I've been struggling with this question for a while and can't seem to bring these two truths together: The concept of human free will, along side Jesus' teachings with statements like "whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)
God does not force me or anyone to follow His will, and the Bible is full of stories when individuals and whole nations did not. Though God's ways are always better than our own, He desires our willing obedience to His plans.
So my question: How do I pray for someone in believing faith, when the thing I'm praying for depends on their free will?
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Any quick answer borders on being simplistic rather than simple ... but -
I pray as if God is waiting for our heart's desires to be expressed, even though he is sovereign and needs no help from us. I also pray on behalf of the other person in a manner in which I'd want someone to pray for me if I was unaware of my need or low in faith.
Ultimately, what we identify as answered prayer is a mystery ... but CHrist prayed for unbelieving or faith-less people, so we should too. Pray as if everything depended upon God and the reason God should supply is more for his glory than for our blessing or comfort.
Clear as mud?
I agree with what you've said, which is very well expressed. I just have question about the very clear statement of Jesus that whatever we ask for we'll receive. He says it more than once in such bold terms that I hesitate to explain my way around it.
I believe everything falls into 2 catagories: 1-It's God's will, perhaps for a purpose we can't see yet; 2-It's not God's will but man's sin (my own or someone else's that affects me), which God has allowed and can still use for His purpose. That's where I get hung up on answered prayer. What if that person I'm praying for refuses to cooperate with God's purposes - ever? How then can God grant my request as Jesus says He will do?
Phil Miglioratti said:
According to God's will, in my opinion, is similar to saying according to God's word. I do not think Jesus is saying God has a prescriptive (settled in eternity past) will for every detail of every decision (blue shirt or green shirt today?). God does have a prescriptive will (God ordained humans to have dominion over the earth, for example) but also a descriptive will (10 commandments describe what we should seek and what we should avoid but they must be applied) - which makes me think he also has a conscriptive (together; write) will that is achieved through obedient and listening prayer ...
It is always God's will that people recognize his glory in a situation, so praying for God to be glorified often gives us an idea of how to pray for a specific detail. If the answering of our prayer cannot glorify God, then we are not praying in the right direction (in God's will).
Confusing?
Monema Stephens said:
Not confusing, but complex.
So how could Jesus say, without much further explanation like you and I have been giving, ". . . if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them." (Mark 11:23)?
It sounds very straightforward.
Is my figurative mountain the person I may be praying for? How much depends on my faith in prayer and how much on their willing cooperation to God's purpose? I don't want to assume an easy answer to what might be any frivilous request, but neither do I want to explain away the miraculous and mysterious movement of God.
Phil Miglioratti said:
Good points.
I know this for sure - if we are without (or low on) faith, we can ask for it. I know that is in God's will!
Monema Stephens said: