Can our prayers change God's will? If not, why pray?

Do our prayers have the power to change God’s mind or redirect His will? From one of our Ask R.C. events, R.C. Sproul explains why we should bring our petitions before the sovereign Lord.

[valerielinares]

Praying isn't about changing His will, it's about aligning our will with His.

[carmelitovista]

Why is it that I would always tend to smile whenever I hear RC Sproul explaining something?

[joemachunda]

God just answered a prayer that involved a person changing their heart and mind. I won't get into detail, but He did it and it strengthens my faith. God is soo good!!

[gorillagang]

RC Sproul is one of the GREATEST theologians to have EVER taught the Word

[TiffanyFG]

I think the idea is through being born again, being obedient to the Word and truly loving God with all our heart— our prayers become his will, therefore become answered; and in that answering we see the power of God. And believe even more. In which helps us work out our salvation. God has a reason for everything- including prayers which when they align with his will- will be answered.

[katielee]

I've been through some difficult times in my life and I can honestly say that I wouldn't of gotten through any of it, if it hadn't of been for the Lord my comfort and my strength.

[lalaland]

Excellent explanation! R.C. was - and is - an wonderful teacher.

[gabrielekane]

What? Why would you want to change God's will?
God's will is his best for us.
Our spirit is in agreement with God's will.
Blessed is the one who finds it, it's like finding your true self.

[jessyjonas]

" who has directed the Spirit of the Lord
Or informed Him as His counselor?
Whom did He consult to enlighten
Him, who taught Him the paths of justice?
Who imparted knowledge to Him
And showed Him the way of understanding?"

Isaiah 40:13✝️

Amen
Prayer changes us

[mandodelorian]

RC is one of the people I look forward to meeting when I get to heaven.
IMO, his explanation showed the depth and simplicity of the scriptures.
I feel so bad for the people who do not love God.

[AutothrottleB]

Brilliant preacher. God bless his soul.

[James]

I think of king Hezekiah who was terminally ill, but he prayed for God to let him live, and God healed him and gave him 15 more years to live. I think that God ordained that He would use Hezekiah's prayer to bring this to pass.

[newyorknight]

Very sound answer, from a sound teacher.
RIP Dr Sproul.

[geraldarcuri]

Reminds me of the tongue-in-cheek saying on a little magnet I purchased many years ago: "Use me, Oh Lord, especially in an advisory capacity."

[tyzac]

Sometimes when men try to put God in a box and try to explain according to the box they have drawn, they have to come up with some contrived logic to explain their theory. There are numerous passages that clearly teaches (not just narrative) where the Lord is seen as relenting ( Jeremiah 18: 1 to 11 is a classic example) . The one example that Bro. RC gives is the Oracle of Balaam (Numbers 23:19) and as we all know was from a false prophet. Even though there are truths in that Oracle, there are clearly inconsistencies in Balaam’s Oracle ( like Num 23:21 - He has not observed iniquity in Jacob..)

It is all right to state that it is difficult to understand some verses instead of trying to fit the Almighty into some human understanding. The whole teaching of sovereignty of the Lord as the Reformed theologians teach which goes beyond what scriptures teaches is most probably an error - the Lord is sovereign and in His sovereignty, He has placed prayer and faith as an instrument through which He acts- who is man to say that the Lord does not do that?

[karnan]

No one can change his will that involves his plans for our salvation. Prayer moves the hands of GOD for other situations.

[ennonslegers]

Thank you for the excellent answer. God bless you all!

[karnan]

Prayer can change God's mind sometimes. read about Hezekiah God have him 15 more years. GOD says yes sometimes but he also said, be careful what u ask for .wait or no sometimes. His our father and he knows whats best for us.

[JesusLopez-unmw]

So God tells to pray but at the same time He doesn’t pay attention to our prayers. Sproul mentioned that we are having a dialogue with God but the way he explained it suggests more of a monologue because prayer is worthless. Then when he explains the issue of God changing His will he explains that “here He means one thing but there on the other side he meant something else. It sound like if God is speaking out of both sides of His mouth. I can understand figures of speech in the Bible like allegory, similes and so many others but I se here a tendency to twist the words to accommodate to their doctrines of predestination, God’s sovereignty, our inability to make decisions (free will), etc.. I will call that deception. I also see others trying to explain things in the comments do the same thing. They are very “wordy” and their explanations tend to drown in a sea of words that causes more confusion that shed light like a commenter was saying that now he is more confused with the explanation. Calvinists have this ability to answer questions with so much philosophy intertwined with logic and doctrine together that many times it loses its meaning. Just my two cents.

[charliebrown]

We have not because we ask not! James 4