Effective Prayer

James 5:16-18

“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”

James, through the story of Elijah, gives us some keys to effective prayer. First, effective prayer is birthed in righteousness. Righteousness is not sinlesness but rather a position of right standing with God. James states that “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours.” Elijah was a sinner, struggled with personal issues, and had doubts and fears. Elijah’s prayer was not answered because he was a prophet or because of his great ministry. Elijah’s prayer was answered because of his relationship with God, a relationship that every born again Christian has because we stand in the righteousness of Christ. But Christ’s righteousness only opens the door for relationship with God. We, by the Word and the Spirit, must develop that relationship so that we can hear His voice and walk in His ways.

Secondly, effective prayer initiates from God not man. After three years of drought, in 1 Kings 18:1, God tells Elijah, He is going to send rain. Elijah had no power to call down rain. Rain came at the word of the Lord. Jesus sits at the right hand of God making intercession and calls us to come into agreement with him to pray in His kingdom and will into the earth. As I shared in last week’s devotional, “A Perfect Heart” is a heart that worships and communes with God. God revealed His will to Abraham because Abraham was His friend. Romans 8:26 says, “We do not know what we ought to pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us.”

After hearing the voice of God, Elijah declares what God has spoken to him. “Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain." (1 Kings 18:41) What are you hearing and speaking today? Is it the voice of friends, circumstances, the media, or the world? In the day that we live, we need a people who can hear the voice and God and speak what He is speaking, despite what we see around us. In the midst of three years of drought with not cloud in the sky, Elijah heard by the Spirit an abundance of rain. Effective prayer is hearing and declaring the will of God.

“So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.” (1 Kings 18:42) It is interesting to note Ahab’s and Elijah’s responses to the prophetic word. Elijah does the work of praying in what He has heard. Seven times he gets down on his knees and prays until “A cloud as small as a man’s hand rises from the sea.” James says, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” Effective prayer is fervent, persistent prayer until we see the word and will of God come to fruition

“Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.” (1 Kings 18:45) In a world that is decaying and in the midst of spiritual drought, may God help us to become more effective in our prayers and usher in the rain of His Spirit.

Andy Clark