We all know that God is the creator of all things, including the heavens, the earth, and everything within them. As much as God has established principles and laws for creation to operate within, not everything is fixed or ordained.
Therefore, we have the ability to pray for change and negotiate with God, as He has given us free will for this purpose. This is why the Lord invites us to reason together, as stated in the book of Isaiah.
Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
Isaiah 1:18
Even God invites us to reason with him because we are co-creators with him. It is important to understand that as human beings, we are special because God wants us to be like Him.
However, it is not easy to be like God, to know what he knows, or to do what he does. While God runs creation perfectly, we as human beings often make mistakes. God wants us to reach a point of perfection like Him, so he assigns us responsibilities in His great creation.
It is through the assignments given to us by God that we serve various purposes in our lives. To make perfect decisions, we must be guided by the Holy Spirit, as only He knows what is truly perfect.
Praying in tongues plays a crucial role in our journey towards perfection, helping us to align ourselves with God’s will and contribute to His creation. The Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf to help us reach the level of perfection required.
But unto us God revealed them through the Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:10
Understanding the heart of God
Understanding how God is influenced and having His heart guide our prayers is essential in our quest to be more like Him. There are typically three scenarios to consider.
Jacob and Esau
The first scenario involves the relationship between Jacob and Esau. Even before they were born, God had already spoken about their lives, expressing His love for Jacob and hatred towards Esau.
Apostle Paul further discusses this in relation to pre-ordained matters. Some may question the purpose of prayer if God has already determined everything, but there is more to God’s ordination than meets the eye.
In the case of Jacob and Esau, God ordained that Jacob would rule over Esau, with the younger sibling ruling over the elder. When Jacob embraced this ordination and committed himself to God, Esau reacted with anger and hatred towards his brother.
Despite God’s ordination, Jacob was not forced to rule over Esau. Esau willingly sold his birthright to Jacob, only to later resent him.
This double-dealing led to God’s displeasure towards Esau, who ultimately ended up hating his brother, despite being the one who sold his birthright in the first place. This is why God hated Esau even before he was born.
The story of King Hezekiah
Another instance is the story of King Hezekiah in the book of 2 Kings 20:1-6. God had predetermined the day of his death. As the day approached, God, out of his love for King Hezekiah, sent the Prophet Isaiah with the message to put his house in order because he would soon die.
However, Hezekiah pleaded with God, saying that he had been faithful and walked faithfully with Him. He petitioned God to change what had been ordained for him. God then sent prophet Isaiah with a new message, adding 15 more years to Hezekiah’s life.
This case demonstrates that it is possible to pray and petition God to change what has already been ordained for you.
Christ’s cup of suffering
Lastly, there is the account of Jesus Christ. The night before His crucifixion, He was in the garden of Gethsemane praying. In His prayer, He asked for the cup of suffering to be taken away from Him but this did not happen.
Reflecting on this scripture, I used to wonder why Jesus, who knew the Father’s will and had foretold His own death, would plead at the last minute for the suffering to be taken away.
I came to understand that Jesus knew God’s will and that the cup of suffering was meant for Him. What was significant was that Jesus wanted to demonstrate something about God’s plan.
There are certain things that God has ordained and cannot be changed, even if we plead. One such thing was the specific death of Jesus on the cross, crucial for the salvation of humanity.
Despite Christ’s plea, God did not alter this plan, as it was the only way for mankind to be saved. Jesus knew this and accepted it, even though He prayed for it to be different.
When you pray for matters concerning your own life, there are certain things that God has ordained which cannot be changed, and you must simply accept them.
There are good things that God has ordained for your life, similar to what happened with Jacob. In such cases, all you need to do is rejoice in the Lord and pursue those things.
There are also things that God has ordained which you can petition for, like King Hezekiah did. These are aspects of your life that God has decreed, but you can request adjustments through prayer.
Finally, there are certain things about you that are ordained and cannot be changed, such as the case of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.
It may be challenging to discern whether what you are praying for can be altered or simply requires acceptance. This is where praying in tongues comes in as the Holy Spirit understands God’s will for your life.
The Holy Spirit knows which situations can be changed, which can be petitioned, and which are permanent. Therefore, when you pray in tongues, the Holy Spirit intercedes perfectly for every aspect of your life according to God’s ordination.
As the Holy Spirit guides you, you will notice that most of your prayers align perfectly with God’s will. Blessings!