I have often thought that God will answer my prayers if I am praying against the evil I see in the world, my country, my State, or people I know or hear about. I will also pray about the evil and afflictions and diseases that I see on my family or those around me. I may be in a church where we all join in praying for those in our midst being attacked in different areas that don’t line up with scripture and our promises in scripture.
However, here is a big key to prayer; I do not have the authority to pray prayers for someone else hoping that they will be answered if I am involved in or harboring the same sins myself. It won’t happen. If I am involved in evil, how can I effectively pray against evil? I am actually praying against myself.
As a relational child I will often get upset and complain about others not being truthful and following the law of truth which is: “Let your yes be yes and your no be no, everything else comes from the evil one.”Matt.5:37 Our airways are filled with lies and deliberate misinformation. We are quick to point it out. However, am I totally truthful? Is it ok to hate those who lie? Jesus tells me to take the lies out my own life before I even think of how to pray in loving ways about the flaws (sins) of others. Matt.7:1-5
There is an interesting flip side to this. When I am kind and loving to those who are lieing, hurting me and others, and sinning against me, I am now living above the law and am “heaping coals of fire” on those who are doing the damage.Rom.12:20,21 However, it takes a spiritual, relationally mature adult or parent to even be able to think of or have the ability to do this. If I really want to be blessed, I must first off repent and do away with the sin in my life. Only then am I able to effectively pray for my enemies and respond to their evil ways with good. In choosing this way of responding to those who sin against me, I am responding as Jesus would and can expect my prayers to be answered.! Luke6:27,28
Jesus continually calls us up to more maturity. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matt.5:48 It is interesting to note that All of Jesus’ prayers were answered!