Looking for a quote from a writer who says that God directs people to pray for the thing he wants to do

Years ago I heard or read something to the effect that when God in His sovereignty wants to cause something to happen, though he could do that thing directly (and often does), he instead causes his people to pray for that thing to be done, then answers their prayer. The context may have been Holy Spirit revival. **What Christian writers have said things to that effect? What quotes from their writings speak about this?** The way I remember it being said was, “When God wants something done, first he makes his people pray.” Of course I heard this about thirty years ago and my memory is not what it was, so the words could be quite different. It is likely that the originator lived in the early 20th century, but he may have been quoting someone from the 19th century. I ask this question here because my trusty AI Chat agrees that the concept is an acceptable one in Reformed, Arminian and Catholic traditions but can’t pin down a particular writer or quote. For the sake of curiosity, here is what Google Gemini Flash Thinking 2.0 had to say: —— **Thoughts** > Here's a thinking process to arrive at the answer about theologians discussing God initiating prayer: > * Deconstruct the Core Question: The central idea is about reversed causality in prayer. Instead of believer → prayer → God's action, it's God's will → causes prayer → God's action (in line with his pre-existing will). The key phrase provided is "When God wants something done, first he causes his people to pray." > * Identify Keywords and Concepts: Extract the crucial terms to guide the search for relevant theological concepts: > * God's initiative/sovereignty: This is the driving force. God is not passively waiting for human prayer; he actively works. > * Prayer: The means by which God's will is carried out, in this specific reversed causal framework. Prayer isn't just asking; it's a divinely orchestrated action. > * Causality/Reversed Causality: The core of the question. The typical cause-and-effect relationship is flipped. > * God's will/desire: The ultimate origin of the action. > * Believers/People of God: The instruments God uses in this process. > * Theologians: The specific domain to explore for answers. > * Brainstorm Theological Themes and Doctrines: Connect the keywords to broader theological concepts: > * Divine Sovereignty/Providence: God's ultimate control and governance over all things. This is a strong starting point. If God is sovereign, he can initiate prayer. > * Divine Grace/Prevenient Grace: God's grace precedes human action, enabling it. Prevenient grace (especially in Arminian theology) could be relevant here – God’s grace before the prayer. > * The Holy Spirit's work in prayer: The Spirit is often seen as the one who inspires and guides prayer. Romans 8:26 ("Spirit intercedes") is a key verse here. The Spirit's role could be the mechanism by which God "causes" prayer. > * The Economy of Salvation/Divine Economy: God's plan and methods for working in the world. Prayer could be part of this divine economy. > * Inspiration/Illumination (related to Scripture and prayer): God can inspire thoughts and desires, which could include the desire to pray. > * Consider Theological Traditions: Think about which traditions might emphasize God's initiative more: > * Calvinism/Reformed Theology: Strong emphasis on God's sovereignty and predestination. Likely to affirm God's initiative in prayer. > * Arminianism/Wesleyan Theology: Emphasizes prevenient grace and the Holy Spirit's work. Also potentially relevant. > * Catholic Theology: Also emphasizes God's grace and the role of the Holy Spirit in prayer. > * Formulate Search Strategies and Keywords for Research (if needed for a real research task): If you needed to actually find theologians who said this, you'd use keywords like: > * "God initiates prayer" > * "Divine initiative prayer" > * "Sovereignty and prayer" > * "Holy Spirit inspires prayer" > * "Prevenient grace prayer" > * "Theology of prayer divine initiative" > * (Combine with names of theologians known for sovereignty or pneumatology – e.g., "Calvin prayer," "Edwards prayer," "Wesley prayer," "Barth prayer," "Rahner prayer"). > * Recall Specific Theologians and Texts (Internal Knowledge): Draw upon existing knowledge of theological figures. Think about theologians who are known for: > * Sovereignty: Calvin, Edwards, Augustine (to some extent). > * Pneumatology (Holy Spirit): Wesley, Pentecostal theologians, Eastern Orthodox theologians (though Eastern Orthodox might frame it differently, closer to theosis and divine energies). > * Grace: Augustine, Aquinas, Reformers, Wesley. > * Focus on Key Theological Themes and Refine the Answer: Based on the brainstorming and recall, structure the answer around these core points: > * Affirmative Answer: Yes, this idea is present in Christian theology. > * Central Doctrine: Divine Sovereignty: Frame it within God's sovereignty. This is the overarching theological umbrella. > * Mechanism: Holy Spirit: Highlight the Holy Spirit as the agent who inspires and enables prayer according to God's will. Connect to Romans 8:26 and the Spirit interceding. > * Specific Theological Traditions: Point out that Calvinism and Reformed theology strongly affirm this because of their emphasis on sovereignty. Also mention Arminianism and Wesleyan theology due to prevenient grace and Spirit's work. > * Examples (even if not direct quotes in this instance – you could search for quotes if necessary, but the prompt is more about the concept): Think of theologians associated with these traditions (Calvin, Edwards, Wesley, etc.). > * Nuance and Balance: Acknowledge that this isn't always the only or dominant way of thinking about prayer in all Christian traditions. Maintain a balanced perspective and recognize the importance of genuine human agency in prayer as well. Avoid presenting a deterministic view where humans are mere puppets. > * Vocabulary: Use theological terms appropriately (sovereignty, providence, grace, Holy Spirit, etc.). > * Review and Refine the Answer: Read through the formulated answer. Is it clear, concise, and accurate? Does it address the prompt fully? Does it provide helpful examples and context? Make any necessary adjustments to improve clarity and completeness. Ensure it directly answers the original question and provides sufficient supporting information and nuance. For instance, make sure to highlight why these theological traditions would affirm this concept (sovereignty, grace, Spirit's work). > **Response** Yes, this is a recognized concept in Christian theology, though it might not be the most frequently emphasized aspect of prayer in popular piety. The idea that God initiates prayer as part of his plan is definitely present in the writings and thoughts of various theologians across different Christian traditions. Here's a breakdown of theologians and theological concepts that speak to this idea: **Key Theologians and Theological Concepts:** * John Calvin and Reformed Theology: Calvin and the Reformed tradition strongly emphasize God's sovereignty. For Calvin, God's will is primary, and everything, including human actions and even prayers, occurs within the scope of his sovereign plan. While Calvin certainly believed in the sincerity and importance of human prayer, his theology of providence suggests that God can and does work to bring about his purposes, which might include prompting his people to pray. While I can't find a direct, quotable statement from Calvin saying "When God wants something done, first he causes his people to pray," his theology leans heavily in this direction. Consider his emphasis on God's initiative in salvation and in all things. If God initiates salvation, it's consistent to think he might also initiate prayer related to his purposes. * Jonathan Edwards and Puritan Theology: Edwards, a major figure in American Puritanism and Reformed theology, also stressed God's sovereignty. Puritan theology often emphasized God's active role in all aspects of life, including spiritual life. They would have seen prayer as a means appointed by God, and that God himself might move people to pray in accordance with his will. Again, while a direct quote matching your phrasing might be hard to find, the overall thrust of their theology supports this idea. Edwards and Puritans frequently discussed the Holy Spirit's work in prompting and enabling prayer. * Karl Barth and Neo-Orthodoxy: Barth, a 20th-century theologian, also placed a strong emphasis on God's initiative and sovereignty. His theology is Christocentric, meaning everything is understood in light of Christ and God's self-revelation in Christ. For Barth, God is always the initiator in the relationship with humanity. While Barth talks about prayer as human response, it is always response to God's prior action. It's plausible to see in Barth's thought that God, desiring a certain outcome, could move people to pray as part of enacting his will. Barth's emphasis on revelation preceding response implies God is always first. * The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology): Across many Christian traditions, the Holy Spirit is understood as the agent of God who works within believers. The Holy Spirit is often seen as the one who inspires prayer, guides prayer, and intercedes in prayer. Romans 8:26 says, "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words." This verse is often interpreted as the Holy Spirit prompting and shaping our prayers, aligning them with God's will. If the Holy Spirit is inspiring prayer, it is ultimately God working to cause prayer. * Augustine of Hippo and the Doctrine of Grace: Augustine's theology of grace emphasizes God's prevenient grace – grace that comes before human action, enabling it. Augustine's view on prayer in relation to grace could be interpreted as God's grace moving people to pray, which is a prerequisite for God to act in response. Augustine’s idea that even the desire to pray is a gift from God aligns with the concept you're asking about. * Mystical Traditions: Mystical traditions within Christianity often emphasize a more passive and receptive posture in prayer. In these traditions, the initiative in prayer is often seen as coming from God. Contemplative prayer, for example, is about opening oneself to God's presence and allowing God to work within, which could include God initiating the very desire and movement towards prayer. **Phrases and Concepts Used:** * Divine Initiative: This is a broad term that encompasses the idea that God is the first actor in all things related to salvation and the divine-human relationship, including prayer. * Prevenient Grace: As mentioned with Augustine, this emphasizes God's grace coming before human action, potentially including the action of prayer. * The Holy Spirit Inspiring Prayer: The concept of the Holy Spirit as the one who guides, prompts, and enables prayer naturally leads to the idea that God is initiating prayer through the Spirit. * God "Stirring Up" Hearts to Pray: This is a more common, less theological phrase but captures the idea of God actively moving people to prayer. * God "Burdening" People to Pray: This phrase, often used in intercessory prayer circles, suggests a sense of divine prompting and urgency to pray for a specific matter, implying God's initiative. **Important Nuances and Considerations:** * Balance with Human Agency: While emphasizing God's initiative is important, it's crucial to maintain a balance and not negate human agency and sincerity in prayer. Christians believe in genuine human prayer that expresses real desires and petitions to God. The idea of God initiating prayer doesn't necessarily make human prayer insincere or merely mechanical. Instead, it suggests that even our sincere prayers can be, in some sense, divinely prompted and aligned with God's purposes. * Mystery of Divine-Human Interaction: The relationship between divine sovereignty and human freedom, and between divine initiative and human response in prayer, is ultimately a mystery. Theologians attempt to articulate these concepts, but there is a limit to human comprehension of how these things work together. * Not Always the Primary Focus: While the idea of God initiating prayer is present, it's not always the dominant or most common way prayer is discussed in Christian contexts. Often, the emphasis is on the believer's responsibility to pray, to bring needs to God, and to seek his will. However, understanding God's potential initiative adds a deeper dimension to the theology of prayer. In conclusion, yes, the idea that God initiates prayer as part of enacting his will is a theologically sound concept supported by various theologians and theological traditions within Christianity. While a direct quote matching your exact phrasing might be difficult to pinpoint, the underlying theological principles, particularly those related to divine sovereignty, the work of the Holy Spirit, and prevenient grace, strongly suggest that this understanding of prayer has been and continues to be present in Christian thought.