You may have heard stories told of unbelievers calling out to God in their darkest hour and God responding in a mighty way. I’ve seen this play out in Hollywood movies and have read stories like this in fictional books. I’m not discounting that this can and likely does happen, but the Bible reminds us that it is the prayers of the righteous man that availeth much. Likewise, in Proverbs 15:29 it says:
“The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayers of the righteous.”
The Bible supports the notion that it is the righteous person who really has the ear of God. Proverbs differentiates between the prayers of a righteous man and the prayers of a wicked man. It says that the Lord is far from the wicked but hears the prayers of the righteous. So, when you watch a program where an unbeliever prays a haphazard bargaining prayer for God to get them out of a jam, remember this portion of scripture. As it seems more likely that God will send his angels to flight on behalf of a man who is righteous above one who is not.
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“The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayers of the righteous”. The Bible clearly teaches us that no one is truly righteous. It says that there isn’t even one person among us who can claim to be when examined in light of God’s perfect standards. But I believe this proverb is referring to our heart, motives and our standing, or relationship, with God. No one can reach his standard, but the closer and closer we get, the less resistance there is between our prayers and God’s response. So I encourage you, if you want God to hear your prayers, be righteous – or right before God.