Do you think that the punishment for our sins was to die on the cross? If that was the case the two thieves could have paid the price. No, the punishment was to go to hell itself and to serve time in hell separated from God.

But God has to be given permission to work in this earth realm on behalf of man. You are in control! So if man has control, who no longer has it? God. When God gave Adam dominion, that meant God no longer had dominion. So God cannot do anything in this earth unless we let Him. And the way we let Him or give Him permission is through prayer.