why bother praying when it doesnt work, page-23

Jehovah is certainly capable of protecting his servants. He is “God Almighty”—a title indicating that he possesses irresistible power. (Genesis 17:1) Like an unstoppable tide, Jehovah’s applied power cannot be thwarted. Since he is able to do anything his will directs, we may ask, ‘Is it Jehovah’s will to use his power to protect his people?’
The answer, in a word, is yes! Jehovah assures us that he will protect his people. “God is for us a refuge and strength, a help that is readily to be found during distresses,” says Psalm 46:1. Since God “cannot lie,” we can have absolute confidence in his promise of protection. (Titus 1:2)
God’s promise of protection is conditional—it is realized only by those who draw close to him. Proverbs 18:10 states: “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.” In Bible times, towers were sometimes built in the wilderness as safe places of refuge. But it was up to the one in danger to flee to such a tower to find safety. It is similar with finding refuge in God’s name. This involves more than just repeating God’s name; the divine name itself is no magic charm. Rather, we need to know and trust the Bearer of that name and live in harmony with his righteous standards. How kind of Jehovah to reassure us that if we turn to him in faith, he will be a tower of protection for us!
Jehovah provided a truly remarkable demonstration of his protective power when he transferred the life of his only-begotten Son to the womb of the Jewish virgin Mary. An angel told Mary that she would “conceive in [her] womb and give birth to a son.” The angel explained: “Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1:31, 35) Seemingly, God’s Son had never been so vulnerable. Would the sin and imperfection of the human mother blemish the embryo? Would Satan be able to injure or kill that Son before He was born? Impossible! Jehovah formed, in effect, a protective wall around Mary so that nothing—no imperfection, no hurtful force, no murderous human, nor any demon—could damage the growing embryo, from the moment of conception on.Until God’s appointed time, his dear Son was unassailable.
Why did Jehovah protect certain individuals in such miraculous ways? In many cases Jehovah protected individuals in order to protect something far more important: the outworking of his purpose. For example, the survival of the infant Jesus was essential to the fulfillment of God’s purpose, which will ultimately benefit all mankind. The record of the many displays of protective power is part of the inspired Scriptures, which “were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4) Yes, these examples strengthen our faith in our all-powerful God. But what protection can we expect from God today?
The promise of divine protection does not mean that Jehovah is obligated to work miracles in our behalf. No, our God does not guarantee us a problem-free life in this old system. Many faithful servants of Jehovah face severe adversities, including poverty, war, sickness, and death. Jesus plainly told his disciples that as individuals they might be put to death because of their faith. That is why Jesus stressed the need for endurance to the end. (Matthew 24:9, 13) If Jehovah were to use his power to effect miraculous deliverance in all cases, there might be a basis for Satan to taunt Jehovah and to call into question the genuineness of our devotion to our God.—Job 1:9, 10.
Jehovah’s worshipers can expect such protection as a group. Otherwise, we would be easy prey for Satan. Think about this: Satan, “the ruler of this world,” would like nothing more than to eliminate true worship. (John 12:31; Revelation 12:17) Some of the most powerful governments on earth have banned our preaching work and have tried to wipe us out completely. Yet, Jehovah’s people have remained firm and have continued to preach without letup! Why have mighty nations been unable to put a stop to the activity of this relatively small and seemingly defenseless group of Christians? Because Jehovah has shielded us.
What about physical protection during the coming “great tribulation”? We need not fear the execution of God’s judgments. After all, “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people for the day of judgment to be cut off.” (Revelation 7:14; 2 Peter 2:9) In the meantime, we can always be certain of two things. First, Jehovah will never allow his loyal servants to be effaced from the earth. Second, he will reward integrity keepers with everlasting life in his righteous new world—if necessary, by means of a resurrection. For those who die, there is no safer place to be than in God’s memory.—John 5:28, 29.