The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James 5:16

If God is Sovereign and already knows the beginning from the end, why do we need to pray? Can our prayers truly influence a Sovereign God?

While most Christians may not think of it that way, isn’t the reason more of us do not pray fervently and tirelessly is that we simply do not believe James when he says that our prayers will make a difference? Is it possible we have doubts that our prayers can be powerful and effective to influence the hand of God?

George Mueller, born in Germany in 1805, lived most of his life in Bristol, England. Without every asking anyone for money directly, he simply prayed and trusted God to provide for the care of thousands of orphans in his five orphanages. The Lord supplied the modern-day equivalent of millions of dollars for those orphanages and other ministries he started simply through prayer. At times, no food could be found in the pantries of an orphanage, but George Mueller prayed and gave thanks to God for His provisions. The orphans saw God provide all that they needed, sometimes at the very moment they sat down to an empty table. George Mueller believed in the sovereignty of God, and yet prayed fervently believing God would show Himself faithful and gracious.

Abraham asked God to spare Sodom and Gomorrah should a few righteous people be found there, even after God told him he would destroy them. God agreed to withhold his judgment if just a handful of righteous men could be found. Samuel, Elijah, David, and Daniel prayed frequently and specifically, and God answered. Even our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, prayed often and taught His disciples to pray. Jesus knew the heart and will of the Father, yet He still prayed.

If our Lord taught and practiced prayer, why would we, as grandparents, not believe in the power and effectual nature of prayer to keep our grandchildren from the evil one and to plead for their salvation? We know the Father is not willing that any of His “little ones” should perish. We also know Jesus taught that some spiritual battels can only be overcome through prayer and fasting. So, why would we not take prayer seriously?

Grandparents frequently ask me what they can do when things get hard – when the parents of their grandchildren want nothing to do with Christ; when their grandchildren make bad choices; when they have little contact with their grandchildren. They often ask because they assume there are some kind of secret “solutions” they must not know which they can put into practice.

The good news is that there is a “secret” weapon that is no secret at all: PRAYER. This is not a weapon of last resort, but our first line of offense and defense. This is a call to grandparents who follow Christ to get on your knees so you can stand against the treachery of the Enemy who would devour and take captive the hearts, minds and souls of our grandchildren! PRAY! PRAY! PRAY!

I also urge you to listen to this week’s Family Impact Podcast with Sherry Schumann, our Co-Director of Prayer Ministry at CGN. Sherry talks about the importance of guarding our own hearts by, ironically, submitting to Him in prayer. Sherry will inspire you and stir you to take this thing we call prayer seriously. She will remind you that the prayer of a righteous person matters. Prayer has power to move the hand of our Sovereign God to do more than we can ever imagine.

GRANDPAUSE: Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting man’s will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done in earth. –Robert Law