The power of prayer

If you have been praying in your life for any reason you may look at it in various ways. Some simple prayers may get answered. Some deep needful prayers may not get answered. Oftentimes, when we look at our prayer life we wonder if it is effective at all. Some answers may seem like circumstances more than an answer. Some answers may not be what we wanted. Then some answers occasionally can be way more than expected and full of blessings. Prayer nonetheless is required of us to communicate our needs and desires to God on a very regular basis.

The book of James has a lot to say about prayer and conduct for Christians it is a guide to many things one passage is important to know in your prayer life:

James 5: 14 (KJV) Is any sick among you? 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 shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

The key term here is “avail” which means benefit or helps much. James shows us that our prayers can benefit us and others when they are effective and fervent. Fervent itself is a powerful word. It is usually used to describe heat or glowing. So if your prayer is heated or passionate it can benefit you and others much. In James 5 we can see that it can head sickness and forgive people of their sins. Both are powerful threats to a person in this life and can cause death. It is possible that we have prayed for others to be healed but did we ever pray that they be forgiven of their sins?

It is inspiring to see how prayer done the right way can benefit us and others much. So how can this be done?

Prayer is something that should not be done lightly or more importantly just out of ritual, It is something that should be a deep and truthful communication with God the Father. It is how you feel, how you see God and how you want His will to be done. Knowing that whatever answer is given, that you are faithful to him. Even if that answer takes a while or is ‘no.’ We still have to pray to him knowing he can do His will above all things and His will is above all things.

So next time you pray, do it with a burning or passion for what you are praying for, not just because you know you need to pray about it. Also know that in that passion you can benefit you or the others in ways that nothing else can.

Your Brother in Christ,

Steve Koenig

Lakeshore Fellowship