Does Prayer Work?

Near our house a large billboard asks the question, “Does Prayer Work?” Since the billboard also refers one to the website of a cult group, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t trust their answer. But I am also unsure of how many Bible believing folks would answer that question either. So does prayer work?

I did a quick AI search asking that question. Here is the answer I received, “Yes, prayer works.” Okay. But the sentence did not have a period where I placed it. The statement continues to read, “Yes, prayer "works" in significant psychological and emotional ways, reducing stress, increasing hope, and fostering well-being.”

While psychological and emotional benefits might be good, I don’t think that is what the Bible is getting at when we are encouraged to pray. At least those are not the primary concerns of biblical praying.

On the one hand we do read in James,

The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

—James 5:16

So if we stop there, we would say unequivocally that this kind of prayer (of a righteous person) is working and it is working with great power.

But we must also consider the words of James just one chapter earlier,

You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

—James 4:2-3

I think it would be wise to consider the manner in which Jesus taught us to pray. Before we ever get around to asking anything for ourselves, our prayers should be grounded in the opening to this Lord’s Prayer,

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

—Matthew 6:9-10

Here is what I am getting at. When I normally hear people talk about prayer working, it is often about our prayers bringing about something good concerning our health, finances, circumstances, and well being. Now these are things about which we should talk to the Father. But we are not trying to persuade God to do something that isn’t in His best interest.

The death of a loved one may not be what you asked in prayer, but it may be what is in God’s wise plans. Financial loss may not have been at the top of your prayer list, but God might have designs on teaching us an even greater lesson in our poverty. That prodigal son may never come home even though you’ve asked over and over that he would. God might keep him in the pig pen for reasons unknown to us.

I’m not saying to NOT ask for these things. Since we are not God and his thoughts are far beyond ours, we pray as best as we know how. But like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, we should have the mindset, Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done (Luke 22:42).

We are not trying to twist God’s arm even when we are being persistent in our prayers. We keep on asking until God either answers with a yes or a no. If he answers in the affirmative, we rejoice and give thanks. If he answers in the negative, we trust him.

So, does prayer work? Not if it depends on us. But the answer is a resounding yes when we are trusting our heavenly Father who is bringing about his kingdom and his will.