Can The Will of God Be Changed Through Prayers?

Last Updated on June 8, 2021 by Pastor Ikechukwu Chinedum

Today we will be teaching ourselves on a topic tagged Can The Will of God Be Changed Through Prayers? Or let’s put it in a simple form, does God ever change his mind when we pray? For instance, if we are made to see a revelation of something that is to happen to us, can our prayers cause God to change his mind and not allow such thing to happen to us?

Let’s draw a reference from the story of the Isrealites. When Moses was on the mount of Sinai to get the commandments of the lord for the people of Isreal. Moses tarried in his coming and the children of Isrealites melt down their chains and earrings, built a golden image from it and worshipped the image day and night. The wrath of the Lord was mightily upon the children of Isreal.

The book of Exodus 32:10-14 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. It was clearly evident that the anger of the Lord has increased towards the children of Isreal. God wanted to punish them severely for what they had done. However, Moses interceded on their behalf in the subsequent verse of that chapter. In the verse 11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

The scripture revealed that God repented in His anger and once more, he let the children of Isreal lived. Also, when God instructed Prophet Isaiah to inform king Hezekiah that he will die. In the book of 2 Kings 20. God instructed Isaiah tell King Hezekiah to put his house in order because he will die. Immediately, king Hezekiah turned to God in prayers. He told God to remember all his services before him and God told Isaiah to inform the king that his prayers has been answered and fifteen years has been added to his years on earth.

If we are to judge from these two stories in the Bible, we may conclude that the will or intention of God can be changed through prayers all the time. However, Moses also said in the book of Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? This is where confusion is thrown in the air. God is not a man that he should lie, neither the son of man that he should repent. This means that God doesn’t change His words and his Will and intentions remain sacrosanct.

The Two Simple Truth About The Will of God

The Intentions of God Are Unchanging

Let’s still draw reference from the story of Moses and the Isrealites. God made a promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to give their seed a land that flows with milk and honey. When the children of Isreal were led out of the Egypt and Moses went up mount Sinai to get the commandments of the Lord. The people made calf image for themselves and worshipped it as the god that brought them out of captivity.

God was angry but Moses interceded. Moses interceded on the premises of God’s plan for the children of Isreal. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. God respect His words and honours His covenant. Regardless of the situation, the covenant of the lord will stand.

Recall that despite the atrocities of the people of Isreal, the Will and covenant of God for them didn’t change. If God was a man, he would have stopped the children of Isreal of entering the land of Canaan because they are stiff-necked and very stubborn. However, their shortcomings didn’t stop God from fulfilling his promise for them. They only experienced setback.

Our Prayers Wrath Wonders

The scripture says in the book of James, The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Prayer is a means of communication. Sometimes our prayers to God can cause God to change His Will over our life. King Hezekiah was a perfect example for this. When God had told Isaiah to tell the king about his death. The king fell on his face and prayed fervently to God. Telling God to remember all his services before Him.

The scripture recorded that God hearkened to the voice of king Hezekiah and told Isaiah to inform him that he has added fifteen more years to his life. This is to fulfill the word of the lord in the book of Jeremiah For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Still the prayer of king Hezekiah was within the confinement of God’s promise for man. Prayers moves the hands of God. When there is a man to pray there is God whose business is to answer prayer.

Abraham prayed to God on behalf of the Sodom and Gomorrah and God spared Lot and his family. We can’t override the power of intercession. When we pray, things change.