Many people don’t pray because they believe that they are not worthy to approach the Father in prayer. They think the Father will not receive their prayers and that He will turn them away because of their past mistakes and indiscretions. They’ve heard about what Jesus did for them on the cross, but they fail to appreciate the significance of His work on the cross. They fail to understand their righteousness in Christ.
To be righteous means to meet God’s standard; to be right with God. No one can be righteous by their own efforts, no matter how hard they try: no one except for Jesus. God made Jesus who had never sinned to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (2nd Corinthians 5:21). Through His work on the cross, Jesus offers us the gift of His righteousness. All we must do is accept the gift by believing.
Understanding Your Righteousness
Will Deliver You from Fear,
Condemnation, Guilt, and Shame
There is no fear in love because fear has to do with punishment, a consequence that children of God will never face because they are FORGIVEN (1st John 4:18). You must truly grasp deep in your hearts that you owe nothing for your sin, that your debts are forgiven. “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The penalty for our past, present, and future sins is not held against us since Christ paid the penalty for our sin on the cross. Once you grasp this, you will be delivered from fear and condemnation and be able to confidently approach the Father in prayer.
God doesn’t look at us through the lens of what we did but through the lens of what Jesus did on the cross. If you keep thinking about your past failures, you’ll begin to see yourself as a failure and the guilt and shame of your past will prevent you from confidently approaching God in prayer.
One of Satan’s greatest weapons he uses against us is our past. Past sins that we have repented from are FORGIVEN.
When you understand what Jesus did for you on the cross, you will not approach the Father in prayer with fear, condemnation, guilt, or shame. Instead, you will approach Him with boldness.
When you understand that you are a child of God, you will have the confidence that whatever you face, God will move on your behalf. When you know that you are the righteousness of God, you will no longer feel distant or separated from God.
When you know you are righteous in Christ, you will enjoy peace, quietness, confidence, and assurance forever.
So what is stopping you today? Fear, condemnation, guilt, and shame cannot stand against the truth of God’s Word. Speak the truth of God’s Word to those lies and boldly approach God in prayer knowing that you will receive mercy and find grace in your time of need.
