Purpose of Prayer in a Sovereign God's Plan
Prayer is defined as converse with God, the direct address of the soul to God, which can be oral or mental, occasional or constant [1]. It is described in Scripture through various actions such as "beseeching the Lord" (Exodus 32:11), "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Samuel 1:15), "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5), and "drawing near to God" (Psalm 73:28) [1]. Prayer presupposes a belief in God's personality and his willingness to engage with humanity [1].
The Bible commands prayer (Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 7:7; Philippians 4:6) and indicates that it should be offered to God (Psalm 5:2), to Christ (Luke 23:42), and to the Holy Spirit (2 Thessalonians 3:5), always through Christ (Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 10:19) [2]. God is depicted as hearing and answering prayers (Psalm 10:17; 65:2; 99:6; Isaiah 58:9) [2, 13].
The question of prayer's purpose in the context of God's sovereignty often arises from the belief that God's eternal, unchangeable purpose already comprehends all things [9]. God's "decrees" or "predestination" govern all events, determining their certain future [9, 10]. This divine plan is for the fullness of time, to bring all things together in Christ (Ephesians 1:10) [5]. Despite this, Scripture does not offer a theoretical explanation for the mystery of prayer's efficacy, particularly when considering general laws and human free will [3].
However, the biblical emphasis on prayer remains strong. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, providing the Lord's Prayer as a model of simple, heartfelt petition (Matthew 6:9-13) [6, 11]. This prayer embodies a "whole world of spiritual requirements" in a concise form [6]. The apostle Paul frequently engaged in prayer for believers, such as his earnest prayer for the Thessalonians, desiring their faith to be perfected and their hearts established in blamelessness and holiness (1 Thessalonians 3:11, 13) [4, 15]. This demonstrates that prayer is a means through which God's purposes, such as the sanctification of believers (1 Thessalonians 4:3, 7), are realized [7, 8]. The act of calling on the Lord is also associated with having pure hearts (2 Timothy 2:22) [12]. Thus, prayer is not presented as an attempt to change God's mind, but rather as an appointed means within His sovereign plan for believers to participate in His work and for His will to be accomplished [14].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — The object of this article will be to touch briefly on-- + The doctrine of Scripture as to the nature and efficacy of prayer; + Its directions as to time, place and manner of prayer; + Its types and examples of prayer. + Scripture does not give any theoretical explanation of the mystery which attaches to prayer. The difficulty of understanding real efficacy arises chiefly from two sources: from the belief that man lives under general laws, which in all cases must be fulfilled unalterably; and the opposing belief that he is master of his own destiny, and need ”
- I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 3:13 (BSB) — so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. Amen.”
- Ephesians “Ephesians 1:10 (BSB) — as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Lords Prayer — the prayer which Jesus taught his disciples. (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4) "In this prayer our Lord shows his disciples how an infinite variety of wants and requests can be compressed into a few humble petitions. It embodies every possible desire of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements; yet all in the most simple, condensed and humble form, resembling, in this respect, a pearl on which the light of heaven plays."--Lange. "This prayer contains four great general sentiments, which constitute the very soul of religion,--sentiments which”
- I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 4:7 (BBE) — Because it is God's purpose that our way of life may be not unclean but holy.”
- I Thessalonians “I Thessalonians 4:3 (BBE) — For the purpose of God for you is this: that you may be holy, and may keep yourselves from the desires of the flesh;”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 6:9: 6:9-13 The Lord’s Prayer is similar in form to a common Jewish prayer (the qaddish). Jesus gave this prayer to his followers as a succinct expression of their new faith. 6:9 Pray like this: In contrast to the vain repetition of pagan prayers (6:7-8), “the Lord’s Prayer” is a model of simplicity. • Jews rarely addressed God as Father, but Jesus did so in every prayer but one (Mark 15:34). • may your name be kept holy: God’s name is profaned by the sin of his people (Isa 29:22-24; Jer 34:15-16; Ezek 39:7; Amos 2:7).”
- 2 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Timothy 2:22: 2:22 those who call on the Lord: Cp. Ps 99:6; Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21; 9:14, 21; 22:16; Rom 10:12-13; 1 Cor 1:2. • with pure hearts: Cp. 1 Tim 1:5.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 10:17: Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble,.... See Psa 10:12; for the coming of Christ's kingdom, and that the kingdoms of this world may become his; for the destruction of antichrist, and for the avenging the blood of the saints. The prayers of God's people sometimes lie in inward and secret desires of the soul, and are not expressed in words; and these desires are all before the Lord, and are well known unto him; yea, such prayers of the heart, and which come from it, are principally regarded by him; they being his own preparation, as is suggested in the next ”
- Zechariah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Zechariah 8:20: Yea, many people, and strong nations,.... Or, "mighty kingdoms", as the Targum renders it; even such have embraced the Gospel, and professed the Christian religion; of which there has been abundant proof since the downfall of Paganism under Constantine: shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem; that is, shall attend the public worship of God in the church: and to pray before the Lord; join in public prayer, and other ordinances of the Gospel. This phrase, which is used also in the preceding verse Zac 8:21, signifies that the Lord, and he only, is the o”
- 1 Thessalonians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 Thessalonians 3:11: In these words we have the earnest prayer of the apostle. He desired to be instrumental in the further benefit of the Thessalonians; and the only way to be so while at a distance was by prayer for them, together with his writing or sending to them. He desired that their faith might be perfected, which he could not be the proper cause or author of; for he pretended not to dominion over their faith, nor to have the donation of it, and he therefore concludes with prayer for them. Observe, I. Whom he prays to, namely, God and Christ. Prayer is a part of relig”