EFFECTIVE PRAYING
STUDY TEXT: James 5:13-18
is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
- Prayer is not a religious activity but God’s demanded way of meeting our needs.
- It is a fellowship between the one that has a need and his maker who can make the needs available.
- In order word, prayer is a two-way communication, you talk to God by request and He talks to you by response.
- If we must pray, it must be effective. Effective prayer is one that attracts the attention of God and leads to his intervention.
- The example of Elijah given in the text is one of the most effective example of prayer in the Bible.
- He had a request at two different times and seasons concerning the same issue, and God granted him as he had requested.
- The Bible teaches that Elijah was not a super-human, if he did it, it is also possible with us.
- Let us consider this study under three sub-headings:
1. Gracious exhortation toward effective prayer.
2. Gracious expectations from effective praying.
3. Godly example of effective praying.
1. GRACIOUS EXHORTATION TOWARD EFFECTIVE PRAYING. VS 13-14
- We are exhorted to pray at all seasons and we must never relent or get tired in the place of prayer. Particularly fervent prayer is recommended during the following situations:
1. During affliction.
- The Bible makes us to know that even the righteous are not exempted from afflictions.
- The word of God says that the afflictions of the righteous are many, but God is willing and able to deliver him from them all.
- So every believer is expected to call upon God in times of affliction, and not to complain or murmur, but to believe God for deliverance from all the afflictions.
- We are not left alone in our problem or to do the praying alone. Jesus is also making intercession for us. Hebrews 7:25-27
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
- Jesus will give mercy and grace to help us in times of need. Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
2. During our rejoicing time.
- Even when all is going on fine, it is a time to be fervent in prayer. Prayer of thanksgiving and singing praises to him will move God to do more for us. Hebrews 13:14-15
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
- Even the Bible says we can make our request kwon unto Him with thanksgiving. If we can praise God with faith over what He is yet to do for us, we can receive it from Him.
3. During our sick period.
- We can deal with physical, spiritual, emotional or mental sickness making use of the power of prayer.
- As we pray, healing will come against all physical sicknesses and diseases, and deliverance will come against all spiritual or demonically controlled sicknesses and infirmities through the blood of Jesus.
- There are three kinds of prayer that were recommended here, and all has to be employed effectively.
1. Personal prayer:
- This is the most important because it has to do directly with your own personal relationship wit God.
- Every child of God must strife to grow and be effective in regular personal prayers.
2. Prayers of elders.
- We must never underestimate the power of prayers through faithful and godly elders in the church.
- Because they take spiritual oversight over our souls, certain things may be revealed to the by God about us that we may not be aware of.
- Jesus knew about the sickness of Lazarus, and that it was not unto death, but Lazarus still died, and Jesus prayed for God to bring him back to life and it was so.
- If you are a member of any local assembly, always request for the prayers of your elders and never feel you are disturbing them, because this is part of their responsibilities they will account to God.
3. Praying for one another.
- It is the will of Go to pray for one another within our local assembly. Every opportunity you have to pray for your self must be an opportunity to remember other people in prayer.
- But so many people are selfish and are only concerned about themselves, unknowing to them that the more they pray for others the more God will answer their own personal prayers.
2. GRACIOUS EXPECTATIONS FROM EFFECTIVE PRAYING. VS 15-16
- When we pray with faith we must graciously expect a positive answer from God, because if God will not answer us, He will not demand that we should pray.
- Some of our expectations should include the followings:
1. Afflictions will be taking away. Psalms 34:19-22
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
2. Our joy will be full.
- Whatsoever is causing sorrow and pains will be taken away and we will experience fullness of joy.
3. Our sickness will be healed.
- We will receive healing from all sicknesses and diseases when we pray with faith in God and His power.
4. Our sins will be forgiven.
- The Bible says when the elders pray, even if the sickness was due to sins, the sick shall be forgiven and healed.
5. Our adversaries will be defeated.
- The enemy warring against our soul will be defeated and put to shame.
6. Our strength will be renewed.
- Our strength that has gone down both in the physical and spiritual will be renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
7. Our requests will be granted.
- Whatsoever we have asked the Lord to do will be done unto us so that we can praise and glorify His holy name.
3. GODLY EXAMPLE OF EFFECTIVE PRAYING. VS 17:18
- The life and the effectiveness of Elijah was given us as a worthy example
- The God of Elijah has not change, and He is still willing to relate with men like the days of Elijah, but He can no longer see men whose heart are after Him, and who will not share His glory like Elijah.
- The following qualities made Elijah to stand out and to make great impact in his days. If we can also develop these qualities, God is ready to move in our days even greater than the times of Elijah.
1. A man with a right stand for and a right stand with the Lord.
2. A man with zeal for standard of God to be upheld.
3. A man of total obedience to God’s command without question.
4. A man that sought the glory of God and not exaltation of self.
5. A man of great faith and confidence in God and his power.
6. A man of openness and sincerity unto God even in his weakness.
7. A man willing to raise other men even if they will be greater.
8. A man with passion for the salvation and deliverance of others form the power of the enemy
- Can God still find these qualities in us? He is willing to still do as He did in the days of Elijah.
