Today’s Key Scripture (all references NKJV unless otherwise noted:

So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.

—Genesis 20:17-18, KJV

The Bible is filled with examples of prayer changing God’s plans. Let me hasten to say that prayer does not change prophecy, but if man cooperates with God, God will answer, and His plans to punish will be changed.

One of the first is recorded in Genesis 20 where Abraham journeyed to Gerar where King Abimelech took Sarah, Abraham’s wife, to be his. The Lord warned him in a dream that if he did not restore her back to Abraham, he would die. The Lord also had closed the wombs of King Abimelech’s wives so that none could bear children in his house.

Yet when Abraham prayed, God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his maid servants. The plan of God was changed as Abraham prayed.

And in the process, a great wealth transfer occurred: “And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife. And Abimelech said , Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee. And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given…a thousand pieces of silver” (Genesis 20:14-16, KJV).

Prayer does change things, even the plans of God!

A Prayer for Today:

Heavenly Father, I submit my ways to Your ways and my plans to Your plans. Help my will to be conformed to yours as I walk in the power of the Holy Spirit every day. I truly seek to know what You desire in me and for me. I pray that You will is accomplished as Your righteousness is increased in me and as I aspire to see Your will done throughout the world. Help me to remember that Your path is always best and that Your way is to do immeasurably more than all I can ask or imagine. I pray this in the Name above all names, Amen!