Does God Ever Tell us Not to Pray?

Q: Dr. E, my question concerns prayer. Does God ever tell us not to pray for someone or something? What does this say about the power or purpose of prayer? Jeremiah 7:16 God states do not pray for those people, when he found that Judah was not inclined to repent. In the New Testament, John 17:9 Jesus did not pray for the world, but those you have given me. Summary In this episode. Dr. E unpacks a fascinating question rooted in Scripture: when God told the prophet Jeremiah not to pray for Judah, what did He mean—and what does that teach us about prayer today? Dr. Easley explains that Jeremiah’s command was a specific prophetic instruction tied to judgment, not a model for believers today. In contrast, we’re repeatedly told to “pray without ceasing” and to bring everything before the Lord. Prayer, he reminds us, isn’t a formula or a way to change God’s mind—it’s an alignment of our hearts with His will. “The litmus test for prayer,” Dr. Easley says, “is whether the answer would glorify God.” It’s not outcome-based but obedience-based. Drawing on examples from Jeremiah, Jonah, and Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, Dr. Easley helps us see prayer not as a spiritual wish list, but as humble communication with our Creator—rooted in trust, surrender, and reverence. Takeaways Prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind—it’s about aligning our hearts with His will. God’s command to Jeremiah not to pray was a specific act of judgment, not a model for believers. The purpose of prayer is to glorify God, not to secure the results we want. Even Jesus prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done,” modeling perfect submission. True peace comes when we bring our requests to God and trust His verdict. The best prayers we can pray are those shaped by Scripture and God’s revealed Word. Find more episodes of Ask Dr. E here. If you've got a question for Dr. Easley, call or text us your question at 615-281-9694 or email at [email protected].