--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prayer is God's answer to our poverty…" description: "\"Prayer is God's answer to our poverty, not a power we exercise to obtain an answer.\" — Oswald Chambers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/oswald-chambers-205_answers_prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-no_449307.png" --- # Prayer is God's answer to our poverty, not a power we… ![“Prayer is God's answer to our poverty, not a power we exercise to obtain an answer.” quote by Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/oswald-chambers-205_answers_prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-no_449307.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/oswald-chambers-205_answers_prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-no_449307.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/oswald-chambers-205_answers_prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-no_449307.png) > “Prayer is God's answer to our poverty, not a power we exercise to obtain an answer.” [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prayer is a response to our lack, not a tool to force outcomes. **In simple terms:** Prayer answers need, not a wish‑granting power. Key Takeaway Seek humility, not control. Themes faith humility spirituality Mood reflective serene Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - financial hardship - health challenges - relationship struggles Key Concepts theology dependence inner need Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate asking for guidance versus demanding results? - What does true reliance look like? A Different Perspective Prayer may not change external circumstances directly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answer Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-poverty-3489207/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [God Answer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-answer-293449/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Poverty Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty-power-3924473/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Prayer God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer-god/) ## Related quotes > [It is no mere coincidence that there is both an historic and a present relationship between community (people assisting each other) and a poverty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/it-is-no-mere-coincidence-that-there-is-both-an-historic-and-a/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) > [There is no promise God cannot keep, no prayer God will not answer, and no problem too hard for Him to solve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/there-is-no-promise-god-cannot-keep-no-prayer-god-will-not-answer-and/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [I've often thought, I'm nobody. Why would God answer my prayer? But God's not impressed by eloquence; he's impressed by our longing for him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stormie-omartian/i-ve-often-thought-i-m-nobody-why-would-god-answer-my-prayer-but-god/) [Stormie Omartian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stormie-omartian/) > [Not since the early days of the civil rights movement has America been given an opportunity as great as the opportunity we have now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/not-since-the-early-days-of-the-civil-rights-movement-has-america/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Only FREEDOM has ever been the answer to poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/only-freedom-has-ever-been-the-answer-to-poverty/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Spiritual lust--'I must have it at once'--causes me to demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God himself who gives the answer. Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/spiritual-lust-i-must-have-it-at-once-causes-me-to-demand-an-answer/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Our understanding of God is the answer to prayer; getting things from God is God's indulgence of us. When God stops giving us things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/our-understanding-of-god-is-the-answer-to-prayer-getting-things-from/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“I want to tell you a growing conviction with me, and that is that as we obey the leadings of the Spirit of God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/i-want-to-tell-you-a-growing-conviction-with-me-and-that-is-that-as/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“You know what you are? You're God's answer to Job, ... He would have pointed to you and said, "Y'know, I do a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-what-you-are-you-re-god-s-answer-to-job-he-would-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But when it comes to life’s hardships and difficulties, we should be prepared to receive more than we can handle so that we learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-j-bargerhuff/but-when-it-comes-to-life-s-hardships-and-difficulties-we-should-be/) [Eric J. Bargerhuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-j-bargerhuff/) > [“So what do we do then? What do you do when the only thing you want to do is yell at God and tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-bethke/so-what-do-we-do-then-what-do-you-do-when-the-only-thing-you-want-to/) [Jefferson Bethke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-bethke/) > [Be patient. Let God answer your question on His schedule, not yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-b-joshua/be-patient-let-god-answer-your-question-on-his-schedule-not-yours/) [T. B. Joshua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-b-joshua/) > [God will do nothing but in answer to prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/god-will-do-nothing-but-in-answer-to-prayer/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“She said life will never go the way you plan. But putting your total trust in God is the answer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-wiseman/she-said-life-will-never-go-the-way-you-plan-but-putting-your-total/) [Beth Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-wiseman/) > [“I sometimes lie awake at night wishing I had all the answers. But I guess only God has all of them, while I only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-sometimes-lie-awake-at-night-wishing-i-had-all-the-answers-but-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## More by Oswald Chambers > [“If we deliberately choose to obey God, then He will tax the remotest star and the last grain of sand to assist us with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-we-deliberately-choose-to-obey-god-then-he-will-tax-the-remotest/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/realize-that-the-lord-is-here-now-and-the-freedom-you-receive-is/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [You will never cease to be the most amazed person on earth at what God has done for you on the inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/you-will-never-cease-to-be-the-most-amazed-person-on-earth-at-what/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [When Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross, it was not the blood of a martyr; or the blood of one man for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-jesus-christ-shed-his-blood-on-the-cross-it-was-not-the-blood-of/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Sorrow burns up a great amount of shallowness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/sorrow-burns-up-a-great-amount-of-shallowness/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“Let circumstances take you where they will, but keep drawing on the grace of God in whatever condition you may find yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/let-circumstances-take-you-where-they-will-but-keep-drawing-on-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-goal-of-faithfulness-is-not-that-we-will-do-work-for-god-but-that/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-are-in-danger-of-forgetting-that-we-cannot-do-what-god-does-and/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“It is a solemn thing, and no small scandal in the Kingdom, to see God's children starving while actually seated at the Father's table.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/it-is-a-solemn-thing-and-no-small-scandal-in-the-kingdom-to-see-god-s/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“If my holiness is not drawing towards Him, it is not holiness of the right order, but an influence that will awaken inordinate affection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-holiness-is-not-drawing-towards-him-it-is-not-holiness-of-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“My spiritual history must have as its underlying foundation a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ. To be born again means that I see Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/my-spiritual-history-must-have-as-its-underlying-foundation-a/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [We always have visions, before a thing is made real. When we realize that although the vision is real, it is not real in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/we-always-have-visions-before-a-thing-is-made-real-when-we-realize/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The lasting value of our public service for God is measured by the depth of the intimacy of our private times of fellowship and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-lasting-value-of-our-public-service-for-god-is-measured-by-the/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The thing that awakens the deepest fountain of gratitude in a human being is that God has forgiven his sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-thing-that-awakens-the-deepest-fountain-of-gratitude-in-a-human/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [The secret of the missionary is...I am His, and He is carrying out His work through me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/the-secret-of-the-missionary-is-i-am-his-and-he-is-carrying-out-his/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) [Explore all 922 Oswald Chambers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) ## More Answers quotes > [The one thing that I keep learning over and over again is that I don't know nothing. I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [“As long as you keep searching,the answers will come.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-kynock/as-long-as-you-keep-searching-the-answers-will-come/) [Mitch Kynock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-kynock/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [There is a comfort in rituals, and rituals provide a framework for stability when you are trying to find answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-norville/there-is-a-comfort-in-rituals-and-rituals-provide-a-framework-for/) [Deborah Norville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-norville/) > [A religious person answers to God, not to the elected or non-elected official.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/a-religious-person-answers-to-god-not-to-the-elected-or-non-elected/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [Instead of asking a girl how she feels, try looking through her recently listened to songs. The lyrics are the answer to all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-asking-a-girl-how-she-feels-try-looking-through-her/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) [Browse all 7,843 Answers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prayer is God's answer to our poverty, not a power we exercise to obtain an answer.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oswald Chambers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-not-a-power-we-exercise-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Answers" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-not-a-power-we-exercise-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/oswald-chambers-205_answers_prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-no_449307.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/oswald-chambers-205_answers_prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-no_449307.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87e/oswald-chambers-205_answers_prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-no_449307.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prayer is God's answer to our poverty, not a power we exercise to obtain an answer.” — Oswald Chambers", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Oswald Chambers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Prayer is God's answer to our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-not-a-power-we-exercise-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/prayer-is-god-s-answer-to-our-poverty-not-a-power-we-exercise-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```