What Prayer Can Do

TEXT: JAMES 5:13-18

TOPIC: What Prayer Can Do Bobby Earls, Mountain Grove Baptist Church, Baton, NC, May 7, 1996

Share story of young teenage boy on first date.

Since this is a men’s prayer conference, you’ll understand what he did next.

He bowed his head and prayed…..

Have the men share a Biblical word about prayer with one another as encouragement.

Share my word of Biblical exposition. James 5:13-18 “13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? 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 will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.”

State topic: What Prayer Can Do.

I. WHEN SHOULD MEN PRAY?

James gives us at least four distinct times when we should pray.

1. When we’re in trouble. Verse 13 “Afflicted”

2. When we’re not in trouble. Verse 13 “merry”

3. When we’re sick or others are sick. Verse 14 “sick among you”

4. When we’ve sinned. Verse 16 “Confess your faults”

These four instances of prayer seem to sum up the fact that “men ought always to pray.”

We are never so busy that we are too busy to pray. If you’re too busy to pray, you’re too busy!

Share quote by W.A. Criswell in front of Bible.

II. WHY SHOULD MEN PRAY?

What can prayer do?

1. Prayer can save a poor lost sinner and make a somebody out of a nobody.

(Share testimony of my and parents salvation)

2. Prayer can secure a struggling marriage and restore broken family relationships.

Verse 16 “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Read also verses 17-18. Refer to I Kings 18:30 - 39

Fellows we need to repair some altars in our lives and in our homes:

A. The Altar of Personal Devotion. (Q.T., prayer, Bible study, Scripture memory)

Jesus told the church at Ephesus “I have one thing against thee, thou hast

left thy first love.” “If you love me, keep my commandments.”

B. The Altar of Family Worship. (We need a return to the Biblical pattern of homes which are lead by the father or the husband)

Story of man who had three wives….the Lord can take her anytime He wants….

C. The Altar of Financial Sacrifice

3. Prayer can build a great church.

Share how I prayed for God to send me to a suburban area so I could reach a lot of people and build a great church………God sent me to Icard.

First year, I asked the people to ask God to let us win and baptize 100 people.

Recent revival. We prayed for 200 decisions. 150 salvations.

In the future, we’re going to be asking God to show us how to raise a million dollars to purchase more property and build a new worship complex. The Lord’s going to tell us to go to Mountain Grove Baptist and ask you!

What can prayer do? It can change your life. If can change your marriage. It can change your home. It can change your job. It can change church. It can change your community. It can change your country. It can change your world.

Men of God----pray!