Does Prayer Change God?

See Malachi 3:6 and Hosea 11:8. In one scripture God says he doesn’t change, and in another he says his heart is changed. So which one is it?

The Christian writer Origen reasoned that if God already knows what is going to happen, and if it must happen in that way, then there is no point to prayer. And if everything happens according to God’s will, and if what is God’s will is fixed, then prayer is pointless.

What good is prayer in a predetermined world?

But if you turn to the Bible’s view of history, you see God as a personal being that listens to prayers and then responds. Jesus was the perfect picture of that (praying to a personal God). The disciples believed this too and picked up right where Jesus left off, making specific and personal prayers for God to act on.

Some see God’s omniscience (knowing everything) as a reason not to pray. Why pray if God already knows? In contrast, Jesus treated God’s knowledge not as a deterrent but as a positive motivation to pray: We don’t have to gain God’s attention by long prayers and big words. We don’t have to convince him of the sincerity of our needs. God already knows and we already have his ear. God knows everything about us and he is not bored – he listens. So, we can get right to the point.

Throughout the Bible, God is portrayed as being deeply affected by people, both positively and negatively. God “delights in those who fear him,” but is also wearied by disobedience.

The scriptures give even more descriptions of prayer affecting God:

Ask and it will be given to you. (Don’t ask and will it not be given to you?)

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.
The prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer.

You do not have because you do not ask God.


And there are Old Testament stories that underscore this point as well. When God sent the prophet Isaiah to inform King Hezekiah of his imminent death, Hezekiah prayed for more time. Before Isaiah left the palace grounds, God changed his mind, granting Hezekiah fifteen more years of life.

Four times the Old Testament reports that God “relented” or “changed his mind” in response to a request, and each shift postponed a promised punishment. If you think that prayer has no affect on God, look at God’s track record. He may not do everything that you want when you want it, but he listens and considers your request. That, in itself is comforting, encouraging, and just downright cool.