If God knows everything, then why pray?
The Bible says in Matthew chapter 6 and verse number 31,
Therefore, take no thought, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink,
or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek,
for your Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
You know, it goes without saying that one of the attributes of God is that he's not only
omnipotent, meaning he's all-powerful, he's not only omnipresent, meaning he's in all
places at all times, but he's also omniscient, meaning he knows all things.
The Bible says in Psalm 147 and verse number 5,
Great is our Lord, and of great power his understanding is infinite.
The Bible says in 1 John chapter 3 that if our heart condemn us,
God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things, and that includes our needs.
And so the question is, well, if he knows my needs, if he knows everything,
if he knows every decision that I'm going to make, he knows the future, then what's the point
of praying? I'm going to give you a couple reasons in this video why we should pray
in spite of the fact that God knows everything.
Reason number one, why should we pray? Well, number one is because it helps us to have the
right priorities. When we are lacking the essentials in our life, it often motivates us
to acknowledge God and thereby pray. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy chapter 4 and verse
number 8 that bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things,
having the promise of the life which now is and of that which is to come.
You see, when we focus on that which is eternal, when we set our affections on things
above and not on the things of this earth, God will often provide and supply that which is
temporal. Prayer helps us to prioritize that which is eternal over that which is temporal.
So even though God knows everything, we should pray because it helps us to have an eternal
mindset. Reason number two why we should pray, it builds spiritual endurance. The Bible says,
be not weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. It goes without
saying that the Christian life can be a difficult road to take and there are times when we are
tempted to quit, we are tempted to throw in the towel and it's in those times that God expects
us to pray in order to build spiritual endurance. Jesus said in Luke chapter 18 and verse number 1
that he spake a parable unto them unto this end that men ought always to pray and not to faint.
Why? Because if we faint in the day of adversity, our strength is small and even though
God knows everything, we should pray that we enter not into temptation but that God would deliver
us from evil. The goal of every Christian should be to stick it out in the Christian life.
The Bible says that wherefore seeing we are compassed about what so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with
patience the race that is set before us. How do we do that? By praying. Prayer is the escape
route for the Christian who faces temptation. Why should we pray even though God knows everything?
Well because it builds endurance. Reason number three is because we can change the mind of God.
You see the Bible tells us in Ephesians chapter 2 that we are as workmanship created in Christ
Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. God has
a predetermined path and a route for us to take but because we're sinners and because we're
not perfect, we can often veer off the path of righteousness. We can backslide. We can get
out of God's word, get out of church, and get out of the will of God and this can often
cause us to suffer the consequences of our actions. It can cause the wrath of God to
come upon our life but the good news is the Bible tells us that we can change the mind of
God. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 4 in verse number 16 that we can boldly come before
the throne of grace to obtain mercy to help in a time of need and in fact we have an example
of this in the Old Testament in Moses. In Exodus chapter 32 in verse number 12 we see the
Bible saying wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say for mischief did he bring them out
to slay them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth
turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people Israel had sin against
God thereby causing God to want to pour his wrath out upon them but Moses prayed for them
and said turn from this thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil what's the response verse
number 14 says and the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
The Bible clearly teaches us that we can change the mind of God when we pray. Reason number
four why should we pray even though God knows everything? Well because it increases our faith.
The Bible says he have not because he ask not. The Bible tells us ask and he shall receive
seek and he shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you. When we pray for our daily
needs and even sometimes even the wants that we have and God answers those prayers that
increases our faith in God that increases our faith in the Bible and increases our faith in
praying and in fact the Bible specifically says that without faith it is impossible to
please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him. We can't please God without having faith and we can't increase
our faith if we don't pray. Why should we pray even though God knows everything? Why should we
pray even though he knows our needs even though he knows our wants? Well because of the fact
that it increases our faith and reason number five why we should pray even though God knows
everything? Well because of the fact that it gives us access to the peace of God. The
Bible says in Matthew chapter number six therefore take no thought it doesn't say don't pray
it says take no thought and the equivalent to that is basically worrying and in Philippians
chapter four the Bible phrases that differently and says be careful for nothing but in all
things by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
unto God and the peace of God the passeth understanding shall keep your hearts and minds
through Jesus Christ. You see when we have needs and necessities that need to be met this
can often cause us to be worried to fret to be full of care but the remedy to that is that we
pray with thanksgiving and supplication and the result of that is that God gives us peace
tranquility serenity in the midst of those needs. Why should we pray even though God knows
everything? Well number one because it helps us to have the right priorities number two it builds
spiritual endurance number three because we can change the mind of God number four it increases
our faith and number five it gives us access to the peace of God that passes understanding
hope that helped God bless and have a great one.