“For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord…”
For let not that man suppose
The word “suppose” signifies to expect, imagine. The word “for” connects us to the vacillator who believes and then disbelieves (verse 6).
“That man” is emphatic. James makes a strong point about the kind of people to whom God responds with answered prayer. God does not answer the prayers of presumptuous people who do not even believe their own prayers. He is not under obligation to answer anyone, especially those who seriously doubt His ability to answer prayer.
that he will receive anything from the Lord
If believers do not ask in “faith” (v5), they will not receive anything from the Lord. A distrusting vacillator does not receive answered prayer. Doubt cuts off answered prayer.
“You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures” (James 4:3).
Principle:
The flip-flop Christian does not receive answered prayer from the Lord.
Application:
Some of us make suppositions about prayer that are wrong. We think just because we pray that God will answer that prayer. No, God answers the prayer of faith. The person who exercises trust in God will be honored for that trust.
God states that He liberally gives to those who ask of Him, yet some of us come to Him with the idea He gives to us like a pauper. Where do we get such audacity? If we ask something of God, we should expect to receive something from Him.
“If I regard iniquity in my heart,
The Lord will not hear” (Psalm 66:18).
”Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart…” (Luke 18:1).
Must I be free of sin to ask something of God? If so, then I can’t. I sin every day. Just asking.
Carlos, God will hear our prayer if we confess our sin but He won’t if we don’t. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: (Ps 66:18). Sin unconfessed and unforgiven hinders prayer.
This is not to suggest that God demands sinless perfection from us before He answers our prayers. If that were the case, none of us would have our requests granted. But we do know that sin in a believer’s life breaks sweet fellowship between himself and God. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Pr 28:13).
“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear” (Is 59:1-2).
New Testament confession of sins: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn 1:9).
After David’s disastrous fall into sin, he was cut off from fellowship with God. He had no liberty to pray or to worship God (Ps 51, where David became convicted of his sin). He learned that it was useless to masquerade as if he were in fellowship with God. He came to God with an honest confession of his evil thoughts and deeds. Then David was in a position to pray.
We cannot both sin and pray simultaneously. True prayer will prevent us from sinning, or sin will prevent us from praying.
1. Prayer does not depend on manufactured righteousness.
2. Prayer is not based on human power, human merit, or human thinking. Instead, the effectiveness of our prayer life relates directly to our appropriation of God’s grace provision. This means that there is never a prayer that is answered on the merit system.
3. Since grace is the principle of prayer, no believer can petition for himself or make intercession on the basis of human merit, ability, morality, production, service, or spiritual gift.
4. Every believer approaches the throne of grace on the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ who is our great High Priest.
I appreciate this commentary. I often find answers and encouragement here.
Susan, I am encouraged by your words as well.
I appreciate this eye opening reading. Thank you so much.
So well explained.
Is it Satan that makes us feel so unworthy or ourselves? We are saved by Grace and we cine to the throne of God and we ask in prayer for our purpose or to hat we need or want. My weakness is not believing God will answer prayer but sometimes because of a sinful nature one can believe we are not enough.
CJ, the reason we sense inadequacy is that we set unrealistic standards or goals for our lives. The concept of grace is that God has reached the goal for us. It is important to realize that we are inadequate in one sense and that only God is adequate. Failure to reach our standards can cause depression. Go to my studies on 1 Peter 5:7.