Prayer and God's Will?

Question

What is the point of prayer, if God already has a plan set out for us? Can a mere mortal really change God's will?

Answer 1

No we as mere mortals cannot change God's will, but you know just like a little child comes to his father, so God wants us to come to him with our requests. Being a Christian is having a relationship with God, prayer is a big part of that relationship.

A relationship is possible with God by firstly coming to God with a repentant heart, and asking for forgiveness of wrong doing. This is called being born again. It has to be heart-felt, and a sincere sorrow for the wrong doing a person has engaged in throughout their life. You see, we are born with a sinful nature, we have all fallen short of God's standard. Do we have to teach children to be naughty? Of course not, its inbuilt in them. But God sent His perfect Son Jesus Christ as a remedy for our sin, but it up to each of us individually, to seek God with all our heart, and we will then find Him.

Answer 2

Q. What is the point in talking to your spouse, children or parents?
A. Well, We have an active loving relationship with each other.
Relationship is deepened by communication. It would be wrong of us to look on prayer as a wish list or a Honey do list.

It is true that God knows already what you need and so too does your spouse and other loved ones but communication (Confession, repentance, praise and thanksgiving) is a fruit of our relationship in Christ.

Q. Can a mere mortal really change God's will?
A. No!

God has ordained prayer even for the purpose of requests but these are in God's will. Abraham interceded, Moses interceded but even these man (Mere men) were a type of the One who would come to fulfill the will of the father, the Man, Christ Jesus but no mere man God in the flesh. Through His work on the cross God repented of poring His wrath on sinners who are found by God in Christ. Though this was the will of God. Christ for you, for the forgiveness of your sins.

would we not be compelled to pray a prayer of thanksgiving?

Answer 3

AS a free agent you have free will to choose or not to choose? Talking to your creator in prayer to gain understanding would be helpful. Its not for man to change God's plans, its more important to know what his plans are and how this will affect you on a personal level? His plans have always been the same as far as the earth and mankind is concerned.
Prayer is more important after you know what he wants to do and if you want to be a part of it, or his plan?
He has had a little detour because of rebellion in his earthly family. Man seems to think he knows better than his creator how to run the earth? So God has allowed this operation of error to continue to prove a point.
You see his sovereignty was challenged. Not his power, but his right to rule. So right now you and I and all other people on earth need to make a choice?
We either need to side with him, learn his ways and survive, or we don't have to? The choice is ours. John 17:3 If you want to survive then do as the scripture says.

Answer 4

You can pray to be thankful, to ask for things, to hear God. Praying is fulfilling the living relationship with God. If your best friend stopped calling you on the phone … would your friendship suffer???

Here’s a cute story I picked up and might get you thinking about prayers:

----- ------ >>>>> THE PASTOR'S CAT <<<<<< ----- ----- ------
This particular story just made me laugh. Every time I think about it, the vision of that poor cat just amuses me no end. Hope the story leaves a bright spot in your day. Whoever said the Creator doesn't have a sense of humor?

Dwight Nelson recently told a true story about the pastor of his church. He had a kitten that climbed up a tree in his backyard and then was afraid to come down. The pastor coaxed, offered warm milk, etc.

The kitty would not come down. The tree was not sturdy enough to climb, so the pastor decided that if he tied a rope to his car and pulled it until the tree bent down, he could then reach up and get the kitten.

That's what he did, all the while checking his progress in the car. He then figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved the car a little further forward, the rope broke.

The tree went "boing!" and the kitten instantly sailed through the air - out of sight.

The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten.
No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten So he prayed, "Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping," and went on about his business.

A few days later he was at the grocery store, and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food. This woman was a cat hater and everyone knew it, so he asked her, "Why are you buying cat food when you hate cats so much?"

She replied, "You won't believe this," and then told him how her little girl had been begging her for a cat, but she kept refusing. Then a few days before, the child had begged again, so the Mom finally told her little girl, "Well, if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it."

She told the pastor, "I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a cat. And really, Pastor, you won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in front of her."

Never underestimate the Power of God and His unique sense of humor!

Answer 5

The objective of prayer is not to change God's will, but to obtain the graces necessary to conform us TO God's will. He does have a plan, but it is still our choice whether we want to be part it. We pray for strength, guidance, healing, and all the gifts of the Spirit to help us through this life. Prayer is an encounter with God. Everything else in life pales compared to this.

God bless.

Answer 6

Yes, God does already know whats going to happen, and we cannot change his will. But, prayer is extremely important. Prayers aren't necessarily supposes to be asking God for things. You're just talking to your best friend, and praising him. You're supposed to praise God when you pray. God loves hearing from his children. Thats the point of praying. God wants you to pray to him and ask him for things, and he will answer your prayers. And he also wants you to praise him for what he's done. You're not trying to change his will, because his plan for you is perfect. You just need to pray, because prayer is powerful. It really can and will amke amazing things happen.

Answer 7

No way, what is the chance of God hearing a mere mortal when the world is so vast?

Answer 8

There are many examples in the Bible of where the prayers of a person changed to course of God's Will. Hezekiah was a king of Judah, Isaiah was sent to him by God to tell him that God had found Hezekiah unacceptable because of his actions and lack of faith and that he was condemned to death. Hezekiah repented and prayed to God for his own soul and for the saving of his nation. The Bible says that Hezekiah soften God's heart and his illness was lifted and he lived another fifteen years. Jonah went to tell those in Nineveh that God was going to destroy them and their city, the king and the people repented and prayed for salvation and God changed His mind and allowed the city to remain. Prayer does change things.

Answer 9

Prayer is not to change God's will;but to allow us to have access to the power of God so He can help us naturally or supernaturally change this world we live in for the better.

Answer 10

Yes they can. Do you think murderers, rapists, and terrorists are doing God's will? God's plan can be thwarted by man, but the saying "prayer changes things" is true.