Why do Some Prayers of the Righteous Fail & Not Prevail?

The Bible says, “ a righteous man’s prayers prevailaith much “(James 5:16). If that’s the case, why are many Christians, who have been made righteous through Christ, complaining that their prayers are not prevailing but failing?

Because, in many cases, their righteousness is not in tandem with God-fearing obedience. Let me explain:

I was born in the United States, and by default, I’m a U.S. citizen with all the rights of every other citizen. I did nothing to earn my citizenship here; I was just born into it.

As a Christian believer, I have been born again spiritually into righteousness through Christ. The scripture in Romans 3:22 says that I have been made righteous. This means that I have been gifted with citizenship of Heaven and have received eternal life, along with all the divine benefits and promises of the New Covenant. Just like my U.S. citizenship, I didn’t earn it.

Now as a U.S. Citizen, If I break the law, such as robbing a bank and then go to prison, my rights to vote, drive, go to the mall, and spend time with loved ones and friends at my leisure, among many other freedoms, are denied, for the duration of my incarceration. Yet I’m still a U.S. citizen even while incarcerated.

The same principle applies to my righteousness, in which I was gifted the citizenship of Heaven. If a believer who has been made righteous enters back into a habitual sinful lifestyle, they will also be denied citizenship benefits because of their disobedience.

When we read the Word of God, the Holy Bible, we come to understand that some of God’s promises are conditional upon obedience:

God’s Word states:

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Psalm 66:18 ESV

And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.

1 John 3:22 ESV

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

John 15:7 ESV

But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Isaiah 59:2 ESV

God set forth His Sovereign and Divine legal infrastructure to rule over and govern the Earth and all universes and spiritual dimensions, including all religious and pagan systems. The Holy Bible, the Word of God, is the Blueprint of this supreme infrastructure.

When an individual confesses and truly believes and trusts in Christ as their Lord and Savior….They are made righteous by default through God’s Great Loving Mercy and Grace. However, it’s by our own will that we choose to Fear and obey God. God has given us a conscience in our hearts to regulate and monitor our obedience to His commandments and prompts.

The fear of God and obedience are synonymous…they are one in the same.

By becoming a Citizen of Heaven, you are Saved from God’s coming wrath, You have been reborn into Righteousness through your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach in Hebrew.

Yet, to obtain many of God’s covenant promises listed in His Word, the Holy Bible, they are only granted based on our obedience to Him.

True obedience starts with our will, posture toward God’s will, and walking in the Fear of the Lord, which again is one and the same as Godly obedience.

This is why God’s Word tells us in Proverbs 9:10, “ The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”

Countless prayer requests are denied due to sinful behavior. Satan takes advantage of this by accusing Christians of their sins, as a prosecutor day and night in the Courtroom of Heaven, as mentioned in Revelations 12:10.

“Satan and his minions are always preparing many criminal cases, aiming to convict and sentence humanity. Their goal is to legally bring suffering to both nonbelievers and believers through curses, sickness, and even death. This is why God’s Word advises us, “Don’t give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27).

God’s Word says, “My people perish for a lack of knowledge”(Hosea 4:6). There are many Christians who ignorantly open themselves to the influence and attacks of the devil by incorporating sinful elements into their daily routines, such as:

-Listening to ungodly secular music and watching video content that glamorizes sin.
-Practicing Pagan Rituals such as Yoga, Reiki, Horoscopes, Acupuncture, and certain systems of Martial Arts.
-Memberships in Pagan-Masonic and Greek Letter organizations.
-Habitual Sinful Thoughts of Lust, Violence, Bitterness, Jealousy, etc.…

In Summary, Our righteousness through Christ is the treasure box, and our obedience to God’s Word, the Holy Bible, is the key that unlocks the treasure box, allowing us access to all the gifts and promises in God’s Heavenly Kingdom, such as:

Provision
Protection
Healing
God’s Divine will, purpose, and plan for our lives.

This starts with posturing your spirit, soul, and body towards the Fear of God and making God’s Holy Word the standard for your life.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”This is the first and greatest commandment.

Matthew 22:37-38

God Bless,

Brotha Ray