“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
Having completed our meditation devotional series on the most excellent prayer, “The Lord’s Prayer,” I’d like to begin a new series based on prayer in general. While repeating back to God the words He has given us to say to Him are the best and most appropriate prayers, God realizes that the prayers we give from our hearts are important, relevant and powerful. God invites us to petition Him, praise Him and to bring our own words and thoughts before Him. This is pleasing in His sight.
The verse above may sound intimidating on the surface, indeed it is often misunderstood. People may become hesitant to pray believing themselves unworthy or not righteous enough to be heard from God. Sometimes people will ask a member of the clergy or a Christian they feel to be strong in the faith to approach God on their behalf, thinking that by doing so they have a better chance of being heard by God.
Let’s pause here and ask ourselves, what exactly is it that makes a “righteous” person? Is it because they have been a life-long Christian… because they do good deeds… because they know the Scriptures and can quote them by heart? No! What makes a person righteous is the fact that they have faith, Jesus has forgiven them, and any righteousness they have has come because of His sacrifice on the cross. The proper way to read the verse from James is to say that the prayer of a believer is “powerful and effective.” God hears the prayers of His Children! In any degree of faith we may have, it’s because the Lord gave it to us and claimed us as His own. The gift of faith is evidence that God has made us righteous through Christ and accordingly He hears our prayers and they are always powerful, they are always effective.
Try it our right now and see. Say the Lord’s Prayer and then petition God with your own words and praise His goodness from your heart!
Know that you are loved!
Peace and Joy,
Pastor Kilian