have prayer meetings and prayer phone chains) pray then he will do what we want Him to do.

Answer 1

You question is about one of those mysteries concerning how God chooses to operate in this world. He allows us to interact with Him and there are examples from the Bible of God changing his immediate determination about how He is going to act in a situation. Here's one classic example, when the Israelites had come out of Egypt and while Moses was up on the mountain they turned to idol worship.

(Exodus 32:7-14)
"And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'"

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."

So, in this case God didn't totally destroy the people because Moses interceded on their behalf. There are other instances where God says that He was looking for someone who would intercede on behalf of the people but since there was none He let loose on them.

(Ezekiel 22:30-31)
"And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord GOD."

Therefore, it appears that our prayers can indeed get God to change what He is prepared to do if we call upon Him. But when you go on to say that "he will do what we want Him to do." you are mistaken.

God will only do what is in his will to do. Since He knows the future He can still have his overall will come to pass while making minor allowances in answer to prayers that He is willing to hear.

Answer 2

Prayer is used to help the person praying. When someone is sick and we pray for them, we're really just trying to spend some time in the presence of God during a time of need. It's like talking to a best friend about a problem you're having. You just need that shoulder to cry on. No, our prayers do not change the course that God will take. But our prayers do change the way we accept what is going to happen.

Answer 3

I suppose if you pray against God's will, it wouldn't do anything. But think about it: prayer is supposed to be communication with God. Why would such communication be reduced to asking for favors (yes, you could be praying for others, but in the end you're still asking God for something)? I believe prayer is more about what happens within the human consciousness as opposed to a humans' external situation. Prayer shows the support of other people for a person who is struggling. Then, it's not about getting somebody out of a situation, rather, it's about giving that person the means to overcome his/her situation.

Answer 4

Yes, God has been known to change his mind through prayer. One example is the story of Hezekiah that was sick unto death. Through much prayer God gave him several more years.
And the prayer Abraham made to God concerning the City of Sodom and Gomorrah. He asked God if he would destroy it if a certain amount of people repented. He changed God's mind several times in this conversation.

Answer 5

If you pray believing and expecting than all things are possible in Christ. Keep in mind however God will never answer a prayer that goes against His word.

Answer 6

God will not change his mind on any prayer or action. He has this
world planned from beginning to the day it ends.

Answer 7

No we do not change God's mind. What we are doing is bringing God closer in our lives to help us understand Him. He chooses when to do miracles. When we pray for strength in another it lends our faith to their strength and can help them.
We cannot end Armaggedon - the bible says it will happen so it will!

Answer 8

Sickness is not of God. God never puts sickness in us. It's from the devil. When we lay hands on the sick to heal them in Jesus' name, God takes away what Satan gave you. God doesn't give sickness, He only takes it away if we ask in faith.

Answer 9

Let's hope so, that way the Christians can get together and pray that Armageddon does not happen, that would be great.