Understanding the Dynamics of Prayer and God's Response
Prayer in Scripture is fundamentally "converse with God," the direct address of the soul to the divine rather than mere contemplation [2]. The biblical text describes this encounter through vivid metaphors: "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15), "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28), and "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14) [2, 3]. These images convey both intimacy and reverence, establishing prayer as a relational exchange rather than a mechanical transaction.
The Mystery of Efficacy
Scripture does not provide a theoretical explanation for how prayer works [1]. The difficulty arises from the tension between divine sovereignty—the belief that God governs through unchanging purposes—and human agency in petition. Yet the biblical witness consistently affirms that "God hears" (Ps. 10:17; 65:2) and "God answers" (Ps. 99:6; Isa. 58:9) [3, 4]. Charles Hodge describes this as "a real interchange" where "man applies, God complies" [8], though Reformed theology insists this does not make God subject to human demands.
The dynamics of divine response vary considerably. Answers may come "sometimes immediately" (Isa. 65:24; Dan. 9:21-23), "sometimes after delay" (Luke 18:7), or "sometimes differently from our desire" (2 Cor. 12:8-9) [4]. Rabbinic tradition notes that Moses's prayer was answered after forty days, Daniel's after twenty [10]. Calvin observes that God may grant requests to some while mercifully denying the same to others, citing Israel's demand for meat in the wilderness—a petition God granted to their destruction (Num. 11:18, 33) [7]. This suggests that unanswered prayer can itself be an act of divine care.
Conditions and Posture
The biblical texts specify conditions for effective prayer: seeking God with the whole heart (Jer. 29:12-13), waiting upon God, and approaching through Christ (Eph. 2:18; Heb. 10:19) [3, 4]. Proverbs 28:9 warns that those who turn away from God's law find even their prayers "an abomination" [6], indicating that prayer cannot be divorced from obedience. Tertullian celebrates prayer's power in the patristic era, noting its capacity to accomplish what "old-world prayer" achieved—deliverance from fire, beasts, and famine—now amplified through Christ [5].
Calvin emphasizes that true prayer subordinates human will to divine purpose: "Before we offer up any petition for ourselves, we ask that his will may be done" [9]. This posture of submission does not negate petition but frames it within trust that God's refusals may serve purposes beyond immediate perception [7].
Sources
- 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 ”
- 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”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Answers To — God gives -- Ps 99:6; 118:5; 138:3. Christ gives -- Joh 4:10,14; 14:14. Christ received -- Joh 11:42; Heb 5:7. Granted Through the grace of God. -- Isa 30:19. Sometimes immediately. -- Isa 65:24; Da 9:21,23; 10:12. Sometimes after delay. -- Lu 18:7. Sometimes differently from our desire. -- 2Co 12:8,9. Beyond expectation. -- Jer 33:3; Eph 3:20. Promised -- Isa 58:9; Jer 29:12; Mt 7:7. Promised especially in times of trouble -- Ps 50:15; 91:15. Received by those who Seek God. -- Ps 34:4. Seek God with all the heart. -- Jer 29:12,13. Wait upon God.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXIX.--OF THE POWER OF PRAYER. (part 1): For what has God, who exacts it ever denied[21] to prayer coming from "spirit and truth?" How mighty specimens of its efficacy do we read, and hear, and believe! Old-world prayer, indeed, used to free from fires,[22] and from beasts,[23] and from famine;[24] and yet it had not (then) received its form from Christ. But how far more amply operative is Christian prayer ! It does not station the angel of dew 691 in mid-fires,[1] nor muzzle lions, nor transfer to the hungry the rustics' bread;[2] it has no delegated grace to ave”
- Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 28:9: Note, 1. It is by the word and prayer that our communion with God is kept up. God speaks to us by his law, and expects we should hear him and heed him; we speak to him by prayer, to which we wait for an answer of peace. How reverent and serious should we be, whenever we are hearing from and speaking to the Lord of glory! 2. If God's word be not regarded by us, our prayers shall not only not be accepted of God, but they shall be an abomination to him, not only our sacrifices, which were ceremonial appointments, but even our prayers, which are moral duties, and wh”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: what in mercy he kindly denies to others. Of this we have a proof in the children of Israel, for whom it had been better not to have been heard by the Lord, than to swallow his indignation with their flesh ( Num. 11:18 , 33 ). 52. But if our sense is not able till after long expectation to perceive what the result of prayer is, or experience any benefit from it, still our faith will assure us of that which cannot be perceived by sense—viz. that we have obtained what was fit for us, the Lord having so often and so surely engaged to ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 73: This doctrine is presupposed in prayer; for “prayer and the answer of prayer, are simply . . . . the preferring of a request upon the one side, and compliance with that request upon the other. Man applies, God complies. Man asks a favour, God bestows it. These are conceived to be the two 695 terms of a real interchange that takes place between the parties — the two terms of a sequence, in fact, whereof the antecedent is a prayer lifted up from earth, and the consequent is the fulfilment of that prayer in virtue of a mandate from heaven.” ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: procedure seems to him best, in respect of method, time, and place. For before we offer up any petition for ourselves, we ask that his will may be done, and by so doing place our will in subordination to his, just as if we had laid a curb upon it, that, instead of presuming to give law to God, it may regard him as the ruler and disposer of all its wishes. 51. If, with minds thus framed to obedience, we allow ourselves to be governed by the laws of Divine Providence, we shall easily learn to persevere in prayer, and suspending our o”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Devarim Rabbah 2:17: What is, “in all of our calling to Him”? The Rabbis said: There is prayer that is answered after forty days. From whom do you derive this? From Moses, as it is written: “I fell before the Lord, as at the first, forty days…” (Deuteronomy 9:18). 33 The following verse concludes: “And the Lord heeded me that time as well” (Deuteronomy 9:19). There is prayer that is answered after twenty days. From whom do you derive this? From Daniel, as it is written: “I ate no tasty bread…until the completion of three weeks of days” (Daniel 10:3), and then he said: “Lord, he”