James 5:16- “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.”
There is so much written into this very short and simple verse. And it will be a joy to look at God’s word and see how this verse applies to us.
Question- how many of us here today really feel righteous? Let’s be honest, when we sometimes approach the Lord in prayer- do we carry guilt and shame and a feeling of unworthiness when we talk directly to God?
Let’s contrast James 5:16 with the following verse. Please turn in your bibles to:
Romans 3:10-11
As it is written- “There is none righteous, not even one, there is none who understands. There is none who understands. There is none who seeks God.”
Wow- does this not directly contradict James 5:16? No one is righteous, yet God tells us in James that- “the prayers of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Is this a spiritual….hum?
Let’s take a look at another verse.
2 Timothy 2:22
“Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
So this is telling of the character of righteousness which is- Faith, charity, peace. and a pure heart.
So, in Romans, which is used many times in evangelism as the “Roman Road to Salvation” is the book that illuminates the sin of man. It shows us that man- in our natural and unforgiven state- are not righteous and are not the ways of a pure and Holy God.
James and Timothy are talking to the believers and followers of Christ.
Lets take a look at some facts here.
Prayer is mentioned in the New Testament- 100 times
Righteousness is mentioned 600 times in the bible.
In the original English language the word righteous or righteousness contained the meaning of Righteous, Justification and Justice all in the same word. The word was linked to Christian thought, that when Justice is rooted in a person and the ways of God, then God’s ways of love are esteemed and carried out on the earth.
Like 2 Timothy- there is the word Love.
In its original meaning it meant conformity to God’s standard of right and wrong. The three words were not broken out as they were now- they were one all encompassing and powerful word.
Do not confuse good behavior with righteousness. Not if the original meaning of the word is applied from God’s point of view.
So from the book of Romans- we clearly see whom the unrighteous are.
So how do we approach God in prayer as a righteous person and know as the word of God states- that the prayer is powerful and effective.
Answer- when we come humbly bowed before the Lord, and realizing that righteous is not based on good behavior or good works- that the righteous is not earned and does not make us better than anyone else. It means as believers that our filthy rags are covered by the righteousness of Christ. That righteousness only comes from Christ- that we/you/me are in Christ and Christ is our righteousness. We are forever His even in our failures and made righteous by His grace.
As Romans 6:13 says to the believers-
“do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
So now that righteousness of the believer is established- what are the values of prayer that make it powerful and effective.
Prayer has PRAISE and PRIVILEGE
Christ modeled the prayer that thousands of Christians pray daily- The Lord’s Prayer.
Matthew 6:9-13
Our Father which art in heaven- hallowed be thy name
That opening statement gives praise to our Lord as God, the Creator, who resides in lofty heaven- it gives honor to the one who is holy. And at the same time it allows us the privilege to address him personally as Father- we are His sons and daughters.
Let’s look at other values and elements of prayer.
Prayer has Power- Because God answers prayer and things begin to happen and sometimes the answered prayer is no- because of things yet unseen or understood, that would be harmful or destructive. Be patient in prayer and accept the answer God provides!
Prayer has Promise- it is not to be looked upon as a lotto request. But it does go out with promise- and it is always answered. We can have joy and anticipation in looking to the promise of something happening.
Prayer has Purpose- William Wilberforce had the visions God gave him through prayer and the answers to create the purpose of abolishing slavery in Britain and in the world. He clung to those visions provided through prayer through all the adversity and trials he faced in helping to abolish slavery in the British Empire!
Prayer is Personal- Lift up your family, friends and yourself. Reveal all your inner fears, sins, weaknesses as well as your praise and thankfulness. Thank God for all He has done for you. Remember those things.
James 5:16- “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.”
Let’s look at James 5:16 again, through the eyes of God. From the correct application of the word righteousness and see the value of praying as a righteous man or person-
Enter the prayer in the spirit of purity of heart- confessing your sin, making right with people that you may have wronged, use prayer do be healed, to be made healthy- to be made pure and clean under the awesome righteousness of the Lord. And in the cloak of the righteousness of Christ, loose the baggage, pray for others first, confess to God, praise God, thank God, adore the greatness of the love of God. Tap into that power and know that God will answer your prayer- in one form or another- in His will and time- that is what makes the prayers of the righteous so powerful and effective!
So, go boldly to the throne of God, cloaked in the grace of His son Jesus Christ. Lift up the RTCA and the RTCA chaplains and councils. Pray for the continued evangelism and discipleship programs underway in racetracks all over the world.
Blessings to all reading this- Edward
