The Amazing Power of Earnest Prayer

The Amazing Power of Earnest Prayer

James 5:16-18

James 5:16–18 NLT

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

INTRODUCTION:

Prayer is one of the most powerful tools available to the Christian.

I- THE POWER WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. (James 5:16).

James 5:16 (NLT)

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

A- The requirements for praying with power:

1- Praying with the right attitude:

a- Earnestness (προσευχῇ προσηύξατο= to pray with prayer, a hebraism that means to pray with earnestness, intensity and persistence.)

b- Urgency (δέησις= derivative of δέομαι ‘to plead, to beg,’; that which is asked with urgency based on presumed need—‘request, plea, prayer.’)

2- Praying from a real relationship with God:

a- A “righteous person” is one who is in a right relationship with God.

(1) A child of God (Acts 4:12)

Acts 4:12 NLT

12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

(2) Walking with God (Psalm 66:18)

Psalm 66:18 NLT

18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

B- The reason for seeking to pray with power:

1- Praying with power produces results!

a- Healing for the sick (James 5:14-15)

James 5:14–15 NLT

14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

Personal Testimony to the Power Of prayer

b- Help in the midst of hardships (James 5:13)

James 5:13 NLT

13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

The Apostles (Acts 4:23-24)

Acts 4:23–24 NLT

23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—

c- Heavenly witness to a godless society (1 Kings 17-19)

The witness borne by Elijah

d- Harvest workers to spread the gospel. (Luke 10:2)

Luke 10:2 NLT

2 These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

II- THE POTENT EXAMPLE WE HAVE TO MOTIVATE US.

A- The example given: a normal human being. (James 5:17a)

James 5:17a NLT

17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!

1- Elijah was human in every way - just like you and I.

a. He needed food and water like we do. (1 Kings 17:1-7)

1 Kings 17:1–7 NLT

1 Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!” 2 Then the Lord said to Elijah, 3 “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. 4 Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food.” 5 So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. 7 But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.

b. He experienced the same emotions we do. (1 Kings 17:8-24)

c. He had fears like we do. (1 Kings 19:1-4)

1 Kings 19:1–4 NLT

1 When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. 2 So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.” 3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. 4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

d. He allowed his spiritual vision to become distorted like we do. (1 Kings 19:10)

1 Kings 19:10 NLT

10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”

B- The example given: A human who prayed. (James 5:17b-18)

1- God answered with power in response to Elijah’s prayers.

a- God stopped the rain from falling for 3 1/2 years. (James 5:17b)

James 5:17b NLT

17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!

b- God sent rain again.

(James 5:18)

James 5:18 NLT

18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

(1 Kings 18:41-45)

1 Kings 18:41–45 NLT

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” 42 So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. 43 Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. 44 Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’ ” 45 And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.

c- God sent fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the water and the altar! (1 Kings 18:26-39)

1 Kings 18:26–39 NLT

26 So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made. 27 About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!” 28 So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. 29 They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response. 30 Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 31 He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel, 32 and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. 33 He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.” 34 After they had done this, he said, “Do the same thing again!” And when they were finished, he said, “Now do it a third time!” So they did as he said, 35 and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench. 36 At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. 37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” 38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

d- God raised the woman’s son to life again. (1 Kings 18:20-22)

1 Kings 18:20–22 NLT

20 So Ahab summoned all the people of Israel and the prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent. 22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal has 450 prophets.

C- The example heeded:

1- God will answer the prayers of normal human beings in powerful ways. (James 5:16b)

James 5:16b NLT

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

2- Three things we must do:

a. Make sure that we have entered a relationship with God through Christ.

(John 1:12)

John 1:12 NLT

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

b. Make sure that our heart is right with God.

Sins confessed (1 John 1:9)

1 John 1:9 NLT

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Sincerity in seeking God

c. Make the decision to become serious in our prayer-life.

CONCLUSION: