James tells us that the transformed man is the man who offers strong intense petitions. The transformed man knows he is broken before God. The transformed man acknowledges that his life is not under his control. The transformed man seeks God's purposes through the channel of his own personal needs. Unless I have been transformed, prayer is still self-serving. But as soon as my life becomes devoted to God's will, my prayers take on a power they never had before. They move me toward the place of open and unashamed dependence on my Lord.

Righteousness is the key to this kind of powerhouse prayer. But too often we think that righteousness is something we work up to, something that we have to have before God can use us. That idea isn't true. My righteousness is nothing more than the perfect sacrifice of Christ transferred to me by God's verdict. It has nothing to do with my good works, efforts or intentions. It is all because of Christ.

When you come before God in prayer as a child declared "not guilty", you have the same relationship that Jesus had with the Father. Did Jesus falter in his petitions? Did he pray and not expect answers? Never. Prayer aligned his needs with the Father's will. We have the opportunity for the same prayer. That is prayer that can ask "whatever you wish and it shall be granted".