When not to pray

Desperate situations come to all people. Most people, when faced with a desperate situation turn to prayer. Prayer seems to be the most important thing to do when in desperation, but is it always the right thing to do?

Remember the account of Moses at the Red Sea? Now that was a desperate situation! Pharaoh’s army was hot on their trail, impassible mountains on the right and the left and the Red Sea was in front of them. If there was ever a time when it seemed right to pray, you would think this is one of them.

Moses starts to pray, and instead of being pleased that Moses was praying, God was grieved. Does it sometimes grieve God when people pray? It did in this case.

God’s response to Moses’ heartfelt prayer is recorded in Exodus 14:15 and 16. “And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward. But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.’”

God’s response was this way because He had already given Moses instruction and authority to use his rod in desperate situations. When God tells you what to do and gives you the power and authority to do it, He’s through talking about it. The only thing left to do is take action. Prayer would actually be an act of disobedience in this case. Many people are trying to accomplish through prayer, what can only be accomplished through acting on what God told them to do.

For example: What if I had a financial problem and someone gave me the money to take care of it, but instead of using the money to take care of it, I chose to come back each morning and continue to tell them about the problem. They would think the problem is no longer financial, but mental! It’s the same way with God. He has given us promises in His Word of what He will do. He has also given us authority over the powers of darkness in His name. His name, the name of Jesus, is our rod of authority! We have been commissioned to use it against the evil one.

If you go to God in prayer about how the devil is harassing you, He will tell you the same thing He told Moses. Use the name of Jesus, resist the devil and he will flee! (James 4:7)

Perhaps you have been praying about a situation in your life and you’re not seeing results from prayer. Ask yourself this question: Has God already given you a promise concerning the problem? If so, then stop praying and start believing and acting on the promise. Stop trying to accomplish through prayer what can only be accomplished through the bold act of faith.

Jesus did not say to go to God and talk to him about our mountains. He said in Mark 11:23 to speak to the mountain and tell it to move. Stretch out your rod of authority in the name of Jesus and watch God part the waters of your difficult situation!