The Effective Prayer of the Righteous

James 5:16 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Pray with Boldness

How in the world can we pray with such boldness to the God of the universe? The one who is all powerful and all knowing and everywhere present. David really comes on strong in verse 1. It almost seems that he is making demands of God. Are we ever in a place where we can make demands of God?

There is one demand we can make of God. That demand is that He continue to be God in every way that He always has been. David is confident that his demand of God is not blasphemous because what he is demanding is something that God has already promised that He will do. All our requests and every ounce of confidence that we have in answered prayer comes from who God is and not who we are.

David does not demand a particular answer. That is where we come to the difference between a demand and request. We may request that God heal our sicknesses but we may not demand it. God has not promised to heal every disease and sickness, but He has promised to hear the prayers of the righteous.

David provides us with three characteristics of God that inspire us to pray with boldness.

He is the source of our righteousness

“Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness...”

Some translations say “my righteous God.”

However, I believe the best understanding of this phrase is an admission of David that any righteousness he has is from God.

One of the great truths of salvation is that Jesus has imputed His righteousness to us.

This is why we can be justified in the sight of God which literally means to be declared righteous.

Therefore, we can be bold in our prayers because we know that when God sees us He sees the righteousness of His Son.

He has proven Himself faithful

David remembers what God has already done for him.

In the past when I was in distress you gave me relief.

This is important because what God has already done is a great indicator of what He will do. Maybe not in exact detail but certainly in quality and type. God will always be God.

He will keep every promise and always be who He has always been.

He is faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

He is a God of grace and mercy

In many ways the faithfulness of God is driven by His perfect nature and character.

In the last phrase of v. 1 David points out that we can be bold in our prayers because God is gracious. (Some translations use mercy or merciful)

David requests grace from God because He knows He is a God of grace.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The Bible literally implores us to come to God with grace enabled boldness.

Pray with Submission

Submit your control

It is interesting that here David addresses those that may be the cause of the distress mentioned in v. 1 The phrase “how long” is often used in Scripture as a plea for God do deliver from trouble.

The first phrase may have to do with David directly. If this Psalm is also connected with Absolum’s rebellion or some other betrayal it may be a reference to their questioning his authority. It also may be that David is rebuking them for bring reproach to the name of God. Some believe that when David says “my glory” he means “the one in whom I glory”.

The second phrase may be a reference to idolatry as the verbs worthless and false are common way to refer to idols in the OT

The point though is that David is rebuking them for their worthless desires.

The contrast that v. 3 provides against worthless desires is being in the will of God. Those that belong to the Lord have been set apart for his purposes.

Those that have been set apart have their prayers heard and answered. God responds to the faithful.

The point: You may use up your life here on earth bringing reproach to God’s name by seeking after the worthless and deceitful idols of the world and your flesh, or you can submit your life to the control of God by letting Him set you apart for His purposes.

Submit your emotions

Of all the times in life that you have gotten angry how many times did you not sin?

When it comes to anger there are a few things that we need to admit.

All of us have had moments where anger gets the best of us.

Some struggle with anger more than others.

Anger unchecked will destroy your relationships.

Anger unchecked can ruin lives.

An important point that this text is making is that is it possible to be angry without sinning.

Psalm 7:11 “God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”

Mark 3:5 “And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.”

Ephesians 4:26 ““Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,”

What kinds of things should produce biblically justifiable anger?

Offenses to God’s holiness

Injustices against those who bear His image

Unfortunately, anger is usually motivated not by these biblically justifiable causes but rather by pride.

David also provides a solution to our anger. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.

This Psalms focus on bed and sleep have caused some to label it as an evening Psalm.

I think Davids point is to find a quiet place of solitude to focus on the character of God as revealed in the Words of God. I find that focusing on who God is and what He is like serves as a balm to many of my unwanted emotions.

Submit your will

In contrast to those who are seeking after worthless and deceitful idols David implores us to to live according to the will of God.

We are told to offer sacrifices of righteousness. To put a modern point on it David simply means to do exactly what God has called you to do exactly how God called you to do it. God’s will God’s way

This can only be done when we truly trust Him.

Trusting God puts faith into practice.

Pray with Focus

Focus on God

When life is troubling there are many who lose their focus on God. As David puts it, “there are many who say, who will show us any good?”

We all have a tendency to throw ourselves a pity party from time to time.

David’s response is powerful. “Lord lift the light of your countenance upon us!” It serves as a reminder of God’s presence.

Too often our prayers are filled with our needs opposed to a worshipful response of who God is.

Scripture tells us clearly to pray about our needs but this should not be at the expense of praising God in the midst of our prayers. We must pray with focus and that focus must be on God.

When we focus on God we may feel exactly what David describes here, the warmth of God the light of His face shining on us.

Focus on God brings joy

There is an emotional result that comes from focusing on God, joy.

David makes this clear with an illustration. He says God when I focus on you I am more joyful than a farmer whose grain and wine abound.

When you live in the reality of God’s presence you will be happier than a pig in mud.

Focus on God brings peace

The second result of focusing on God and His presence in your life is peace.

This is the second time in as many chapters that we have seen the theme of peace that enables a good nights sleep.

There are a lot of people out there searching for peace:

Peace from the pain of past sins commited

Peace from abuses suffered

Peace from anxieties

Peace from broken families

Peace from the unknown

Peace from the loss of a loved one

Peace from doubt

We must learn to focus on the presence of God in order to achieve peace. “You might say I can’t or I don’t know how. Every time I try to focus on Him my problems eventually resurface to consume my thoughts.”

Change you strategy

Put pen to paper and write out a list of God’s attributes and promises.

Pray out loud

Go for a hike and soak in creation

Fellowship with other believers

Listen to an audio Bible

Write out passages of Scripture

Make a God-focus check list