The Effective Prayer of a Righteous Man Can Accomplish Much
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October 17, 2010 |
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 "And the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him. [16] Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." (James 5:15-16)
What is the reason why some believers in God diligently pray, but fail to receive answers from God? God's answers depend on the measure of our love and faith and also of the righteousness we have accomplished in the sight of God. Anyone who is worthy to be called a righteous man by God and earnestly prays to God can receive answers quickly and glorify God.
1. God Answers Us When We Pray with Faith and Love
He who has spiritual faith believes in the power of the living God and believes in the Word of God recorded in the Bible even if it doesn't seem to agree with his thoughts and knowledge (Hebrews 11:1). And he believes in the works of God creating something out of nothingness. As a result, change in life and blessing come upon him and he comes to experience the power of God in whom nothing is impossible (Mark 9:23, 11:24).
In order to possess such spiritual faith and experience God's great power, we should not insist on our knowledge, but instead demolish all frames of knowledge and theories that are against the Word of God and continually follow the truth (2 Corinthians 10:5). To the extent that we destroy fleshly thoughts that are hostile against God and cast away untruths, our soul prospers and we can possess spiritual faith.
As we possess perfect and spiritual faith, we can heal the sick (James 5:15) and manifest miraculous signs that are not possible with men (Mark 16:17). And when we completely believe in God and boldly pray to Him without any doubt, we can experience God's works (James 1:6-7). A Roman centurion whose servant had been tormented by paralysis believed the servant would be able to be healed just by the word spoken by Jesus, and then he experienced Jesus' healing power by which the servant was immediately healed when Jesus commanded (Matthew 8:5-13).
In addition, when we pray with love, it accomplishes much more. If we confess our sins to one another, and pray for one another with love, even if some of us have committed sins, God will forgive them of their sins and heal them of their diseases through the prayer offered in faith and love. Thus, the prayer offered in spiritual faith and spiritual love can call down God's great works.
2. The Prayer of a Righteous Man Accomplishes Much
Since the first man, Adam, sinned all men have sinned and fall short of glory of God (Romans 3:23). Now how can we become righteous? The God of love prepared the way of the cross in which we are forgiven of our sins and declared righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.
As recorded in Romans 3:24, "Being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus," anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as the Savior receives the Holy Spirit as a gift of God and gains the right to become a child of God. Once anyone has been declared righteous by the grace of God, he must be set free from sin and become a servant to God to bear the fruit of holiness.
When we cast off untruths that are against God's Word and act by the truth, we can become a truly righteous man in the sight of God. When we have become a righteous man and try our best to practice the Word of God, we can receive God's answers to our prayers. When we please God with faith and lead the life of a righteous man in which there is nothing to be condemned, God answers whatever we ask for (1 John 3:21-22).
Luke 18:1-8 describes the parable of an unrighteous judge who neither feared God nor respected men. Even though he was unrighteous, a widow kept coming to him and petitioning him, and finally he did her a favor. How much more willingly would a love-abounding God answer the prayer of His children that they offer day and night? God will not delay long over them but bring about justice for them quickly.
In order to receive whatever we ask, we have to become a truly righteous man that is recognized by God. When we offer God fragrant prayers by acting by the Word of God and accomplishing goodness and beauty of heart like that of the Lord, we can receive His answers quickly.
3. The Gift of the Holy Spirit and the Power of God
If our soul has prospered and we have become a vessel proper for the use of God, we come to follow the will of the Holy Spirit and receive His gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given freely by God's grace for His special purpose.
When we become a true righteous man and possess perfect faith and love, God gives us greater gifts and higher level of power so that we can reveal His glory. Elijah had the same nature that we have. He earnestly prayed to God when there had been no rain in Israel for 3 and a half years. When he prayed again, Heaven gave rain and the earth produced its fruit (James 5:17-18). By his prayer a dead child was brought back to life and fire came down from Heaven.
Biblical figures of faith were differently used for the kingdom of God. Some performed God's powerful works, some others manifested miracles, and still others carried out only a prophetic and teaching ministry without manifestation of miracles. God allows gifts of healing and power to those who are proper in the sight of God so that they may lead many more souls to the path to salvation. Thus, such people have to manifest such miracles and healing works by the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to do so they have to become righteous before God.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ you may become righteous in the sight of God by obeying with faith and sacrificing with love and giving the glory to God in full measure through effective prayer of a righteous man that is worthy of accomplishing much.
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