Powerful and Effective Prayers

by Bud Lambert

James taught the Christians of the dispersion to pray powerful and effective prayers. They needed to pray; they needed God's help. They were suffering with physical illnesses ( James 5: 14); they were being cheated out of their rightful wages ( James 5:4); and some were even being murdered ( James 5:6).
You and I need to pray; we need God's help in our lives. As Christians, we can pray powerful and effective prayers. According to James, our prayers can be just as powerful and effective as Elijah's prayer was when he prayed that it would not rain and it didn't for three and one half years ( James 5:17, 18). In chapter five, verses thirteen through twenty, James mentions three essentials for praying powerful and effective prayers.
One essential is that we must offer our prayers in faith ( James 5:15). When we pray we must pray believing God is willing to answer our prayers; we must pray believing God is able to answer our prayers; and we must pray believing he will answer our prayers according to what is best for us. A Christian who prays without faith "should not think he will receive anything from the Lord" ( James 1:5-8).
Another essential is that we must stand righteous in the sight of God: "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" ( James 5:16). God does not hear the prayer of the unrighteous ( Isaiah 59:1-2; I Peter 3:12). If your prayers aren't powerful and effective, it may, be because you don't stand righteous in the sight of God.
A final essential James points out in this text is that we must do our part. As someone has said, "We must put legs on our prayers." Notice, James says we should pray for those who sin ( James 5:15-16). But in the same context he says
we must do what we can to turn the sinner from the error of their way ( James 5:18-20). We have to do our part. So, when we pray for the sick and afflicted, we must do what we can to help them, if our prayer for them is to be powerful. Likewise, when we pray for missionaries, we must do what we can to support them. When we pray for God to heal our infirmities, rnust do our part -- go to the doctor, take medicine, etc.
Christians can pray powerful and effective prayers. However, we must pray as God directs. We must (1) offer our prayers in faith, (2) stand righteous in the sight of God, and (3) do our part.

• How Often Do You Pray? -Sep 07, 2008
• Jesus Prayed for Me -Jun 29, 2008
• We Need Prayer Day - don't you think so? -Nov 11, 2007
• How Are We Communicating? -Apr 01, 2007
• A Prayer for His People -Feb 18, 2007