Righteousness and Prayer

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What Does Righteousness Have to Do With Prayer?

 

Proverbs 15:29

The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

 

James 5:16

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 

1.      Righteousness is the key to effective prayer.

a.      Psalm 66:18-20: If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

                                                              i.      Iniquity (meaning)

1.      gross injustice : wickedness

2.      a wicked act or thing : sin

2.      The Great Transfer

a.      Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

                                                              i.      No one is righteous.

b.     2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

                                                              i.      Righteousness:

1.      Equity of character

2.      Justification

3.      “Right standing with God”

                                                            ii.      God made Jesus to know sin so that we could be reconciled to Him. He will hear us only if we come to him and repent of all our sins.

3.      Clean Heart and Confession

a.      Psalm 51:5-17 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

b.     2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

                                                              i.      Humble yourself

                                                            ii.      Turn from sin

c.      James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Confess your sins. Then come to him with your cares, wants, needs, desires, heartaches, etc. 

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