What Does God Hear When You Pray?
Tuesday, February 17
James 5:16 (NKJV)
“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.”
Devoción
Which prayers capture God’s undivided attention? Today’s verse mentions prayers that come from a righteous man are heard by the Lord. Not one whose life is lived upright in his own eyes, but one whose life has been justified by faith and washed by the blood of the Lamb. This gains His attention because it cost Him everything to make access to Him available. As Pastor Franklin preached on Sunday, “God is after a conversation with you.” And that’s what prayer is—a conversation.
Now, there is also an ‘effectiveness’ in prayer. That is one that is prayed in faith. How do we know this? Hebrews 11:6 instructs us, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God must believe that He is ...” Faith that pleases Him is one that believes, “But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King.” (Jeremiah 10:10) There is none like Him, nor will there ever be. Our prayers are not wasted. They are going to the Lord, God Almighty, who stands alone as God. Hebrews 11:6 continues to say, “that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” This is an individual who believes, ‘He is a rewarder (in other words, God’s will is to bless) of those who diligently seek Him.’ It is a heart that is undivided, in covenantal faithfulness, that obtains divine favor from God. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
And lastly, the ‘fervent’ prayer spoken of in James 5:16 is one that is heartfelt, powerful, and wholehearted. God does not see as man sees; He looks upon the heart. When we cry aloud to Him in honesty and trueness of heart, we are acknowledging Him as God, and even though we cannot see Him with our natural eyes, we believe in Him. We trust Him. This is the cry of faith that He hears. “Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the ends of the earth, I will cry to You. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Psalm 61:1, 2) It does not take long, flattering words to get God’s attention—just an honest and heartfelt plea that grabs the attention of our Heavenly Father.
Oración de hoy
Querido Padre Celestial,
With an open and honest heart, I come to You. Lord, teach me how to pray effectively and to stand in the gap for my loved ones, my church, and my nation. I believe in You and desire that Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Lord, use me to intercede for others. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Aplíquelo hoy mismo
As you go through your daily reading of the Word of God, mark each prayer you come across in the Bible. Look at the context in which the prayer was prayed and the person who prayed it. One of the best ways to build your faith is to observe effective prayers and notice the results that come from them.
Recursos
- If you’ve been praying and wondering if heaven is listening… this is for you. Watch this short clip, “God Has Heard Your Prayers”, and be reminded that not one cry has gone unnoticed.
- Journal one prayer from Scripture that resonates with your current season, and draw inspiration from it as you stand in faith.