Dear Saints,
Righteousness is a precondition for effective praying.
Imagine this (which is not an example from my family). You have an adoscent child who has chosen to reject your counsel. You see them making choices that are destructive. Recently, they caused an accident that damaged your car, and hurt another person. They still live in your home. You decide to set some boundaries. You are not to enable their bad behavior.
Your son is not in a right relationship with you. One day he petitions you, saying,"I want the car keys. I need to go do something." Do you comply? "Not," you respond, "until we have a talk and get on the same page." The petition of an unrighteous son is powerless and ineffective.
It is the same with prayer. James 5:16 tells us this:
The prayer of a righteous person Is powerful and effective.
"Righteousness" means being in right relationship with God. A righteous person is on the same moral and spiritual page as God is. Conversely,
The prayer of an unrighteous person is powerless and ineffective.
“Effective.”
The prayers of a person who is in right relationship with God “effect” things. This is about causality. Their prayers do things.
Brothers and sisters, righteous and holy living is a precondition for effective, powerful praying.
Love,
PJ
FOCUS
Righteousness
Holiness
Purity
Walk in step with the Spirit
If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just
and will purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
From my book 31 Letters to the Church on Praying.
