THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS ARE POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE

PROCLAMATION

“Is anyone among you in trouble?  Let them pray … Is anyone among you sick?  Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them … the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; The Lord will raise them up … The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”  James 5:13-16 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by James, the half-brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  He begins the fifth and final chapter of this letter by telling them that the rich people, who lived in luxury, hoarded their wealth, failed to pay their workers, and made innocent people suffer, will themselves suffer. (James 5:1-6)  Then he urges the believers to be patient.  They that persevered in the face of suffering will be blessed. (James 5:10-12)  He encourages them to pray for themselves and to ask the elders of the church to pray for them.  The prayers of the righteous are powerful and very effective. (James 5:13-16)  If a believer falls into sin and backslides, whoever turns him from the error of his ways will save a soul and cover a multitude of his sins. (James 5:19-20)

 

APPLICATION

As believers we are encouraged to always pray, and to pray about all things. (Matthew 21:22, Luke 18:1, Luke 21:36, and Ephesians 6:18)  We are also encouraged to pray for one another. (James 5:16)  The prayers of the righteous are powerful.  Prayer changes things.  If all is going well with you, then thank God and sing psalms or songs of praise. (James 5:13)  If all is not well, then pray, and ask the righteous to pray for you. (James 5:13-16)  If you see a believer who is engaged in sinful behavior, pray for them, and encourage them to return to the true way. (James 5:19-20)  Remember, none of us is perfect, and we all need prayer and God’s help.

 

THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS ARE POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE

Proclamation:

“Is anyone among you in trouble?  Let them pray … Is anyone among you sick?  Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them … the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; The Lord will raise them up … The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”  James 5:13-16 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by James, the half brother of Jesus, The Christ, (Galatians 1:19) under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers who scattered after the crucifixion of Christ. (James 1:1)  He begins the fifth and final chapter of this letter by telling them that the rich people, who lived in luxury, hoarded their wealth, failed to pay their workers, and made innocent people suffer, will themselves suffer. (James 5:1-6)  Then he urges the believers to be patient.  They that persevered in the face of suffering will be blessed. (James 5:10-12)  He encourages them to pray for themselves and to ask the elders of the church to pray for them.  The prayers of the righteous are powerful and very effective.

Application:

As believers we are encouraged to always pray, and to pray about all things. (Matthew 21:22, Luke 18:1, Luke 21:36, and Ephesians 6:18)  We are also encouraged to pray for one another. (James 5:16)  The prayers of the righteous are powerful.  Prayer changes things.  If all is going well with you, then thank God and sing psalms or songs of praise. (James 5:13)  If all is not well, then pray, and ask the righteous to pray for you.   

THE POWER OF CORPORATE PRAYER

Proclamation:

“So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.”  Acts 12:5

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  This was about the time when King Herod began arresting believers with the intent to persecute them.  He had James, the brother of John, publically killed with a sword.  When he saw that the Jews liked that, he had Peter arrested and planned to kill him during the Festival of Unleavened Bread.  While Peter was in prison, the church prayed without ceasing unto God for him.  Peter was chained between two soldiers, with two guards posted at the door.  Suddenly an angel of The Lord came to Peter, his chains fell off, and the angel led him past the guards and out of prison. (Acts 12:1-12)

Application:

There is power in prayer.  The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man produces great results. (James 5:16)  Jesus said that where two or three are gathered together in His name that He would be in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)  When the church is on one accord, there is power in corporate prayer.  All of the people of God in the upper room on the day of Pentecost were on one accord and they were filled with The Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:1)  When the believers were gathered together on one accord The Lord God added to the church daily. (Acts 2:46-47)  When the people of God raised their voices together in prayer to God (Acts 4:24) He heard them and shook the place where they were and fill them all with The Holy Spirit so that they could speak The Word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31)  Here the people of God were on one accord praying for Peter while he was in prison, chained to two guards.  As a result of their prayers, his chains fell off and an angel of The Lord led him safely past the other guards and out of the gate. (Acts 12:1-12)  When the people of God come together on one accord and pray, things happen, even the impossible things.  Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)  Our problem today as believers is that we are not all on one accord when we come together.  Our churches are more like a filling station where we receive The Word of God during worship services or learn more about it during Bible study.  We are not even on one accord even during our weekly prayer meetings.  We could be serious world change agents if we were on one accord when we prayed.  Collectively, we are only as powerful as our prayers.  "Little prayer, little power; much prayer, much power; no prayer, no power." (Author unknown)  Prayer, individual and corporate, can change things.  God still hears and answers the prayers of the righteous.

THERE IS POWER IN INDIVIDUAL PRAYER

Proclamation:

“After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully.  When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in stocks.  About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.  Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken.  At once all of the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”  Acts 16:23-26 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.  While they were on their way to the place of prayer, Paul and Silas met a female slave who was possessed by a spirit which allowed her to predict the future.  She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.  She follow them for several days and kept shouting, “These men are servants of The Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  After a while Paul became annoyed with her and commanded the demon to come out of her and it left her.  Her owners realized that their money making source was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and took them before the authorities and accused them of advocating unlawful practices. (Acts 16:16-22)     

Application:
After seeing what happened, the keeper of the prison led them out, took them to his house, washed their wounds, fed them, and he and his whole family were baptized. (Acts 16:27-34)  God can make the impossible, happen.  He can make your enemies your footstool.  He can turn those who were beating you down into someone who helps you to move up a little higher.  Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26)  He also said, "... All things are possible to him that believes." (Mark 9:23)  The chains of life’s bad situations can be broken and weeping can be changed to joy. (Psalm 30:5)  As believers, we are only as powerful as our prayers.  "Little prayer, little power; much prayer, much power; no prayer, no power." (Author unknown)  God still hears and answers prayers.

A UNIVERSAL PRAYER

Proclamation:

"May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine on us; so that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.  May the people praise You, God; may all the people praise You.  May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the people with equity …May the people praise You … May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear Him.” Psalms 67:1-7

Explanation:

This psalm was written by an unknown human author under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  It is an intercessory prayer for God to be merciful and to bless all of the people in the world.

Application:

Given the sad state of affairs throughout this country and the rest of the world, we should pray for all of the people in the world.  We all need prayer, especially the leaders of the nations.  Daily we are reminded of the sinful state of man and each incident should serve as a reminder to believers to pray for mankind.  Eventually, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord of all. (Philippians 2:11)

PRAY TO OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN

Proclamation:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done …” Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)

Explanation:

This is the model prayer which Jesus, The Christ, used as an example when He taught His disciples how to pray.  After giving them several examples of what not to do, He said to them “This, then, is how you should pray: …”  

Application:

Prayer is simply us talking to God.  When we think of prayer this way it becomes easier to understand why Jesus told us what not to do.  We should not pray to be seen. (Matthew 6:5)  There is a time and place for corporate prayer but we are not to draw attention to ourselves.  Also, we should not use vain repetitions when we pray. (Matthew 6:7)  No one would believe us if every time we spoke to them we used the exact same words and said the same thing every time.  I am sure that God is not pleased with us when our prayers to Him are always a combination of the same trite, over used expressions which we heard someone else say.  The model prayer is an example of how we should pray.  In our prayers we should acknowledge who He is.  We should thank Him for what He has done.  We should confess our sins and ask to be forgiven.  Then we should ask for what it is that we want.  We should also ask for something for some one else and not just be selfish.  A helpful acronym is “ACTS”, which stands for acknowledgement, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication.  We should pray regularly and frequently. (Luke 18:1 and 21:36)  In case we unknowingly ask for something which is inappropriate, we should also ask that His will be done and that He give us the ability to accept His will.  Our prayers should be sincere and heart felt in order to be effective. (James 5:16)

PRAY FOR IT AND PREPARE FOR IT

Proclamation:

"If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22 (NIV)

Explanation:
The Apostle Matthew recorded these words which Jesus spoke to His disciples after He spoke and the fig tree withered.  He told them that if they had faith, and did not doubt, they could speak to a mountain and tell it to throw itself into the sea, and it would be done.  Jesus told them that they would receive whatever they asked for in prayer, if they had faith, and believed without a doubt that they would receive it. 

Application:
As believers today, we need to increase our faith in The Lord.  When we pray and ask for something, we need to begin to prepare to receive it.  We shouldn't just pray for it, we should believe, beyond the shadow of a doubt that it will happen and then we should prepare to receive it.  We should act like it is already done.  If it is in His will, it is already done. (John 15:7)  We could do so much more if we sincerely prayed for things which would give God glory and then behaved as if we believed it would happen.  Our sincere prayers are powerful. (James 5:16)  Let us pray for it, believe it, prepare for it, and receive it.

Don't Use The Same Words Every Time You Pray

"And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words."  Matthew 6:7 (NIV)  The King James Version of The Bible for this verse reads: "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking."

These are the words of Jesus which He spoke during His Sermon on The Mount, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew, with respect to how believers should pray.  

Jesus said that we should not pray to be seen by men. (Matthew 6:5)  It is better for us if we pray in private when we pray. (Matthew 6:6)  Jesus said that we are not to use "vain repetitions" when we pray.  We should not say the exact same thing each time we pray.  Prayer is our means of communicating with The Lord God.  We would not take seriously anyone who spoke to us using the exact same words in every conversation.  Then why would we speak to God in that manner?  Our prayers should be respectful and relevant to our situation, circumstance, or need, or the needs of others.  Our prayers should not be merely  words which we recite.  Let us not be guilty of saying the same thing to The Lord God every time that we pray.  Let us be sincere, honest, and truthful when we pray.  Let us mean what we say, and let us be careful what we ask for.  The effective fervent prayer of the righteous is productive and fruitful. (James 5:6)  God hears the prayers of the righteous. (Proverbs 15:29)

Prayer Is Powerful And Effective

"Is any one of you in trouble?  He should pray.  Is anyone happy?  Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of The Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; The Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."  James 5:13-16 (NIV)

James, the half brother of Jesus who became a pillar in the early Church and was known as "James, the Just", told the people that there was power in prayer.  He said that they should pray for themselves, and they should pray for one another.  He also said that prayer can lead to the sick and the sinful being healed.  He told them that the prayers of the righteous, the believers, are powerful and effective.

As believers we know that when we pray, we are talking to The Lord God.  We have been told and encouraged to pray, and to pray often. (Matthew 6:6, Luke 18:1, and 1 Thessalonians 5:17)  We also should pray for one another. (James 5:16)  We know that God hears and answers our prayers. (Proverbs 15:29 and Isaiah 65:24)  At times, we suffer and do without because we do not ask God for what we want.  We have not, because we ask not. (John 16:24)  If we sincerely ask for something, in the name of Jesus, which will glorify The Lord God, He will give it to us. (John 14:13-14)  If we truly delight in Him, in His Word, and in His way, He will give us the desires of our hearts. (Psalms 37:4)  The sincere fervent prayers of the righteous are powerful and they are effective.