This morning, we continue our series of messages on prayer. I’ve chosen this topic to begin the year because of its great importance. Prayer is absolutely foundational to the Christian life. It’s basic to our identity as Christians. Prayer is a necessary practice for anyone who wants to know and experience God. In fact, it’s no understatement to say that without prayer there is no Christian life. If this is absent, then you may have church attendance, you may have Bible reading, you may have giving, or serving, or morality -- but you don’t have Christ. Because prayer is essential to our relationship with Christ, and that’s what Christianity is all about: a relationship. A love relationship between us and God, one that lasts forever. As Jesus himself said, when he prayed to God the Father on the night before his crucifixion:
"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." -- John 17:3
If you want to know God, if you intend to be a follower of Jesus Christ, if you’re looking for a faith that’s real, that’s genuine, then you must pray. And in fact, if all those things are true, then you will pray. Because that’s what Christians do. They pray.
My purpose in this series is threefold. First, to help you understand prayer. Second, to motivate you to pray. And third, to make you successful in prayer. To help you pray effectively, so that you experience all the benefits God intends. That third one may surprise you, the idea that there are degrees of effectiveness in prayer, or that we can learn to pray more effectively. Most people, I think, have the idea that all prayer is basically equal, that every prayer has the same chance of being answered. We understand that God answers some prayers and not others, but we attribute this to the mysteries of God’s secret will, his unknowable, inscrutable plans and purposes. And it’s certainly true that, with respect to any specific prayer, we can’t know why God does or does not grant our request.
As Paul exclaims: "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!" -- Romans 11:33
Likewise, Deuteronomy tells us that: "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever . . . " -- Deuteronomy 29:29
Some things God reveals, others remain hidden, at least for now. None of us fully understands God’s ways, not even the apostle Paul. And so we don’t always have an answer for the "why?" questions, such as why God did or didn’t answer this prayer, or that prayer. However, God has told us in general terms what kind of prayer pleases him, and is likely to be answered.
Another reason that the idea of "effectiveness" in prayer may seem strange to you is that we teach, and believe, a gospel of grace. God’s undeserved, unearned favor. In contrast to every non-Christian religion, and even some aberrant versions of Christianity, we as evangelicals profess that every good thing we receive from God comes as a gift, including salvation. Including forgiveness of sins. Including eternal life. And including answers to prayer. There is nothing we must do, nothing we can do, to merit anything good from God. We cannot place him in our debt, whether by good works, or good intentions, or painful sacrifices. We all fall short. We’ve all violated God’s standards. Our only hope is to confess our sin and unworthiness, and accept the free offer of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ. The only way for us to be accepted by a holy and righteous God is to receive something from outside ourselves, to have the merit of Christ imputed to us; to have his perfect obedience and righteousness credited to our account.
As Paul writes, again in Romans,
"Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness." -- Romans 4:4-5
We do not work in order to obtain salvation, we do not seek to collect wages from God as if we had earned anything. As this passage clearly states, God doesn’t justify, he doesn’t consider as just, those who have somehow done enough good things to merit forgiveness. On the contrary, he justifies "the wicked," those who realize that they can never be good enough. God regards as righteous, not those who put forth great amounts of effort, but those who simply "trust" him, who have "faith" in him. In order to be saved, we must trust, not in our own works, nor in some combination of our work and Christ’s work. We must trust in Christ alone. And that, my friends, is the core of the gospel. It’s all about grace, from beginning to end.
So if that’s true, then how can we talk about "effectiveness" in prayer? Doesn’t that imply that there’s something about who we are, or what we do, that influences the response we receive to our prayers? Yes, it does. And I’ll explain that apparent contradiction in a moment. But first, let me try and convince you that the Bible does indeed teach what I’m claiming.
"Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them." -- 1 John 3:21-24
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." -- James 5:16
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." -- 1 Peter 3:12
"If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer." -- Psalm 66:18-19
It is the consistent witness of the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, that God does not regard all prayers the same; He does not answer them randomly and indiscriminately. Instead, he gives priority and special attention to the prayers which are offered up by obedient, righteous people. The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective. His ears are attentive to the prayers of the righteous. If we obey his commands and do what pleases him, we receive from him the things we request. But on the other hand, if we harbor sin in our hearts, the Lord will not listen. In other words, there is a clear link between an obedient life and a pure heart on the one hand, and answered prayer on the other. We cannot live however we please, we cannot ignore the commands of our Lord, we cannot go through the day giving very little thought or attention to spiritual matters, and then expect that when we do pray, God will make haste to answer us. It just doesn’t work that way.
Now someone might object that the "righteous man" here is just another name for a Christian, and that therefore all Christians, regardless of their conduct, can claim these promises. But if that were true, it seems unlikely that these New Testament authors, John, and James, and Peter, would feel the need to emphasize the connection between obedience and answered prayer. If all Christians are "righteous" in this sense, and therefore all of us equally can expect God to respond to our requests, then why even mention it? And remember, John says explicitly that we "receive from him anything we ask, [not because we agree mentally that His commands are good, but] because we obey his commands and do what pleases him." (1 John 3:22)
So what’s going on? Earlier, we read in Romans that our faith is credited to us as righteousness, apart from works. And therefore all Christians, all believers in Christ, are "righteous". But here, we read that the prayers of the "righteous" man are answered, implying that only some Christians are righteous. Kind of confusing isn’t it? Let me see if I can sort it out. These two passages refer to two different aspects of righteousness. In Romans, it’s our positional righteousness that’s in view, our legal standing before God. Another term for it is our "judicial" righteousness, and it’s absolute. It’s the result of God declaring us "not guilty" and releasing us from the consequences of our sin. This is the righteousness that we possess through faith in Christ alone. Another term for it is "justification".
"But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." -- Romans 3:21-22
This righteousness is not from ourselves, it is from God. It isn’t given on the basis of works, but in response to faith. We don’t have to serve the time, we don’t have to pay the penalty. Jesus has already done that for us. As a result, the Bible teaches that, "[T]here is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2)
We don’t have to fear appearing before God on the day of judgement, because in Christ we have already been declared "not guilty". There is no condemnation remaining for us, none whatsoever, because Christ was condemned in our place. And all the benefits of this righteousness -- forgiveness of sins, eternal life, an eternity of joy and pleasure and fulfillment as we fellowship with God and one another -- those are guaranteed to us. They can’t be lost or stolen. They are ours, no matter what.
However, there’s another kind of righteousness, which is our experiential righteousness. This is the righteousness that describes, not our position, but our practice, how we actually live. This kind of righteousness is not absolute; it’s relative. We can be more or less righteous, in this sense of the term; more or less obedient, more or less faithful. We can grow in this kind of righteousness. And while all those who trust in Christ are equally righteous positionally, in our standing before God, we vary in how righteous we are experientially. It’s this kind of righteousness that’s being referred to in the passages linking answered prayer with obedient living, and in passages such as this one:
"Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed." -- 1 Thessalonians 2:9-10
Here, Paul is defending his prior conduct among the Thessalonian believers, and he says, "we were holy, righteous, and blameless". He’s referring to his life, his behavior.
Are these two kinds of righteousness related? Of course. A right standing before God necessarily leads to right behavior. If a person claims to have trusted in Christ for salvation, but he is just as immersed in sin and evil as he has always been, there is reason to doubt the genuineness of his conversion. Why? Because that is the reason God called us to Himself; to change us and make us holy, as He is holy. "For," as the Bible says, "we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10) God created us in Christ, that is, he brought us to faith and made us new creatures in Christ, in order that we might do good works. Observe the order here, because it’s critically important. The works don’t precede faith, they follow it. He saves us, not because of good works, but in order that we may do good works. And so, if a person is not doing good, but is rather continuing in a sinful lifestyle, there is reason to be concerned as to whether he is truly in Christ.
By the same token, without first having a right standing before God, it is impossible to do anything that God considers truly righteous. No so-called good works have any value apart from faith. Listen:
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." -- Hebrews 11:6
The only good works that mean anything to God are those which are done for the purpose of honoring and glorifying him. And the only people who can do those kind of works are those who have a right standing with Him; who relate to Him on the basis of faith in Christ.
So having clarified all that (hopefully), let’s ask one more question. Why is it that God is more inclined to answer the prayers of righteous people than He is the prayers of disobedient people? Why is it that a woman who is fervently devoted to Christ, and who seeks to discipline herself for the purpose of godliness, is more likely to see her prayers answered than one whose Christian life consists primarily of attending church more or less regularly, and who gives little time or attention to spiritual things? Why? We’ve already said that nothing we can do will earn, or merit, God’s favor. The basis for all our blessings is what Christ did for us, not what we do for him. Why, then, does it matter what we do? Why doesn’t God just answer everyone’s prayers the same?
Here’s the answer, or at least part of it. It’s because that would be rewarding and reinforcing the wrong things. Let me give you an example. I have two sons. One of them is a fairly compliant child. When he wants something, he usually asks politely. My other son is less compliant. When he wants something, he tends to demand it. Or sometimes he just takes what he wants without asking. Now, which of these two is more likely to see their requests granted? The first one. Why? Because I love the more courteous one more, and the less courteous one less? No. I love them both deeply. I love them the same regardless of their behavior. Nothing they can do will change that. But I am committed to doing what is in their best interest. And I know that their lives will be happier and more satisfying if they learn to treat people with courtesy. So by the way I respond to their requests, I’m trying to encourage and reinforce courteous behavior and discourage rude behavior.
In the same way, God loves us so much that He is committed to doing what’s in our best interests, no matter what. And for him to answer our prayers when we are in a state of indifference or open rebellion against him would not be in our best interests. It would tend to keep us in our wretched, sinful condition. There would be no incentive to change our attitude or our behavior. We would tend to remain out of fellowship with him. And God cannot tolerate that. He wants to give us that which is most valuable, that which is most precious, and that is Himself. The greatest thing in this life or the next is Knowing God. Walking with God. Experiencing the love and joy and peace of fellowship with God. And we can’t have that as long as we’re living a sinful, or even an independent life. The only way we can have what’s best, God Himself, is to repent of our sin and seek after Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And so, when God withholds answers to prayer from those who are disobedient and out of fellowship, and likewise grants answers to prayer to those who are actively seeking to trust and obey, it is His loving way of drawing us to Himself. God doesn’t answer prayers in a vacuum. Answered prayer comes as part of an ongoing relationship between Himself and those He loves. The stronger the relationship, the more obedient and disciple, the more likely He is to answer our prayers. Again, it’s all about relationship. As Jesus said, "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him’’ (John 14:21). Our obedience is an expression of our love.
Given all that, how do we become the kind of obedient, righteous, even holy people whose prayers God promises to answer? We must begin by understanding that the power to live a life pleasing to God is not from ourselves, but from Him. Whatever He requires from us, He first supplies. That’s good news, isn’t it? So, as Paul writes,
"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." -- Philippians 2:12-13
Yes, we do work, but it is God who is working in us, so that we can "will and act according to his good purpose." We must choose to obey, but the power to obey comes from God. And in fact, ultimately even the desire to obey comes from Him.
We must also realize that God doesn’t demand sinless perfection as a condition for hearing our prayers. If that were the case, then there would be little point in even attempting prayer, for as the Scriptures tell us, "There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins." (Ecclesiastes 7:20) God doesn’t demand that we never fail. What he does expect is that when we fail, we confess our sin and humbly seek His forgiveness. That’s the kind of attitude that God blesses. Not proud and haughty, but humble and repentant:
"Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the LORD. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." -- Isaiah 66:2
How then, do we go about it? What are some practical ideas for growing in godliness? That’s a whole sermon series by itself, but let me just give you a few things to think about. First, pray. Prayer helps conform our thinking and attitudes to those of Christ. It humbles us, it forces us to admit our need and dependence on God. And so it tends to weaken the pride that often leads disobedience. Not only that, but when we confess our sins to God in prayer, it removes a relational barrier, and draws us closer to Him. And that also tends to make us more eager to obey. So it’s a circle. Not a vicious circle, but a virtuous circle. Effective prayer is the result of an obedient life and a submissive heart, but prayer is also the means of creating and sustaining a righteous life and a righteous attitude.
Second, read the Bible, especially the New Testament. You can’t do what God commands unless you know what He commands.
And third, start where you are. Perhaps God has been speaking to you about some area of sin in your life: dishonesty, or greed, or gluttony, or poor use of time. Or perhaps you’ve been harboring wrong attitudes toward another person: resentment, bitterness, anger, malice, contempt. Perhaps there’s some step of obedience that the Holy Spirit has been urging you to take. Start there. Confess your sin. Ask God to forgive you and give you grace to change. Do that thing that God is calling you to do. And then watch the effect that your changed life and changed heart will have on your prayers.
Today, I think the best way for me to close is simply to review those key Scripture passages we read at the beginning. So please listen, and think, and allow God’s Word to soak into your heart and mind:
"Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them." -- 1 John 3:21-24
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." -- James 5:16
"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." -- 1 Peter 3:12
"If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer." -- Psalm 66:18-19
God wants to answer your prayers. He wants to bless you beyond all expectation, beyond all imagination. But even more than that, He wants to give you Himself. Won’t you decide today to follow Him, to obey Him, to seek Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength? He’s watching and waiting:
"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." -- 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NAS)
Won’t you be one of those whose heart is completely His?
(For an .rtf file of this and other sermons, see www.journeychurchonline.org/messages.htm)
