Explain Why I Should Still Pray for a Thing, If God Is Already Going to Do It Regardless of Wether I Pray or Not?
1) Direct Answer
You should pray because God made prayer the appointed path by which His will comes to pass in your life. He not only determines the outcome—He commands the asking. Many things He intends for you will not be manifested until you ask; and even where God’s purpose is certain, prayer prepares you, protects you, and gives you your portion and reward in that very thing.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- “You have not, because you ask not” (James 4:2). That is not “regardless”—that is conditional.
- “I will yet for this be enquired of… to do it for them” (Ezekiel 36:37). Promise first; prayer required.
- Daniel read God’s fixed number of years, then “set [his] face… to seek by prayer” (Daniel 9:2–3). The decree drove the prayer; the prayer brought the fulfillment into view.
- God said He would send rain, yet Elijah travailed in prayer until it appeared (1 Kings 18:1, 42–45). James says this is how prayer avails much (James 5:16–18).
- The Lord knows our needs, yet commands, “After this manner therefore pray… Thy will be done” (Matthew 6:8–10). He wills it; we pray it down.
- The church prayed, and Peter was delivered (Acts 12:5–11). When they didn’t pray for James, he was killed (Acts 12:2). Prayer matters.
- “Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation” (Matthew 26:41). Prayer changes whether you fall or stand.
- “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer… the peace of God… shall keep your hearts” (Philippians 4:6–7). Prayer brings God’s peace now.
- “Then said he unto me… from the first day… thy words were heard” (Daniel 10:12). Heaven moves at the believer’s prayer.
- Hezekiah prayed, and God added fifteen years (2 Kings 20:1–6). God’s answer came through prayer.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- If it were truly “regardless,” why does God say, “You have not, because you ask not”? The Bible ties many fulfillments to asking.
- God ordains the end and the means. Refusing to pray is refusing God’s means.
- Even when God’s purpose is fixed (like the coming Kingdom), prayer is how it comes into our earth and into our lives—“Thy kingdom come.”
- Prayer shapes your part: God rewards secret prayer (Matthew 6:6). No prayer, no reward. Prayer aligns your heart, resists the enemy, and opens the door for the promise to manifest to you.
- God’s Spirit stirs you to pray because He intends to perform it (Romans 8:26–27). The call in your heart and the answer in His heart meet in prayer.
4) Reinforcing Statement
So don’t argue with the promise—pray it. Hold God to His Word. Ask, seek, knock. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” That’s partnership. That’s how His will in heaven becomes His will in you on earth.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The Evening Messenger
63-0116 §132
"If you being evil know how to give good gifts, how much more will your heavenly Father give them the Spirit, that ask for it." "If you'd ask for a fish, would He give you a serpent? Ask for bread, would He give you a stone?" Certainly not! Why, if you'd just ask Him in that way, with faith, believing that, you would get it from Him a million times quicker than you'd get anything from me. And you know I'd help you, I'd do anything I could. Any of these brothers would, we'd take every penny out of our pocket to help...
Does God change His mind?
65-0427 §81
...hat this is just a bunch of excitement, you know better now, don't you? You newcomers, He vindicated Himself. It's Him, and no one else could do that. This hasn't been done for, since the days of the apostles. It's just now come back to the church as was promised. The Lord bless you, now. Now, you people, as you pass through this line, come praying. Everybody, now. The Great Physician now is near, the sympathizing Jesus. Now, when you come, come with your heads down, in reverence pass by. And these men lay hands on...
And thy Seed shall possess the gate of His enemies
61-0212E §30
Now, I'd imagine when a trial come up... What's the first thing a child of God has for refuge when a trial comes? The greatest weapon was ever put in the hands of mankind: prayer. It even changes everything. It even changed the mind of God one time. God told his prophet go up and tell the king he was going to die. And the king turned his face to the wall, and said, "Lord, I beseech you to consider me. I have walked before you with a perfect heart. I need fifteen years longer." And God spared his life fifteen years...
The Angel of the Lord
51-0502 §9
And as far as I know, the best of my knowledge, to all of the people that I--have come before me to be prayed for, there has never been one time in all my life that I can remember praying for the sick when I absolutely saw the vision and told them that the Lord Jesus had healed them but what was well. Now, I never seen it my... See, I never seen it... I seen... Many times I've seen the people on the platform and knew they were going to die: turns dark around them. And I know they're not long. I'll say, "Go, and may...
Thou Son of David, have mercy on me
61-0215 §16
But we don't always know, you know. God works in mysterious ways his wonders to perform. If we commit anything to God, and believe it---like our children or whatever more---let's believe that God will answer that prayer. Today before I left to go away, the phone constantly ringing, and the mothers with their children and saying, "Now pray for them." I said, "Now, just commit them to God. That's all you have to do. And don't put your hands on it anymore. Let God have it." If you're going to do something about it, th...