Does Prayer Change Things? - The Crucial Questions Series - R. C. Sproul

Aug 26, 2026

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Prayer Change Things? explores how prayer shapes the Christian life by fostering obedience to Christ and enabling genuine communion with God. The text frames prayer as both privilege and duty, explains why prayer can be hindered by false motives and spiritual neglect, and describes prayer’s role in holiness. It also emphasizes the Holy Spirit’s teaching and intercession when believers lack clarity about what to pray for.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages135

Reading Time5 h 40 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

One-The Place of Prayer

Two-The Purpose of Prayer

Three-The Pattern of Prayer

Four-The Practice of Prayer

Five-The Prohibitions of Prayer

Six-The Power of Prayer

Does Prayer Change Things? The Crucial Questions Series By R. C. Sproul Who Is Jesus? Can I Trust the Bible? Can I Know God’s Will? Does Prayer Change Things? How Should ILive in This World? Does Prayer Change Things? R. C. Sproul a div ision of L ig on i er M in ist ries • orLando , f L orida Does Prayer Change Things? © 1984, 1999, 2009 by R. C. Sproul Previously published as Effective Prayer (1984) and as part of Following Christ (1991) by Tyndale House Publishers, and as Does Prayer Change Things? by Ligonier Ministries (1999) . Published by Reformation Trust a division of Ligonier Ministries 400 Technology Park, Lake Mary, FL 32746 [www.Ligonier.org](www.Ligonier.org) [www.ReformationTrust.com](www.ReformationTrust.com)[ ](www.ReformationTrust.com)Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored ina retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of the publisher, Reformation Trust. The only exception is brief quotations in published reviews. Cover design: Cover illustration: Interior design and typeset: Katherine Lloyd, Colorado Springs, Colo. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from The Holy Bible, King James Version. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sproul, R. C. (Robert Charles), 1939- [Effective prayer] Does prayer change things? / R.C. Sproul. [p. cm. --](p. cm. --) (The crucial questions series) First published as: Effective prayer, 1984. Following Christ. Wheaton, Ill. : Tyndale House Publishers, 1992. Does prayer change things? Ligonier Ministries, 1999. ISBN 978-1-56769-178-8 1. Prayer--Christianity. I. Sproul, R. C. (Robert Charles), 1939- Following Christ. II. Title. BV220 .S68 2009 248.3’2--dc22 2009018823 Contents One-The PlaCe of PRayeR .......................... 1 Two-The PuRPoSe of PRayeR ...................... 7 Three-The PaTTeRn of PRayeR .................... 19 Four-The PRaCTiCe of PRayeR .................... 43 Five-The PRohiBiTionS of PRayeR................. 67 Six-The PoweR of PRayeR ........................ 75 Chapter One ¶ The PlaCe of PRayeR what is the goal of the Christian life? It is godliness born of obedience to Christ. Obedience unlocks the riches of the Christian experience. Prayer promptsand nurtures obedience, putting the heart into the proper“frame of mind” to desire obedience. Of course, knowledge is also important because without it we cannot know what God requires. However, knowledge and truth remain abstract unless we commune with God in prayer. The Holy Spirit teaches, inspires, and illumines Does Prayer Change Things? God’sWord to us. He mediates the Word of God and assists us in responding to the Father in prayer. Simply put, prayer has a vital place in the life of the Christian. One might pray and not be a Christian, but one cannot be a Christian and not pray. Romans 8:15 tells us that the spiritual adoption that has made us sons of God causes us to cry out in verbal expressions: “Abba! Father!”Prayer is to the Christian what breath is to life, yet no duty of the Christian is so neglected. Prayer, at least private prayer, is difficult to do out of a false motive. One can preach out of a false motive, as do the false prophets. One can be involved in Christian activities out of false motives. Many of the externals ofreligion can be done from false motives. However, it is highly unlikely that anyone would commune with God out of some improper motive. We are invited, even commanded, to pray. Prayer is both a privilege and a duty, and any duty can become laborious. Prayer, like any means of

FAQs

What role does prayer play in the Christian life?

Prayer prompts and nurtures obedience to Christ, putting the heart into the proper mindset to desire obedience. It also enables genuine communion with God so knowledge and truth are not merely abstract.

Why is prayer often difficult or neglected?

Private prayer can be difficult out of false motives, and prayer is described as a duty that can become laborious. The effects of the fall leave many people lazy and indifferent toward something as important as prayer.

How does the Holy Spirit help when believers don’t know what to pray for?

The Holy Spirit teaches, inspires, and illumines God’s Word, and intercedes for believers when they cannot express deep feelings or are unclear about what to pray. Romans 8:26–27 is used to explain this assistance according to God’s will.

Aug 26, 2026

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