Why is it that the prayer of a righteous person has a powerful effect?

[Pag_Hingowa]

Please explain or provide Biblical support.

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

James 5:16

16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.** The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.**

Is this what you are looking for?

 

[105lynne]

I think of it this way (and this is my opinion, no biblical support)-- if I have two children, I love them both equally and would lay down my life for both. One is always obedient, caring and always tries to do the right thing. The other is disobedient, disregards others feelings and couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves. Which kid am I more likely to gladly help? Which kid am I more willing to provide support to? That may sound unfair, but I personally would have a softer heart toward my good child. Does that mean that I would never support or help my other child? No, I would do whatever I could. But I don’t think I would do it as gladly as I would with the good child. I don’t know, I’m certainly not as loving as our God. Maybe someone else could word it better than I have… shrug

 

[johnbres2]

I think of it this way (and this is my opinion, no biblical support)-- if I have two children, I love them both equally and would lay down my life for both. One is always obedient, caring and always tries to do the right thing. The other is disobedient, disregards others feelings and couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves. Which kid am I more likely to gladly help? Which kid am I more willing to provide support to? That may sound unfair, but I personally would have a softer heart toward my good child. Does that mean that I would never support or help my other child? No, I would do whatever I could. But I don’t think I would do it as gladly as I would with the good child. I don’t know, I’m certainly not as loving as our God. Maybe someone else could word it better than I have… shrug

No offense, but it doesn’t sound like you have children, if that is how you feel. Remember, Jesus came to save the lost sheep.

 

[Boulder257]

I don’t know if God necessarily “favors” the righteous over the unrighteous. He did come to save the lost. Jesus said he did not come for the righteous, but for the unrighteous, or, he did not come for the healthy, but for the sick, and who can forget the story of the prodigal son? I think God loves all of His children equally. However, I think the prayers of a righteous person mirror the will of God. It is the Spirit that leads them in prayer rather than selfishness or pride.

 

[Paul_Infirdigno]

No offense, but it doesn’t sound like you have children, if that is how you feel. Remember, Jesus came to save the lost sheep.

Yes that is true, but the prayer of someone who is in God’s favour is, i would imagine, more pleasing since a righteous person would pray for God’s will be done in His life, and for others. Someone who does not obey God would ask for things for himself regardless of God’s will.

Prayer of a righteous man: Oh Lord, please give me a better car, so that i can drive more easily, but Thy Will be done, not mine.

Prayer of an unrighteous person: Lord, get me a better car!

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

We are not righteous on our own. We become righteous because God is righteous and He shares His righteousness through our faith. So, in my view, when we are obedient in righteousness we are drawing closer to God. Since God has the power to answer prayer then it only makes sense that those who are close to Him have “powerful prayers”.

Some more scriptures to consider:

Ph 3:8-9

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith.

1 Peter 3:12
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
and his ears turned to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”

Prov 10:24
What the wicked fear will befall them,
but the desire of the just will be granted.

Isaiah 3:10
“Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them, For they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”

Mt 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

[105lynne]

No offense, but it doesn’t sound like you have children, if that is how you feel. Remember, Jesus came to save the lost sheep.

Oh, how I knew I’d get slammed despite saying that I’m not God and cannot love the way He does. I do, in fact, have four kids. A step-daughter and 3 boys of my own. I never said I would LOVE one more than the other, but I think all parents are fibbing if they say they treat their kids all exactly the same.
Example: My four year old calls me back into the room at bedtime EVERY NIGHT. Petty reasons–he needs to blow his nose, go potty (AGAIN), etc… Basically stalling tactics. He shares a room with his 3 year old brother, who is a great sleeper, quiet, and never any trouble. One night, my 3 year old called me back upstairs because he accidentally wet his pull-up (which doesn’t happen often) and he wanted a dry one. My four year old asked me why I didn’t get frustrated with his little brother like I do with him. I explained that the 3 year old doesn’t ever cause any disruption at bedtime and I had no frustration built up because of that. Where as, with the four year old, the stalling tactics clearly frustrate me and drive me crazy. Poor example, perhaps, but I’m just trying to explain how I do feel differently (as far as requests go) between those two. I know, based on living with/taking care of them their whole lives, that when the 3 year old calls me, there’s usually a good reason. I’m NOT SAYING God judges requests on whether He “feels like” dealing with them or who annoys Him… Let’s make that clear. I’m NOT saying God does anything the way I do. I’m merely explaining how I view it. I view it as a parent/child relationship, and all I have to go on is what I’ve personally experienced in my life. If that makes me a bad parent, well, I guess I’m really confused on what defines a good parent. I love my kids to no end and they love me. I take care of them, they’re well behaved and happy. I love motherhood!!!

 

[105lynne]

I would like to add, too, that it isn’t “playing favorites” here either. My 4 year old is so very special to me. An amazing heart!! My 3 year old is a rough and tumble guy, very picky eater, HATES baths, so I have my issues with him too.
I guess all I’m saying is that we humans respond to people (family included) differently. I love my entire family, but I don’t treat everyone the same. I have excellent chemistry with some, not so much with others. But I love them all! I’m not saying God plays favorites. Like I said before, I cannot know or understand that kind of perfect love. This is just how I try to humanize it and make it relatable to something I DO know and understand. Sorry if that sounds unloving and insensitive. I know what’s in my heart and how I behave, and I’m ok with that.

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

Lynne-- don’t worry, none of us can fill God’s shoes in any way, especially in how we love. I like the child-parent perspective. But I think a helpful perspective is to think about what the children want and what they need. As parents, we always provide what the our children need, but in our day to day interaction with them we often take a look at their behavior before just giving them their wants. Similarly, God has offered to all His children what they need (Jesus, and through Him, salvation). No human behavior merited for us what God did in Jesus Christ-- He did it has a free gift of grace for all, because He loves us and we all needed it. However when it comes to our wants, what we are praying for, He clearly is disposed to hearing and answering the prayers of those who are walking in His righteousness. This is evident from the scriptures I posted earlier. I agree that God is not playing “favorites”, it seems more like He is rewarding good behavior (what parent hasn’t done that??). Maybe that is not the best analogy but that is how I see it. Analogies aside, I think the Scriptures make it crystal clear that righteousness is important aspect in how God responds to our prayers.

As a side note, this issue is why the Church turns to the Saints for intercessory prayer. The saints who are in heaven have more effectual prayer than those of us on earth. They have been made fully righteous (nothing unclean shall enter heaven) and they are united with God in Heaven. When we ask a saint to intercede for us, we ask them to take our prayer from our not-so-perfected heart and present it to God through their fully perfected hands-- so to speak.

 

[105lynne]

Lynne-- don’t worry, none of us can fill God’s shoes in any way, especially in how we love. I like the child-parent perspective. But I think a helpful perspective is to think about what the children want and what they need. As parents, we always provide what the our children need, but in our day to day interaction with them we often take a look at their behavior before just giving them their wants. Similarly, God has offered to all His children what they need (Jesus, and through Him, salvation). No human behavior merited for us what God did in Jesus Christ-- He did it has a free gift of grace for all, because He loves us and we all needed it. However when it comes to our wants, what we are praying for, He clearly is disposed to hearing and answering the prayers of those who are walking in His righteousness. This is evident from the scriptures I posted earlier. I agree that God is not playing “favorites”, it seems more like He is rewarding good behavior (what parent hasn’t done that??). Maybe that is not the best analogy but that is how I see it. Analogies aside, I think the Scriptures make it crystal clear that righteousness is important aspect in how God responds to our prayers.

As a side note, this issue is why the Church turns to the Saints for intercessory prayer. The saints who are in heaven have more effectual prayer than those of us on earth. They have been made fully righteous (nothing unclean shall enter heaven) and they are united with God in Heaven. When we ask a saint to intercede for us, we ask them to take our prayer from our not-so-perfected heart and present it to God through their fully perfected hands-- so to speak.

Good point on the “wants” versus “needs” thing! That’s very true! I can’t tell you how often I have to deny one of the kids something at the store because they don’t NEED it. I explain that to them all the time. What we want and what we need are often two different things. Or when I have to give them medicine that tastes bad–it’s not pleasant now and it is not what you want, but it’s what you need in order to get better.

 

[Crumpy]

I’ve had a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for around 20 years, since the modern one was published. Then, when it came out in the second edition, I upgraded and got that.

Well.

I’m getting around to actually reading it. The fourth part is all about prayer. Imagine that.

I’m wading through that part on prayer. I had to look up the index in the first edition to find what might be applicable to this thread

Paragraph 2741 says that if our prayers are united with Christ, who constantly intercedes for us, then we will obtain what we ask for. But, dust off your Catechism and meditate on all that is written there.

Like the earlier post about the unrighteous person demanding a car: God already knows what we “need.” Our prayer is or should be as much about discerning God’s will, more than it may be about getting something like a car. If we don’t get the car, that must be the perfect answer that God is giving us.

God is not a Divine slot machine.

 

[TimothyH]

Please explain or provide Biblical support.

James was the Bishop of Jerusalem. His letter was written to the “twelve tribes in dispersion”, non-palestinian Jews who settled throughout the Greco-Roman world. The verse is given in it’s context below.

Is anyone among you sick? He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. Elijah was a human being like us; yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit. (James 5:14-17)

The passage verse in question is in the context of summoning the presbyters of the Church, ordained members of the clergy, and their administration of the sacraments of annointing of the sick and confession.

Remember that James was writing to Jews who had converted to Christianity. Jews understood the Levitical priesthood and the righteousness of the prophets like Elijah. The “righteous person” who is praying in this passage, is a priest.

-Tim-