Maximizing Prayer Impact with Righteousness

1. We Believe — that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16 First Principles of Prayer – as taught by Scripture and illustrated in the lives of the righteous

2. Hezekiah • “he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did. • He removed the high places, and brake the images … • He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him • he clave to the LORD, • And the LORD was with him; and he prospered” (2Kings 18:1-7)

3. “Sennacherib, the great king, the mighty king, king of the world, king of Assyria, … the powerful one who consumes the insubmissive … As for Hezekiah the Judahite, who did not submit to my yoke: forty-six of his strong, walled cities … I besieged and took them. Taylor Prism 200,150 people, great and small, male and female … I brought away from them and counted as spoil. (Hezekiah) himself, like a caged bird I shut up in Jerusalem, his royal city”

4. " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. "

5. Class outline: • Prayer does work " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. "

6. Class outline: • Prayer does work • “But I’m not righteous …” " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. "

7. Class outline: • Prayer does work • “But I’m not righteous …” • Energetic prayer " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. "

8. James 5:14-16 -- an awkward passage? • “the prayer of faith shallsave the sick, • and the Lord shallraise him up; • and if he have committed sins, they shallbe forgiven him.”

9. Disquietingly Unequivocal Statements? Pr 3:9-10 “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.” Pr 12:21 “There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief.”

10. "If it be according to Thy will" “And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.” 1John 5:14-15 (RSV)

11. Things we must believe: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he IS a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

12. From “The Law of Moses” (R.Roberts) “The prayer of the upright is his delight” (Prov. 15:8). … We could not have imagined it possible that so small a circumstance in the universe could have yielded satisfaction to the stupendous Being upholding all by the word of His power. … It remains that the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much by reason of the pleasure it affords the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth.”

13. “But I’m not righteous!” – does this mean the principle doesn’t apply to me?

14. “But I’m not righteous!” – does this mean the principle doesn’t apply to me? • “there is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10) • “we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6) • “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way …” (Isaiah 53:6) • “oh wretched man that I am!” (Rom 7:24)

15. “But I’m not righteous!” – Paul’s answer in Romans 4: God counts our faith for righteousness! Abraham was “strong in faith … fully persuaded … and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead” (Romans 4:20-24)

16. Success in Prayer Relates to our Behavior Prov 28:9 “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” John 9:31 “… God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.” 1John 3:22 “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.” 1Peter 3:7 (RSV) “ … live considerately with your wives, bestowing honor on the woman … that your prayers may not be hindered.”

17. Isaiah 57:15 “Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’ ”

18. Effectual Prayer Effectual: Gk. energoumenh, whence English “energy” “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

19. Elijah prayed for a calamity! • “… the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven … • if ye shall hearken diligently … I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil … • Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived … and the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain …” (Deuteronomy 11:10-17)

20. Conclusions: James 5:13-20 encourages us to pray, in whatever circumstances, in whatever need: • Vs. 13 in affliction (for the faith, s.w. vs. 10) • Vs. 13 in good cheer (s.w. Acts 27:22,25) • Vss. 14-16 in sickness • Vss. 17-20 when aware of spiritual weakness

21. Class summary: • Prayer does work • Our faith is counted for righteousness! • Let us pray, energetically " The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. "