Prayer is Expectant
Prayer does move God, and the great example of this is Abraham’s prayer for the righteous people of Sodom. In Genesis 18, God was preparing to bring judgment on Sodom, but He let Abraham in on what was about to happen. And so, Abraham did something bold—he stepped forward and began to intercede.
Abraham’s Intercession
“Lord,” he asked, “are You really going to sweep away the righteous along with the wicked? What if there are fifty good people in the city? Would You not spare the whole place for their sake?” God said yes—if fifty righteous people could be found, He would spare the entire city.
But Abraham didn’t stop there. Humbly, knowing he was just dust and ashes, he asked again: “What if there are only forty-five?” And again, God said He would not destroy it. Abraham kept going—forty, thirty, twenty... each time asking, each time receiving the same answer from God: “I will not destroy it for the sake of the righteous.”
Finally, Abraham asked one last time: “Lord, what if only ten righteous people are found there?” And the Lord answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
And with that, the conversation ended. The Lord departed, and Abraham went home—having poured out his heart in prayer for a city that was teetering on the edge of destruction.
Did you see Abraham’s heartfelt prayer moving God? God’s will for that city was still established. It didn’t change the ultimate outcome. But it showed us that prayer is effective.
Prayer With Faith
Are we praying expectantly? With great faith that God is a good God and will do what is right and just and good?
Now, this doesn’t mean we demand from God what we want. Abraham was very humble in that prayer, asking God kindly and not demanding. But on the other hand, he didn’t simply shrug his shoulders and say “Lord your will be done.” He wrestled with God and asked for change.
Jesus even said if you pray in line with God’s will, you will get what you pray for. Again, not suggesting that prayer is just a big free for all, but that when you have engaged with God and gotten so close with him that your will and His are aligned, your prayers will be effective.
Develop a life of prayer my friends, because as James said, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16 NIV11) Prayer’s not a waste of time. It is powerful and effective when you are living in close communion with God.
Personal Change Through Prayer
And prayer is also the only real way to find any change in your own life. Prayer is effective for bringing healing and growth to yourself. You may have seen the story going around Facebook a while back that said: "Once a man was asked, “What did you gain by regularly praying to God?” The man replied, “Nothing…but let me tell you what I lost: Anger, ego, greed, depression, insecurity, and fear of death.”
Prayer keeps you so close to God that your heart finds its home, its peace, its security when you do it.
So may you pray like never before. It’s expected. It’s engaging with God. And it’s effective. Just do it!
