“[God] hears us whenever we ask him; and since we know this is true, we know also that he gives us what we ask from him.”
1 John 5:15 (GNT)
Do you ever wonder if prayer really works?
Maybe you’ve been praying about a breakthrough at your church and sensed Satan whispering to you, “This is a waste of time. Forget it! Who do you think you are?
What do you think you’re doing? God isn’t listening. Don’t waste your time.”
You’re not alone. Every pastor has moments of doubt.
But here’s the truth: Prayer works because God is in control. The basis of all miracles is God’s sovereignty. He is in control. You can trust his wisdom and his goodness.
Ephesians 3:20 says, “God . . . is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think” (NLT).
Prayer can do whatever God can do. His resources are available to you. Twenty times, the New Testament tells followers of God to “ask.” You may not be able to change a situation, but you can pray—you can ask—and God can change it.
The things out of your control are not out of God’s.
You may be wondering, “If I can pray and ask God to change things, and if God is really in control of everything, why don’t I get everything I pray for?” Good question. Here are three reasons:
God is not a genie. You don’t just put in a prayer and get whatever you want. If every prayer were answered, we’d be spoiled brats. Parents don’t give their children everything they ask for. It wouldn’t be healthy for them.
Neither would it be good for you if God gave you everything you asked for.
Sometimes Christians pray in conflict. If two Christians are praying at the Super Bowl for different teams, who’s God going to answer? Obviously, God can’t answer every prayer at the same time.
But I think the real reason is this: God knows what’s best, and you don’t.
If you think you know what’s best, that is very presumptuous. The Bible tells us, “We are sure that [God] hears us if we ask him for anything that is according to his will” (1 John 5:14 GNT). Look again at the phrase “according to his will.” The attitude of your prayer needs to be this: “Lord, this is my prayer request, but thy will be done.”
That’s what Jesus prayed in Luke 22:42: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (NIV).
Pray for God’s will to be done in your life today—and then trust that he’ll answer you with his power, sovereignty, wisdom, and goodness.
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