Does God Only Hear and Answer our Prayers Based Upon our Victory Over Sin?

Answer: No. definitely not. He answers our prayers THAT WE MAY have victory over sin.  It is by the grace of God in Jesus Christ that we overcome sin. We come to Jesus empty handed.  We have nothing to offer but our sin.  Any good in us us purely the mercy and grace of God.  Christ is the Savior so He does not come to tell us how to save ourselves by overcoming sin first and then asking for help later..  We need grace not only to come to Him but also the daily grace to overcome sin.  No one overcomes sin in the power of the flesh.  So when we first come to Jesus we appeal to him to rescue us from the guilt AND power of sin  We do not pray "Lord deliver me from the guilt, but not the power of sin .. I got that part on my own..."  no, no, no ... so even as Christians we come to him daily in prayer for the wisdom, strength and power to live for him, for, left to ourselves, we have NO HOPE to overcome sin (or do any good in the world) whatsoever.  It is mercy alone that saves us and mercy alone that preserves us. 

So I would say, rather, that God answers our prayer when we confess our sin and acknowledge our utter impotence to obey him apart from grace. That is where God meets us. And that way, when we do good, or overcome sin, God get's all the glory.  If he only answered prayer based on our victory over sin it would be transactional ... based on works of the flesh rather than grace alone.  But we owe everything we have to Him so our lives ought to be one of ceaseless dependence (1 Cor 1:29-31, Phil 3:3). 

Mon, 04/02/2018 - 10:47 -- john_hendryx

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