“Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:24 (ESV)
Does God need us to pray for Him to move? Does God lack anything that He requires our assistance? Yes and no! Technically God could do whatever He pleases. But He created a system that requires our part. And therefore, there are things God cannot do apart from our prayer. Our freewill is not just a nice idea. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray He told them to ask for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6). If our prayers had no effect, God would not have made such a strong case for us praying. Our prayer really does matter and is the only way for His will to be released on earth. In fact, God’s will is not always done because we are not praying. For example, it’s God’s desire (will) that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9) but are they?
Ask God to stir prayer in our city, to increase prayer in each church, starting with yours and you! Cry out for God’s will to be done across Athens, for everyone in our city to be saved! Yep, that’s a big prayer. Ask God for the faith to believe it!