Purpose of God in Prayer Requests and Intercession

The purpose of God in prayer requests and intercession is to bring glory to Himself by demonstrating His sovereignty and goodness. Paul writes in Romans 8:28 that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." This verse highlights God's ultimate goal of bringing about good for those who love Him, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. In the context of prayer, this means that God's purpose is not necessarily to grant every request, but to use those requests to conform believers to the image of Christ and to bring about His own glory.

This truth addresses the common misconception that prayer is primarily about getting what we want from God, rather than about deepening our relationship with Him and aligning our desires with His will. In Reformed theology, the doctrine of God's sovereignty is closely tied to the purpose of prayer, emphasizing that God's decrees are not changed by human requests, but rather that He ordains the means (including prayer) to accomplish His ends.

The gospel connection to this truth is that believers can have confidence in God's goodness and sovereignty, even when their prayers are not answered as they had hoped. This confidence is rooted in the fact that God has demonstrated His love and goodness through the sacrifice of Christ, and that He is always working to bring about the ultimate good of those who love Him. As a result, believers can approach God in prayer with humility and trust, knowing that His purpose is to bring about their good and His own glory.