Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured, and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again. James 5:16-18 TLB

 

The Bible teaches that there is a wide variety of prayers. One of them is called Prevailing Prayer. This kind of prayer is authoritative, victorious and powerful. Let us consider three things about this relevant prayer for such a time as this.

Firstly, this passage reveals the INGREDIENTS of Prevailing Prayer. They are earnestness (fervency) and righteousness. The ingredient of fervency implies that weak, dispassionate and apathetic prayers don’t work! Effective prayer is passionate prayer. You’ve got to put your heart into your prayers. As a rule God grants the desires of our hearts, not our casual wishes. He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

The ingredient of righteousness is also crucial for a prevailing prayer. To be effective prayer warriors, we must embrace the imputed righteousness of Christ fully. We should approach the throne of grace without a sense of condemnation or guilt. We should also work out our salvation with fear and trembling. If we regard iniquity in our hearts the Lord will not hear us. So confess all known sin as soon as it comes to light. Don’t give room to the devil.

Secondly today’s Scripture reveals the IMPACT of prevailing prayer. This kind of prayer avails much, as the NKJV puts it. The LB says prevailing prayer has great power and wonderful results. Beloveds, we need to pray with a sense of boldness, confidence and conviction that our prayers make a difference and change things. Pray with expectation rather than speculation. Believe that God always hears you and situations are responding to your prayers forthwith. Believe that YOUR prayers work!

Thirdly, our text gives an ILLUSTRATION of prevailing prayer, by way of Prophet Elijah’s exploits. Elijah knew the principle of “binding and loosing”, that is, the power of prayer to lock and unlock situations. He knew how to use the “keys of the kingdom”. So must we. Let us use Prevailing Prayer to stop and forbid the tide of evil, sickness, disease, plagues, strife, lack, poverty and other issues in our lives by the blood of the Lamb. Let us also release the peace, protection, provision and protection of God in our lives, families, Church, country and the world in the mighty name of Jesus. Will you do that today?

Pastor Josh