Prayer and The Power of God

To speak generally, God allows the world freedom...the freedom to choose...to choose between good and evil, right and wrong, life and death; to choose, ultimately, between having God-or no God-above ourselves. He does not force His will upon us; He allows our wills to override even His.

So prayer is a matter of the will. It's a turning to God; it's to orient our wills towards Him, acknowledging that we need Him and His wisdom. This is for creation-us-to enter into right relationship with God; this is for order, justice, harmony to begin to be restored.

He will not force His will upon us. Instead, He seeks to draw His universe into justice, to draw us into a rightly ordered will. Without that, nothing is changed; the world remains in its unjust and fallen state; injustice reigns.

The power in prayer changes you. But it changes you to allow more of Jesus to live in you and work through you. His power comes more into the world though the changed you, and it is His power that changes everything. Praying for something specific is praying for Jesus to come into you more in relation to that specific objective first.

If people are not healed, it is because the world is not yet ready to receive that kind of healing. So the prayer first works to begin changing the world. That can take some time.

There is direct historical proof of this. Many new medical miracles have been found, but only since about 1930. But these researchers were the children of the fathers healed by the first great wave of Pentecostal healers in 1910. These were in turn the result of the outpouring of the Spirit in 1890's, which happened as a result of the Finney revival in the 1840's, which happened as a result of the Great Experiment of freedom of religion in America, which happened as a result of Luther's opposition to Rome, which happened as a result of ....... Get the idea? It took God a long time to get us ready to have antibiotics. But it all started with a few saints back in the Black Death saying "God, please don't let my child die". And their children died.

Jesus said that if we ask, seek, and knock in earnest faith, in acccordance with God's will, He will answer. Whether or not its always the answer we want, or comes in the time-frame we prefer, is another question but without our seeking, no response will come

There are many Christian-written books written about prayer (some of which I'm sure you would love). The reason the topic is not simple IMO is because it is a facet of a relationship (and a lot of other things, too)—a relationship with an infinite being who we can't know so well we can predict what he will do. A being who we will spend all eternity getting to know better. Because prayer is so invisible, what we know about it is mostly simply what God told us. A Bible study of prayer is powerful, although may not leave one satisfied that "now I understand prayer."

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-14, 1984 NIV)

This is a powerful passage because of the repetition. It is a very appealing passage in Scripture and has caused great controversy and struggle for Christians. I want to point out that Jesus said it to people who had an established face-to-face relationship with him over the course of years. Prayer is very much an aspect of one's relationship to God. In it's simplest form, prayer is just talking to God (including asking him for things, which he wants us to do). The difficulties arise when one turns their thoughts to what the effect is of their prayers. However, IMO you're a lot better off if you recognize that question is like asking your best friend, "what is the effect of our conversation?" It's a little weird. God is a person (as in, personality) who loves you. He loves you, understands everything, has perfect wisdom about everything, and is in control of everything. When you pray, that's who you're talking to. Prayer is also a form of worship and an offering to the Most High which please him very much. However, prayer is for our benefit, not God's. It is one of the ways we can connect to God's grace. Prayer to God always has an effect.

God is definitely in complete control of everything, but part of his will is for people's actions to result is to have logical effect. The laws of physics that allow you to catch your friend's dropped piece of candy before it hits the dirt are the same laws that allow someone to slap the piece of candy out of their hand into the dirt. Spiritual laws are the same. One way to look at why there is so much evil and pain in the world is that it was just for God to allow the natural consequences of sin to come to pass. I mention it only in hope that it helps you (or anyone) understand that God can be a loving, merciful, and kind God who is in control of everything and yet allows the consequences of evil to come to pass (even then sometimes he intervenes, by his grace alone).

Interestingly, the Scripture passage I quoted near the top of this post is immediately followed by this verse:

“If you love me, you will obey what I command. (John 14:15, 1984 NIV)

Why is that? Does it help one understand the previous three verses more correctly.

We do know some concrete things about prayer: it is important.

He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. (2 Corinthians 1:10-11, 1984 NIV)

It can be powerful:

... The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16, 1984 NIV)

We are commanded to pray:

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (Ephesians 6:18, 1984 NIV)