The Reason to Pray: So That… Prayers

— by Roland Heersink

As an entrepreneur and leader, people expect more from you. To make the difficult decisions, to set the right direction, and lead them to success. 

Others are counting on you. Your education, experience, and track record have prepared you for this time. The very reasons people trust you to lead them also gives you confidence. 

Even so, sometimes things get beyond what you can see, past what you know, and out of your comfort zone. But, in those times, you know you can still reach out to God for help. 

That’s both right and wrong. 

God wants to guide you in your entrepreneurship and even bless you through it. So, it’s right for you to come before Him in prayer, with any and every request. Although coming to God with requests for business help is right, doing only that misses the relationship-building that God so greatly desires. 

And so your prayer needs to be more than just asking for help. But how do you know what to pray for? 

Your company? Your team? Your customers? 

Praying “So That…” Prayers

As a Faith-Driven Entrepreneur, you have a lot on your plate, and there is a lot that you might present to God in prayer.

Fortunately, the Bible gives some very clear guidance on what to pray for, often through the use of two simple words: “so that.”

For an example of this, let’s go back to the time of King Hezekiah in the Old Testament. As king, Hezekiah proved himself to be one of the better leaders of Israel:

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. — 2 Kings 18:5-7a

As a leader, Hezekiah put God first, and in return, God helped him prosper in pretty much everything he did. Contrary to others, Hezekiah remained faithful to God’s plan in his leadership, not seeking his own glory or pleasure. This is an important leadership characteristic, especially for you as a Faith-Driven Entrepreneur.

But then came the test. 

Sennacherib, king of the Assyrians, had already captured the cities of nearby Samaria and the outlying cities of Judah, finally surrounding Hezekiah and his people in the capital city of Jerusalem: a major leadership crisis for Hezekiah, and in many ways, not unlike crises you may face when the competition close in around you.

As the enemy forces circled the city and sent threatening messages over the city walls, Hezekiah didn’t seek guidance from his advisors, strength from his troops, or reassurance from his people. Instead, check what he did—it is instructive for you as a Faith-Driven Entrepreneur as well:

Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth…. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.” — 2 Kings 19:14-15,19

As you re-read Hezekiah’s prayer, note the use of the words “so that” in the closing of his prayer. In so doing, he gives the underlying reason for his prayer—not just that he, the city, or the people for whom he was responsible would be saved but “so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.” 

Now compare Hezekiah’s prayer to how you pray. When you present your requests to God for guidance, wisdom or help, what is the “so that” behind your request? For what reason might God answer your prayer? 

Prayers with a “so that” focused back on your company and its success might not be what God has in mind, and may therefore go unanswered. But prayers focused on helping others and bringing glory to God fall into an altogether different category, don’t they?

Trying It Out

As you face your next leadership or organizational challenge, try attaching a “so that” clause as you pray over it. For example, you might ask God to answer your request so that:

• Others may see God’s hand in your work

• A door may be opened for your testimony

• God may be made known or glorified

Like Hezekiah’s prayer, your prayer should seek to glorify God and make Him known to those you work with. Not sure how to do that? Then check this:

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. — James 1:5

Like Hezekiah and the many others after him, you can also learn to use prayer as your weapon to help build God’s Kingdom … and your business!

I pray for this so that….

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This is the first blog in a set of 3. Each post has been abstracted from the book “Toolbox Devotions for the Faith-Driven Entrepreneur” by Roland Heersink and Dr. Szaszi Bene (Tyndale Seminary, Amsterdam). 

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