I was listening to J. Vernon McGee and he was teaching from the book of John and he said something that stuck with me. When teaching on John 14, specifically verses 11-14, he said that many say that this passage isn't true because God doesn't grant their every wish or plea.
"Of course not, this is only for those who believe in Jesus and do His works. If you are not believing in Him and doing His work then trying to fulfill this scripture is like taking a check to the bank to cash that is not made out to you." J. Vernon McGee
This passage in James affirms that teaching by saying that the prayers of a RIGHTEOUS man is powerful and effective. How do we become righteous? It isn't by anything that we do outwardly, but by believing in the work of God through Jesus to forgive our sins and make us pure, perfect and righteous. We must recognize our sinful state, repent of it before the Lord, ask for His forgiveness, and then He will cleanse us with the blood of Christ which makes us righteous before the Lord.
When Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden in Genesis 2 they were clothed in righteousness for there was no sin, there was no evil in their hearts. As soon as they ate the fruit from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil their clothes of righteousness were removed and they were naked. They attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves, but those would no last, so the Lord made clothes for them with the skin of an animal (Genesis 3:21). This was the first shedding of blood, for the Lord had told them that if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil they would die, which they did, but there was a substitute for them immediately, chosen by God, to cover them in their unrighteous state.
This was the foreshadowing of God's ultimate plan. He knew what He was going to do before Adam and Eve ever sinned (Genesis 3:15) and knew that He didn't want to pour out the whole punishment onto them for He loved them. This pattern of a substitute death goes all through the Old Testament. We see it in Genesis 4, and again with Abraham, and then in Exodus, and then with the tabernacle and then the temple, and ultimately with Jesus. Remember Jesus said He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in 3 days (John 2:18-21). He destroyed the temple at His death on the cross when the veil was torn (Matthew 27:51) and He rebuilt the way to the Father at his resurrection, proving He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
So, if you want your payers to be heard and to be affective, you must first be clothed in righteousness, which only comes through Jesus. If you do not understand this or know about it, find someone who does and speak with them. Or if you don't have anyone to talk with, make sure you Contact Us. We would love to show you the Way to our Father in Heaven.