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.
Expectations
50-0405 §54
While I go to pray, you pray with me, if you will, and pray for me. The brothers will call the prayer line. And you pray with me. How many will do this for me, 'cause when I go out, I... If He anoints me when I come back. I might not be able to say much. But see, friends, I can't depend on myself. I have to depend on It. I don't say nothing; It does the talking. Now, look. When God does something on the platform, all of you believe it. This is nothing but just to show God's attitude. If one time it could be done, o...
Why are people so tossed about?
56-0101 §110
When I had that ministerial meeting over there at the Jewish Hospital, that group of men sat there, and how they tried to tell me, said, "Why, you're losing your mind. Why you can't do that. You pray for kings?" I said, "That's what He said." It didn't make any difference what they said, it's did it anyhow. God did it. He never looked at my ignorance. My ignorance could've never produced it. But it wasn't my ignorance. It was His grace; He was the One doing it. And in that grace alone I trust this morning as I go p...
God doesn't call man to judgement without warning
63-0724 §28
When you plead anything to God, you got to be a reason for it. It's just like the Scripture that I so often refer to, "If you say to this mountain, 'Be moved,' and don't doubt, but believe that what you've said will come to pass, you can have what you said." Now, that's altogether controlled on motive and objective, see, or it won't happen, see. You just can't go out here... That's where many of us makes many mistakes, is going out and say, "Now, I'll show you I got faith to do this." Now, you're wrong to begin wit...
Believest thou this?
51-1003 §26
And let's see back in the beginning when God was fixing to bring forth His Son, why, the first thing he appeared to was--to vindicate of His coming was Zacharias an old priest, fine character, him and his wife. And they'd been married for many years, growing old in age. They'd prayed earnestly for children. God seemed to not answer their prayer, but they're--they were serving the Lord, a devout life. Now, there's where many people make an error. They pray for things, and because God don't give it to them in a few m...
Does God change His mind?
65-0427 §34
Then God told him, "Go on." Why? God knew what was in his heart. God knew that was in his heart to begin with, so He told him to go on. He will permit it. He will permit you to do it. He will bless you many times in doing it. He blessed even Israel after they... Grace had already give them a prophet, pillar of fire, a deliverance, signs and wonders, brought them out of Egypt, and everything. And yet they wanted a law. God let them have it, but it cursed them all the time. He let Balaam go on, just the way he was su...