Useless Prayers

Praying for your married boyfriend to build you a house? God is not party to adultery. Praying for God to bless you with another husband? Praying to know whether it’s God’s will to stay in your marriage?

C’mon, work on your marriage - that’s the will of God. God’s will is as clear as the day. Make peace with your partner. And if you divorce them, remain single the rest of your life.

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NIV) - To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 

Praying for a government deal you inflated costs to work smoothly as planned? Praying to get a fat kickback from that government supplier of goods and/or services? You’re a public thief and any money you solicit by corrupt means is not blessed. There’re problems you and your family are going through because of that cursed money.

Proverbs 15:27 (ESV) – Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.

Praying for your teen child to be disciplined? You’re wasting prayer time. Discipline is instilled in a child. When they outgrow your house, you can pray for them to live by the values you inculcated. But so long as they’re under 18, their character reveals your parenting.

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV) - Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old, he will not depart from it.

God does not contradict Himself. God does not answer prayers that contradict His Word. God’s will is revealed in His Word. The Bible says, “And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us - 1 John 5:14 (KJV).”

DR. K. N. JACOB