God tells us that: James 5:16 Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man prevails much, being effective. (A Faithful Version)
James tells us that “the supplication of a righteous man prevails much.” Since all believers are declared righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ, an important question follows: do all believers’ prayers avail much? They can, but many believers struggle to pray with confidence because they do not fully grasp the reality that in Christ, they are righteous.
We must put our faith in the truth of Scripture and in the finished work of the cross. When we do, we can come boldly into God’s presence, just as we are told in Hebrews 10:19: Therefore, brethren, having confidence to enter into the true holiest by the blood of Jesus, (A Faithful Version)
But if we do not grasp the truth that in Christ we are righteous, our faith will falter, and our prayers will reflect that hesitation. We will not come before the throne of grace with the confidence, assurance, and boldness described in Hebrews 4:16: Therefore, we should come with boldness to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (A Faithful Version)
In the early years of my calling, I often read the Scriptures that said whatever we believe in prayer we will receive, and I found myself wondering, “Why would God listen to me?” Over time, however, God showed me that my prayers are heard not because of any righteousness of my own, but because of the righteousness of Christ. Through His shed blood, I can approach the Father’s throne spotless and accepted in His sight. When I began to understand that I realized that the confidence of prayer rests entirely in Jesus Christ and not in myself.
When we underestimate what God accomplished through Christ, it affects our prayers. We must come to see the reality of what Christ has done for us and what we are in Him. Otherwise, our prayers can be hindered by uncertainty and unbelief.
Too often, we bring preconceived ideas into our faith and spend our energy arguing over minor points of doctrine. In doing so, we can overlook the profound truths God has revealed through the death of His Son and all that is now available to us in Christ.
Through the shed blood of Christ, we are not only forgiven but given access to the very throne room of God. What could be greater than this? Even when we sin, if we sincerely repent before God, we are cleansed and restored in His sight. Our sins were dealt with at the cross, and because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can come before God with renewed confidence and peace.
Understanding our righteousness in Christ gives us confidence in prayer. Our confidence does not come from ourselves, but from God, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:5: Not that we are competent of ourselves, or credit anything to our own abilities: rather, our competency is from God; (A Faithful Version)
As we grow in our understanding of our position in Christ, our faith in prayer grows stronger as well.
For through Him we both have direct access by one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18. (A Faithful Version)
All who rest in this truth will find the boldness described in Hebrews 10:19: Therefore, brethren, having confidence to enter into the true holiest by the blood of Jesus, (A Faithful Version)
Consider the beauty of what God reveals through the finished work of the cross. This is why, when believers become consumed with disputes over leaders or doctrine, they lose sight of what matters most. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:2: For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (A Faithful Version)
Likewise, when the Galatian church became entangled in arguments over rules and outward practices, Paul answered by directing attention back to the cross. In Galatians 6:14 he wrote: But as for me, MAY IT NEVER BE that I boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (A Faithful Version)
Think about how this applies to the doctrinal conflicts we have seen in the church over the years. How much stronger might the body of Christ be if we had centered more fully on the truths of the cross rather than dividing over smaller points of disagreement? There may have been less scattering, more grace, and a greater reflection of the mercy and character of Christ.
As we come to see that our brothers and sisters in Christ, even those who differ with us on certain points of doctrine, approach the Father through the same righteousness of Christ, we begin to view them differently. None of us has righteousness of our own. Our standing before God is found only in Christ, and that truth should shape both our prayers and our relationships with one another.
May we never lose sight of this great truth: our confidence in prayer does not rest in our worthiness, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The more deeply we understand that the more boldly we will pray, the more gratefully we will worship, and the more graciously we will walk with one another.
Your brother in Christ,
Ron
The Prayers of the Righteous – Ron Volk
July 28, 2026 by Shirley Gohner • Uncategorized 0 Comments
God tells us that: James 5:16 Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The supplication of a righteous man prevails much, being effective. (A Faithful Version)
James tells us that “the supplication of a righteous man prevails much.” Since all believers are declared righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ, an important question follows: do all believers’ prayers avail much? They can, but many believers struggle to pray with confidence because they do not fully grasp the reality that in Christ, they are righteous.
We must put our faith in the truth of Scripture and in the finished work of the cross. When we do, we can come boldly into God’s presence, just as we are told in Hebrews 10:19: Therefore, brethren, having confidence to enter into the true holiest by the blood of Jesus, (A Faithful Version)
But if we do not grasp the truth that in Christ we are righteous, our faith will falter, and our prayers will reflect that hesitation. We will not come before the throne of grace with the confidence, assurance, and boldness described in Hebrews 4:16: Therefore, we should come with boldness to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (A Faithful Version)
In the early years of my calling, I often read the Scriptures that said whatever we believe in prayer we will receive, and I found myself wondering, “Why would God listen to me?” Over time, however, God showed me that my prayers are heard not because of any righteousness of my own, but because of the righteousness of Christ. Through His shed blood, I can approach the Father’s throne spotless and accepted in His sight. When I began to understand that I realized that the confidence of prayer rests entirely in Jesus Christ and not in myself.
When we underestimate what God accomplished through Christ, it affects our prayers. We must come to see the reality of what Christ has done for us and what we are in Him. Otherwise, our prayers can be hindered by uncertainty and unbelief.
Too often, we bring preconceived ideas into our faith and spend our energy arguing over minor points of doctrine. In doing so, we can overlook the profound truths God has revealed through the death of His Son and all that is now available to us in Christ.
Through the shed blood of Christ, we are not only forgiven but given access to the very throne room of God. What could be greater than this? Even when we sin, if we sincerely repent before God, we are cleansed and restored in His sight. Our sins were dealt with at the cross, and because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can come before God with renewed confidence and peace.
Understanding our righteousness in Christ gives us confidence in prayer. Our confidence does not come from ourselves, but from God, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:5: Not that we are competent of ourselves, or credit anything to our own abilities: rather, our competency is from God; (A Faithful Version)
As we grow in our understanding of our position in Christ, our faith in prayer grows stronger as well.
For through Him we both have direct access by one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18. (A Faithful Version)
All who rest in this truth will find the boldness described in Hebrews 10:19: Therefore, brethren, having confidence to enter into the true holiest by the blood of Jesus, (A Faithful Version)
Consider the beauty of what God reveals through the finished work of the cross. This is why, when believers become consumed with disputes over leaders or doctrine, they lose sight of what matters most. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:2: For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (A Faithful Version)
Likewise, when the Galatian church became entangled in arguments over rules and outward practices, Paul answered by directing attention back to the cross. In Galatians 6:14 he wrote: But as for me, MAY IT NEVER BE that I boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (A Faithful Version)
Think about how this applies to the doctrinal conflicts we have seen in the church over the years. How much stronger might the body of Christ be if we had centered more fully on the truths of the cross rather than dividing over smaller points of disagreement? There may have been less scattering, more grace, and a greater reflection of the mercy and character of Christ.
As we come to see that our brothers and sisters in Christ, even those who differ with us on certain points of doctrine, approach the Father through the same righteousness of Christ, we begin to view them differently. None of us has righteousness of our own. Our standing before God is found only in Christ, and that truth should shape both our prayers and our relationships with one another.
May we never lose sight of this great truth: our confidence in prayer does not rest in our worthiness, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The more deeply we understand that the more boldly we will pray, the more gratefully we will worship, and the more graciously we will walk with one another.
Your brother in Christ,
Ron