James, the half-brother of Jesus declared: “The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect” (James 5:16). In its beautiful old English, the King James Bible translates that sentence: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16, KJV).
To demonstrate his point, James mentions Elijah. The Prophet had stood in King Ahab’s court and declared, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, in whose presence I stand, there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!” (1 Kings 17:1).
That’s bold!
According to the Holy Spirit-inspired Word, Elijah declared God’s judgment after he had cried out to the Lord in prayer. “He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land” (James 5:17). He prayed. He believed. And then he faithfully declared, “there will be no dew or rain during these years except by my command!” (1 Kings 17:1).
What happened when Elijah prayed? God answered Elijah’s prayers and withheld the rain!
Three and a half years later, after the land was parched with draught, Elijah prayed again. Did he watch the nightly news and hear that thunderstorms were likely? No! On the day he prayed that God would send rain, there wasn’t the slightest hint of rain!
“Elijah went up to the summit of Carmel. He bent down on the ground and put his face between his knees. (Notice his humble posture as he prayed.) Then he said to his servant, ‘Go up and look toward the sea.’ So he went up, looked, and said, ‘There’s nothing’ ” (1 Kings 18:42-43). “Nothing.” Not a cloud in the sky!
Persistently, Elijah cried out to God! “Seven times” (1 Kings 18:44) he begged God for rain. “In a little while, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there was a downpour” (1 Kings 18:45). Wow!
Do you believe in the power of prayer?
Elijah was just a guy like me and you, but he prayed a bold and faithful prayer.
“The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain” (James 5:16-18).
“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).
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