=WHEN YOU PRAY 'GET POSITIONED RIGHT'=
James 5:16b (NKJV)
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
We have been looking at developing effective, authentic prayer lives. We have defined prayer as simply communication and reminded ourselves that God wants us to be who we are and to avoid all religious performances. Today, let us consider the position we are to use when we pray. You will be glad to know I am not referring to being on your knees, laying on the floor or any other physical position, but rather your spiritual position. When you pray you need to pray from the position of righteousness (being righteous). I'm not talking of the stance of self-righteousness that holds for us no confidence at all, rather the position of "inherent righteousness" – that we have been made righteous by God. In Christ we have received the righteousness we need as a gift, not a wage or achievement. If we never deal with this simple yet profound truth we will never have confidence in our approach, and God wants us to have bold confidence when we come to pray (communicate).
Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV)
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Boldness or confidence can only be a reality when you know you stand before God forgiven of all sin and justified (made innocent in His sight). We can all have this confidence when we consider and believe the facts that our righteousness is not the result of our performance (law-based) but rather a free gift from God (grace-based). Jesus initiated a divine exchange when He hung on the cross two thousand years ago – everything we were (guilty, sinful, shamed) He took upon Himself, and everything He was (innocent, righteous) He gave to us. Sound too good to be true? Read it for yourself:
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV))
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
So stop trying to earn by imperfect performance that which has been given because of His perfect obedience and sacrifice. The righteousness that is needed to give us confidence to stand before God knowing we belong and are welcome comes only by placing faith in what Jesus accomplished on your behalf two thousand years ago. When we position ourselves in this righteousness that is outside of our efforts we stand in a righteousness that is not fallible or random but rather constant, and from this position we have confidence to approach God in prayer boldly in time of need, or anytime we want to, expectant of mercy and grace, not judgment!
THE KEY TO REMEMBER IS THAT THE ENTRANCE INTO AN EFFECTIVE PRAYER LIFE IS THROUGH THE CORRIDOR OF THE FINISHED WORK OF THE CROSS. WE ALWAYS BEGIN WHERE HE FINISHED! DON'T TRY TO DO WHAT HE ALREADY HAS – THAT IS A BIG WASTE OF TIME!
God bless,
Andy
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