Righteousness - The Right To Answered Prayer

Now let's move on to the second Biblical "right" of righteous people.
As you read this post, remember to stay on guard against the mindset of "righteousness is what I do." Without repeating everything that we've learned up to this point, let me remind you that righteousness is a gift that God gives to everyone who puts their faith in Him.

One of the results of being righteous is this: God hears your prayers differently than He does others.

Open Ears

"The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous." - Proverbs 15:29

If there's one thing I wish people in the world understood, it's this: God will not hear the prayer of the wicked. So it doesn't make sense to me when I hear a sinner complaining, "I prayed and begged God for something, and He never did it!"

Well of course He didn't! He's under no obligation to listen to what a sinner in the world is asking. In fact, according to what we just read, God didn't go anywhere near that person's prayer!

But for the believer....for those who are righteous....

If you've put your faith in Jesus Christ; if you've been given the gift of righteousness. If that's the case, then you are on the right-hand side of that verse! You are righteous, and God promised to hear your prayer!

Have you ever wondered (I mean after you were saved) if God was even listening to you when you prayed? Why? What was it that caused that doubt to come to your mind? Wasn't it because you secretly thought He was still mad at you for sinning? That sin-consciousness always changes your times of conversation with the Father into simply spitting words at the ceiling. 

Sin-consciousness robs us of our confidence when we pray. But understand, we are not sinners anymore! If we've been made righteous, then the promise of heard prayer has become our right. We have the right to God's ear when we talk to Him!

God even goes so far as to say this in Proverbs 15:8 - "the prayer of the upright is His delight."

God doesn't just tolerate or allow the righteous person to come pray to Him....He loves it! Our prayer time with Him is His delight!

Answered Prayer

It's important for us to realize that God listens to our prayers. Why?

Why must we believe that He's listening when we pray? Because that confidence is the only thing that brings an answer to our prayer! 1 John 5:14 and 15 clearly says this:

"Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, we know we have the petitions that we have asked of Him."

According to this verse, what is the condition to answered prayer? Confidence that He hears us! So the prayers of someone who comes to God with a guilty conscience, wondering about whether God is even listening to them - those prayers will get no results.

But when a believer comes to God like this:

   1 - Knowing that they've been forgiven of all sin

   2 - Knowing that they have been made righteous

   3 - Knowing that they have the right to God's attention

   4 - Knowing that He loves to hear them ask for things in prayer

   5 - Confident that He'll act on the things they're praying for

This person's prayers will be effective!

I've experienced this over and over again in my own life.

The times when I half-heatedly "ask" for something, not really expecting an answer? Nothing happens!

But whenever I go to my Father with a promise from His word and confidently ask for it...expecting to see the answer to my prayer? Surprise! It comes to pass!

(It's almost like faith is the key to answered prayer...go figure!)

Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, whatever you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them."

Righteous people have the right to see answers to their prayers!

Expect Results!

So the next time you go to God in prayer, pray like He's listening!

Take your requests to Him in faith, staying confident that He's listening to you.

And then, after you've asked, thank Him for it as if it were already done.

Think about this: if you went to your earthly father and asked for something, and he said "yes" to your request...would you wait until he actually did it to say "thank you"? Of course not! "Thank you" would be your natural response as soon as he told you he would do what you asked.

So, if you really expected God to answer your prayer...then you would probably close your prayer out with "Thank you!"

And then, when you're done with the conversation, walk away from that prayer time confident and bold in your faith.

Rest assured of this: righteous people have their prayers answered! 

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." - James 5:16

Are you righteous? Then this is the Biblical description of your prayers!