Revelation 5:8
Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of saints.
Got ya thinking with that question! “Of course, not” You might say immediately. We have been taught from small children that we can believe in our God, He can do anything!
Still, I want you to ponder this for a minute. Can God always change the heart and will of people? I would dare to say there are many people-even us at times, when we are focused on doing a certain thing, even when God has said not to do it. We override the law he set forth-and do it anyway. We may have even heard Holy Spirit tell us no, it doesn’t stop us.
God is NOT in the will changing habit!
Several examples are in the Bible illustrating this point. Many times, God does not see the result He wants in people’s lives. He says He is not willing that ANY should perish. Still, we know many have died having rejected His offer of salvation from hell.
People fast and pray earnestly, yet their prayer cannot be answered by our loving God-until the recipient of the prayer wants it! God could not even change the mind set of Judas when he betrayed Jesus. Even after following Him in ministry for three years.
If you are like me, you might think this is a little shocking at first. Just remember, from Genesis to Revelation, and on to today, God does not overturn our will without our permission. That is how we got into this mess! We were left in the garden with our own desires and God had to watch as we messed it up! Imagine His heart for a minute as maybe He pondered trying to intervene in the process of the temptation Eve faced. The struggle as He knew what would take place, compared to overriding His own law! We humans override our own decisions all the time. Not God! He decided no interference in our will…it is settled law in His book!
So, what does that mean for us? I believe it means that even though we pray for God’s will to be done. Even though we believe that God’s will is being done, if it involves changing people’s minds-He won’t do it! He can’t do it!
Case in point. Recently voters in Kansas rejected a proposed state constitutional amendment that would have said there was no right to an abortion in the state. People is Kansas were fasting and praying for this NOT to happed. Sitll the hearts of the people could not be changed by the God of free will!
I believe those prayers for the unborn are still being held in those bowls full of incense until the right time. Then they will be poured out and changes will be made.
I say this not to discourage us from praying-no, no! The Bible exhorts us to pray without ceasing. I say a ‘push’ prayers, Pray Until Something Happens! We do not have the divine mind to know who will or will not change their mind, so, we pray!
I remember reading about Ben Franklin when our legislators were stuck on a major issue in writing the constitution. He implored the men who had so many differing views that there seemed to be no consensus of agreement. ” When we could not agree in times past, we would pray. Why aren’t we doing that now? Go home and pray for three days and return to this chamber. I trust God will give us the answer.” That, my friends was the deciding factor is making this USA a free nation! Prayer did change the hearts of those men, but only when they allowed God to do the work in their hearts.
Yes, there is something God cannot do. Override our will! I am glad for it as a person without a free will is not made in the image of God but would be no different than the animals who live their lives by a pre-set program. Hey, tell me what you think!
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