Prayer That Works

For many of us, prayer is a vulnerable point. Consequently, it can draw us closer to God and reveal our innermost thoughts, desires, and insecurities. For me, prayer often exposes how little my belief in God truly is and how great my doubt can become. This isn’t to say I don’t love prayer or that I don’t aspire to talk to God constantly. However, when I reflect on my heart before the Lord in prayer, I see two contrasting images: one of a person who is needy yet hopeful, and another who is doubtful.

I often ask myself, 'Where did I learn this?' Was it the seed of Adam, planted when sin entered the world? Was it the consequences of separation from a perfect God who created us to be completely dependent on Him? The answer is yes. This marks the beginning of our innate struggle to fully trust the Almighty, because we fell from a state of holiness. Today, I want to focus on this by reflecting on some of the most profound words from the Bible, words that remain true today, just as they were when first written by Moses. In Numbers 23:19, God places these words in Balaam’s mouth. Balaam had been asked by Balak to curse Israel, but he did not do so; instead, he spoke only what God commanded him to say to the king of Moab. The words are:

“God is not a man, that He should lie,or a son of man, that He should change His mind.Does He speak and not act?Does He promise and not fulfill?” 

When I reflect on these verses, I love how the Lord speaks about the past, the present, and the future all at once. Currently, He is speaking about Israel and His chosen people—despite their complaints and rebellion in the wilderness, He speaks in the past tense, reminding us of His promises made through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet, He also speaks in the future tense, promising that these words will be fulfilled through His Son, Jesus.

Why are these verses so relevant to prayer? Because often, we approach God as if He is like us, human, changeable, limited. If God were like us, then He might change His mind, have motives or strategies for answering prayers, or only act based on His own whim. But God is not like man. This is where we start.

When we pray, we are engaging with the Creator of heaven and earth. We are speaking to the omnipotent God who exists outside of time, space, and matter. We are sitting with the God who, in His love, died so that we might have salvation and access back to Him. We are not talking to any ordinary man; no human can compare to who God is.

Secondly, we often enter prayer with a false belief that God changes. But as the verse states clearly: “God is not a man that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind.” The Bible affirms repeatedly that God never changes. For example, James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Hebrews 13:8 also reminds us, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

If God does not lie and does not change, then that brings us to the last two lines of verse 19: “Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?” The answer is no, He does act, and He does fulfill His promises.

A.W. Tozer once said, “What we think about God is the most important thing about us.”Simply put, what we believe about God shapes how we experience Him. In relation to prayer, the more we align our prayers with the truth of who God says He is, the more confident we can be that He, who does not lie or change His mind, will indeed act and fulfill His promises.

If you are currently in a season where doubt feels overwhelming, I urge you to pray constantly, even when doubts are at an all-time high. Pray without ceasing. Next, write down everything you want God to do for you, whether those are needs or desires. Remember, God will respond in His own time and in His own way, but He has told us to bring all our needs to Him through prayer (Ephesians 6:18). 

Finally, here’s a fun activity: create a list side by side, comparing what is true about God and what is true about man (or ourselves), drawing from Scripture to support each point. 

For example:

Prayer: 

My prayer today is that you continue to draw near to the Father of hope, our God, who establishes His plans and will throughout all generations. I pray that your love for God compels you to trust Him, even when it’s hard, and the way forward isn’t clear. I pray that your faith is increased as you wait on the Lord to answer, to heal, to save, and to make all things new in your life. I pray a blessing over you and your family, and over all that the Lord is about to do through your prayer life. May you continuously call on Him who is able to do far more exceedingly than all we ask or think. In Jesus’ name, Amen.