Isaiah 41:21 NKJV “Present your case,” says the Lord. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob.
Luke 18:9-14 NKJV ” Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
WRONG REASONS WHY PEOPLE THINK THEIR PRAYERS WILL BE ANSWERED
1) Self-glorification: it means some people come to the place of prayers with a sense of Self-glorification.
Luke 18:11.
The Pharisee was thinking thanking God he was not like others is the yardstick for God to justify or answer his prayers. He was thinking that by Self-glorification, his prayers will be accepted. Stop thanking God because your current situation is better than others. Don’t compare. Just be grateful for your current situation. We are not better than any other person. We are just a product of the mercy of God.
I Corinthians 1:31 NKJV ” that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”
Jeremiah 9:24 NKJV “But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the Lord.
The basis of our glorification is that God is merciful, kind and loving.
2) Self-righteousness: is establishing reasons why we need to pray.
Luke 18:11. Self- righteousness is a weak and wrong reason to pray. Even when we know we have done certain things right, is still not a basis why our prayers are answered.
Matthew 5:20 NKJV “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Nobody’s prayer is answered on the premise that he thinks he is righteous.
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The righteousness of God has not been revealed as at that time. This is why the Pharisees and Sadducees had to walk in the righteousness they had.
However, Christ says, there will come a time that man’s righteousness will exceed that of the Pharisees and Sadducees – this was only done through him and by him.
The fact we think we have not lied is not the basis that we can beat our chest that our prayers can be answered.
The second wrong reason why we think our prayer should be answered is tithe. In the same vein another person can point to his or her fasting.
Tithing and fastings are not the reasons why our prayers are answered.
Sometimes people think that almsgiving is a basis for answered prayers.
3) The third reason is self righteousness.
The basis of self righteousness is an attempt to present works for justification. Apparently, it is not bad outrightly on its own, however, it is not the basis for God answering our prayers.
Self righteousness is when we substitute obedience for something else. King Saul was an example of this. He replaced obedience for sacrifice.
1 Samuel 15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
Self righteousness is the righteousness of the law through personal effort.
Romans 8:32-34
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifies
Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
There is a righteousness that comes by obeying the law is weak. It is not the strong basis of acceptance.
The number one reason for answered prayers is our justification in Christ.
God has justified us as a believer. As a premise on this there is no better sacrifice again. The lamb has been accepted. In this we will not be or brag based on the quality of our behavior just like the Pharisee.
The devil will not fault us in believing that we are justified by the Father. When we pray just like the pharisee had prayed the devil will find fault and accuse us before the Father.
Justification in Christ has already been established. The devil brings reason when praying. In the same vein we as a believer must bring a stronger reason to counter his accusation – and that is the blood.
This cut across colours, tribes and race. The Father answers our prayers based on the justification. Our justification is established before the Father.
Secondly, we have the Holy Spirit resident in us.
Thirdly, we have an advocate. When the devil comes we do not just have evidence we have an advocate before the Father.
When we sin we sin against the Father and not the devil. It is a family affair. This is why the Father has cast it to the sea of forgetfulness.
We have an advocate with the Father. Who will lay a charge against the Lord’s elect.
In Romans 8:32 we have seen that God is not against us. He is for us. Christ, who is making intercession cannot be charging us. That is His ministry. If God could not bring a charge against us through His Son who then can bring charges against us?
There is nobody that has the right to bring a charge against you, even though he brings a charge, God is the one that justifies.
We have an advocate before the father. He doesn’t have the power to charge you because it will be contrary to his nature and his ministry. His ministry is that of intercession, so he can’t be charging you. If you accept the charges, you accept it ignorantly, because the one that has the ability to condemn you cannot charge you. That’s why when you stand to pray, you are standing boldly, making declarations with that assurance that you have an advocate.
The devil does not have the legal or moral right to charge you.
4) You need to know how to recount his faithfulness. (1st Kings 3 vs 5) Many of us forget how God has helped us in the past, rescued us, how he showed up when you were desperate for need. Before you murmur recount of his faithfulness.
5) The name of the Lord: (Psalm 106:6-8) There are things that God will do because his name is at stake. In the above scripture, the miracle of the red sea that parted was for his name sake not really for the Israelites. He did it on the premise of his name, despite the wrongdoings of the Israelites. That’s the old testament concept of the name of the Lord. Phill 2:8-11 shows us that the only acceptable reason why God answers prayers is because of his name. (Jude 1:9)
THE IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCES OF THE NAME OF THE LORD :
a)When the name of Jesus works, it’s to bring glory to his name. God desires to take glory in the matters of your life, so when you use the name of Jesus, it’s to bring glory to him.
b) The name of the Lord is a strong tower. Some trust in horses, some trust in chariots, but we trust in the name of the Lord.
Hebrews 6:13 shows that the name of the Lord is powerful because there is no other name bigger than the name of Jesus. God wanted to make an oath with Abraham but he couldn’t find any other thing to swear by, so he swore by himself.
Colossians 1:15-19 shows that the name of Jesus is sufficient. It’s a name full of power and might.
c) Salvation can only be obtained through his name (Acts 2:21, 4:12, Romans 10:13)
6. The word of God
Psalm 12:6
Psalm 119:89 god’s word is settled in heaven
2 Corinthians 13:8
The word of God has the capacity to defend it self
God’s word cannot fail.
Matthew 5:18
The word of God will be fulfilled because it has the capacity to fulfill itself. In the place of prayer we present God’s word as a reason for answered prayers
The word of the Lord prevails. Understanding what God has said about us makes us prevailers. We are more than conquerors. Gen 2:24-28
The word of God is very strong and powerful.
Hebrews 4:12
The word of God is a compass. It directs us. Jeremiah 10:23
His word is our guide. It guides us right in prayer that we don’t pray in error. When we use God’s word it brings light.
7. The Blood Of Jesus; Revelation 12:11
There is something the blood of the lamb has done for us. We prevail with it. That we stand before God to pray and don’t feel condemned, is because of the blood of the lamb.
Through the blood we have access to the throne freely. We would always need the blood.
When we miss it or do not miss it , it will still require blood. You come before him always dressed in his righteousness.
8. The Bible speaks of mercy that prevails over judgement.
Matthew 12:7
Psalm 23:6
The Psalmist understood this when he said surely goodness and mercy follows him.
On the grounds of what he has done, we can make declarations and make requests. These are the reasons God cannot say No to us.
If he spared not his son, how will he not freely give us all things.
Tears are not a reason for God to be moved, he is moved by faith.
We should come to the point that even while the prayer is not yet answered, the shame is not ours.
If some things haven’t happened when you expected that it should have been done over with, he must be doing it to bring glory to himself because he has a better plan. All is for his name to be praised.
Most times we try to rush God because we want to protect our name whereas God’s name is meant to be the one at stake.
We should let it be about the name of the Lord not ours.