Prayer can be a powerful way to change things. It is the most common form of communication with God and can have a tremendous impact on our lives.
Prayer changes things because it allows us to speak directly to God, which provides an incredible opportunity for deep communion with Him. Furthermore, praying brings Him into our situations and provides Him with an opportunity to bless them and work in our lives.
Prayer changes things meaning
Prayer is the best way to change things in life. Prayer gives hope and faith to people in any situation.
Prayer is not begging, it’s actually a conversation with God. It can change our minds, heart, and spirit. Prayer changes things not because of who we pray to but because of who we become when we pray.
Prayer changes us as we pray to the Almighty God with a genuine heart.
where in the bible does it say prayer changes things?
A prayer is a form of communication that is often misunderstood. It is not a way to change the will or actions of God, but it is instead an act to build a relationship with God through which we can learn more about Him, hear His voice, and see His power in our lives.
Many have misinterpreted the Bible’s meaning of prayer as asking for things from God rather than communicating with Him. However, this does not mean that we should not ask for things from Him. We should still pray for what He wants us to pray for because He knows what’s best for us better than anyone else does. Therefore, we should still pray confidently and purposefully when there are specific needs or requests in our lives.
3 unexpected ways prayer changes things
1. Prayer changes things in dramatic ways.
Jesus said Matthew 17.20 , “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.” Sometimes, God provides us with stark evidence of prayer’s extraordinary power. Rarely, if ever do his demonstrations involve a displaced mountain. They include everything, from sudden cancer remission to unexpected job offers to reconciliation that seemed impossible.
Answered prayers can have a polarizing impact. People who have their prayers answered are able to praise God for it for the rest of their lives. They have proof to support their faith. Others may be puzzled by the inability of God to answer their prayers.
People who have experienced a dramatic response to prayer over time may question why God does not answer their other prayers in the same way. This may be why prayer answers that are so dramatic and sudden are rare.
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2. Prayer can change things in A Gradual way
Prayer can bring about change in a gradual and sometimes invisible way. As we have already mentioned, Paul the apostle prayed for believers in Rome and Corinth. We can see that his prayers were answered from certain passages of his letters. But the positive changes he prayed for in others’ lives didn’t happen overnight. These changes were part of their spiritual growth.
God won’t instantly give you a dozen Christlike characteristics if you pray for more Christlike qualities. If you ask God for patience, courage, and discipline, He won’t give you the patience of Job, David’s courage, or Daniel’s discipline right away. Instead, He offers you opportunities to learn in a specific area. He will allow you to confront situations that require patience, courage, wisdom, and He will guide you through them.
Sometimes, we get so dependent on God that we pray for only enough. We pray for God to answer our prayers immediately and fully so that we don’t have to go back to Him. However, that is not what He wants.
Take a look at how He responded to the Israelites’ requests for food in the wilderness, Exodus 16. He didn’t give them a year’s worth of manna to fill their tents. Instead, He sent them a day’s supply of manna for them to enjoy and collect. God wants His people to be faithful to Him and to receive their provisions daily. Our prayers are often answered by God in ways that bring us back daily to Him.
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3. Prayer can change us
This aspect of prayer is often overlooked in our quest for answers. Our ultimate goal when we pray is to align our will with God’s. We often try to make His will work for us. We question the effectiveness of prayer and accuse God of not caring about us when that doesn’t happen.
If we remain faithful to Him and keep praying, He will change our hearts to His. He will change our hearts through His power and in us. He will help us to see His plan. He will teach us how to see perfection in His plans. He will let go of our expectations.
For context, see Matthew 26.36-39. Jesus was prepared to face the future after He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane to God for the removal of the cup of His suffering. But God did not remove the cup of His suffering. He still had to endure the physical and spiritual pain of the crucifixion. Jesus’ prayer did not change His circumstances but it did change His spirit.
Jesus’ second request was granted. After praying for the removal of the cup of suffering, Jesus added these words: “Nevertheless not as I will but as You will.” This was His second and most important request. He asked that God’s will be done through Him. That’s what would happen through His crucifixion.
Jesus had all the assurance He needed to regain His spirit. Because His will aligned with God, His prayer caused a change.
stories of how prayer changes things
- Moses prayer change God’s mind From Destroying the Israelite
To begin with, the prayer of Moses is a great example of stories of how prayer changes things.
“Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.” Exodus 32:11-14
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2. Joshua prayed like it would stop the sun from going down
Another great story and example of how prayer change things are the story of Joshua when he prayed about the sun.
“On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: ‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’ So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.” Joshua 10:12,13
3. Hannah prayed And She was Conceived Of A Male Child
Hannah’s conception is another powerful story of how prayer changes things.
The High Priest, Eli, thought she was drunk but, instead, she was filled with a passionate prayer that so intoxicated the heavens it resulted in Samuel being born, “I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.”
1 Samuel 1:27
4. Elijah prayer Controlled The Rain
Elijah held the rain and there was no rain.
wow! What a great example of stories of how prayer changes things.
“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” James 5:16-18
If he had not have prayed the rain would not have stopped and started again. Prayer changed the situation!
5. David prayer stopped the plague
The story of David is another example of stories of how prayer changes things we can not exclude from this post.
“David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.”2 Samuel 24:25
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6. Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead With prayer
Though Jesus performed several miracles the raising of Lazarus is an important one and a perfect example of stories of how prayer changes things.
“So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.” John 11:41-44
Jesus was so confident that God would answer the prayer in his heart that the only reason he prayed it out loud was so that others would be encouraged by it.
7. Jesus said that we can pray to change situations
last but not the least, if you believe, you can perform as Jesus promised us, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son”John 14:13.
If our motive is to glorify God then he will give us what we ask for. This means that situations will change and God will be glorified as a result!
Actually, this blog could be titled, “100 reasons why I believe prayer changes things” and it would still be too short! From cover to cover prayer is constantly a divinely appointed wrestling match between God and his people to forge and form human events.
To say that the only thing that prayer change is us is kind of an arrogant statement. It makes prayer a self-help therapy instead of a kingdom-advancing force. It implies that God is not sovereign enough to decide that prayer can be used as a vehicle to influence his decisions. Our Father is not an insecure King who must micromanage every detail of every situation. Yes, there are certain things he has decreed but, within the boundaries of his sovereignty, he allows for situations to be influenced significantly by the prayers of his people.
prayer changes things scripture
Here are some collections of scripture verses to draw strength from the belief that prayer is powerful to change things.
Psalm 107:28-30
Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. Then they were glad that the waters were quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
Matthew 21:22
And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Mark 9:29
And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.”
Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
John 14:13-14
Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it
Acts 9:40
But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.
Ephesians 6:18
praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Philippians 4:6-7
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
James 5:14-16
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another,that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.