James 5:16-18
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one foranother, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteousman avails much. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are, and heprayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by thespace of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gaverain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
In Luke 11:1-13, the Lord is teaching His disciples topray. Over the past few days, we have been talking about the importance of prayerin our lives, and for the world around us! If there is anything we need tolearn to do, it is to pray. We go to school for twelve years to get aneducation so we can get out and get a job to make money. We might go for four ormore years so we can make more money. We might go to Bible College to learn howto preach and teach the Bible, learn to be a pastor or church leader, and thatis all well and fine. But we rarely take classes or spend the time to learn howto pray.
We must realize by now that an education, job skills, moneyand a good economy, is not what it going to take to save your marriage, to bringyour children back to God, to heal your broken heart, to give you mental,emotional, and spiritual peace. They will not save our country either. I know Isound like a broken record, but the answer to the divisions, the economy, the socialand cultural issues in America, are not going to be found in the White House,the Congress, the State Legislators, but in our own houses where righteous believersknow how to pray “effectual fervent” prayers.
When I think of prayer, I can’t help but think of James 5and the prayer of Elijah. He was a man just like us; “subject to likepassions”. He had the same type of problems, challenges, emotions, andissues. His country Israel was in a mess under the heathen pagan leadership ofAhab and Jezebel. The whole nation was following the religion of Baal worship.Today, for the most part, America is following the religion of humanism. Theworship of self! We live to please ourselves. That’s humanism!
The last verse in Judges 21:25 says, “Everyone is doingwhat is right in their own eyes”. The land was filled with chaos,confusion, anarchy, and violence. What is the answer. Like Elijah, we can getright with God and pray! The promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14-15 is still in theBible and available for us today! “If My people who are called by My namewill humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wickedways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal theirland. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in thisplace.”
The Lord’s model prayer reminds us of our need for ourFather’s presence in our lives and families. Of the need of ourFather'sguidance in joining Him in His kingdom work so His will is done on earth asit is in heaven. Of the need of our Father’s provision every day both physicallyand spiritually. And of our daily need for our Father's pardon for oursins.
In order for us to pray effectual fervent prayers thatavail much, we must have pure hearts and clean hands (James 4:7-10). As wesubmit our lives to the Lord, the devil must flee. As we confess our sins, ourhearts are purified. As we join the Father in His kingdom work, our hands arecleansed.
Amazing and wonderful, miraculous things can happen when wereally learn to pray! In my Bible, Jeremiah 33:3 still says: 'Call to Me,and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do notknow.' And we can never forget the promise of Ephesians 3:20: “Now toHim who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,according to the power that works in us”.
By God’s grace we should seek to learn to pray “effectualfervent prayers that avail much”!
God bless!
