Good day
About two weeks ago my wife sent me a message saying things were a bit hectic at work and asked if I could stand in agreement with her that the evening would be more peaceful ... then after I prayed, I believe the Holy Spirit highlighted something that He wanted me share - that our prayers are answered because of our rank/position.
What does the bible say about the prayers of a righteous person?
Number 1 - God hears your prayer!
Proverbs 15:29 NKJV
The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous.
Number 2 - your prayer avails/accomplishes much!
JAMES 5:16 AMP
The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God--it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual].
Our prayers are not successful because of who we are in the natural, but because of who we are in the supernatural! For we have no authority of ourselves - the only authority we have/or have access to, is based on what Jesus purchased when He died for our sins and made us righteous!
Righteousness is not a condition or a state that we're trying to acquire or achieve, but rather it's a state of who we are! - not something we're trying to be or become one day. We are righteous because of Christ! (Holiness refers to our spiritual growth)
I Corinthians 1:30-31 NKJV
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
Romans 8:10 NKJV
And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Romans 5:17-19 NKJV
For if by the one man’s offence death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offence, judgement came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
II Corinthians 5:17-21 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
(Read also Romans 4) ... You are righteous!
I believe what the Holy Spirit highlighted and wanted me to share is for us to know that we must be confident in our righteousness!
When we approach God in prayer
When we speak life (Words of faith)
When we lay hands on the sick
When we operate in the gifts of the Spirit
When we tithe, sow and give
When we bless
When we serve
When we show mercy, forgiveness and love to others
We do it all based on our righteous state!
Our confidence, boldness and approach towards these things and our trust in God is all based on the fact that we're righteous. We can do these things confidently and full of faith because we're righteous!
We are who we are, and where we are, and have grown and progressed and have access to all that God has made available to His children because we are righteous!
THANK YOU JESUS
Therefore Be confident in your right standing with God!
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16