I was recently studying two passages where God indicated His proposed action was dependant on prayer.
In Genesis 20, there is the story of Abimelech king of Gerar taking Sarah as his wife not knowing she was the wife of Abraham. God appeared to Abimelech in a dream telling him that he was a dead man because the wife he had taken was the wife of another man. Abimelech came back to God with his statement of innocence that he did not know she was another’s wife. Then God told him in verse 7, “Now then, return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live”.
Then in Job 42, God is rebuking Job’s friends for their ill spoken words to Job. He instructs the three friends to offer up a burnt offering for themselves, and then in verse 8 says, “And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will accept his prayer not to deal with you according to your folly”.
Are God’s actions dependent on our prayers (asking)?
You’ll remember in 1 Samuel 12:23 where Samuel told the people, “More over, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you”.
Then I remember the numerous times where Jesus prayed, taught about prayer, and gave instuctions to pray.
And, then the apostle Paul appealed for prayer -
- To the Romans, “I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.” Romans 15:30-32
- To the Corinthians, “You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1: 11
- To the Ephesians, “…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication … that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6: 18-20
- To the Philippians, “… for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body.” Philippians 1: 19-20
- To the Colossians, “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison – that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.” Colossians 4: 3-4
- To the Thessalonians, “Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men.” 2 Thessalonians 3: 1
I know that God receives our prayers as a sweet aroma from incense. Rev 5:8
My point is to say that I’m still striving with God to have a deeper understanding of a life of prayer.
