Grace Notes // The Promises of God Week 5

Our prayers are powerful and effective.

Written By Keli Miller

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” -James 5:16

Our effectiveness in prayer is connected to our righteousness. When I think about what constitutes a righteous person, it’s easy for me to slip into a legalistic mindset. At its surface, this verse seems to elude to a works-based religion, that if I try really hard, and do all the right things then my prayers will be answered. However, this is not the case. Righteousness is not about earning favor to God, but rather being awake to God.  

In a post-Christian society,  it’s easy to forget our call to be set apart and righteous. We are covered by grace, but that doesn’t make sin safe.  Sin has a way of sneaking into our lives and slowly dulling all of our senses until we feel conviction no longer.  When we draw near to God, he draws near to us (James 4:8)  and wakes our hardened hearts. Our proximity to God changes our perspective. When we are awake to God we know what to pray and how to pray better. Jesus even models this for us in the Lord’s prayer. 

Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

When teaching us how to pray, Jesus first instructs us to remind our hearts about who God is. This is a part of waking up to God. We see this modeled for us in the first line of the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 5) as well as scattered throughout the psalms. “God is indeed good to Israel.” (Psalm 73:1). 

Your kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth, as it is in heaven.

Secondly, in prayer, we should remember what God is doing. It’s taking a step back and refocusing on what the end goal is- for God’s kingdom to come, for his will to be done. Not my will, not your will- but God’s will. So often I come to God in distress and worry and need to be reminded that it’s not my plans, it’s not my church’s plans but God’s plans that I am after. His kingdom come. His will be done. It’s the perspective change that we desperately need.  It seems to me that the Lord’s Prayer is more about reminding us of God’s heart than anything else. 

Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Finally, in prayer, we make our requests known to God. The order of these three parts is significant. Before saying our request we let ourselves be reminded of who God is and what he is doing. We first draw near to God because proximity to God gives us a new perspective. As we draw near to God we have an increased awareness of the will of God and this changes how and what we pray for.

Seek God’s heart, seek God’s will, and make your request. For the prayers of the righteous are both powerful and effective. 

In the Word: 

James 4:1-17

James 5: 13-20 

Psalm 73: 16-28 

Processing: 

What qualities of himself has God been reminding you of?  

How have you seen God change your own perspective or where are you wanting God to change your perspective? 

What are you praying for right now?