A powerful weapon

James 5:13-20

 

 

As we read this last segment of James 5 I wonder if we truly believe what it says.  Think of a time when you were in trouble.  What was the first thing that you did in response to that trouble?  What about your second or third response?  Was one of them prayer?  I hope for all of us that prayer would be a natural response to trouble.  Some of us are fix it people, some are head in the sand kind of people and some of us just want to go and hide altogether when it comes to trouble.  However, when we go into battle whether it be a small or big one we need to be ready.  Our “armour” shouldn’t be too far away.  Paul talks of the Armour of God in Ephesians 6.  Once you get through all the pieces of armour that you are to put on what is the final thing he says?  “…Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for the saints” (Eph 6:18)  After the armour we are to pray, pray and pray.  Prayer is a powerful weapon in a believer’s hand.  Do we really use it?  Whether you are a believer in the God of the Bible or not at some time in your life you have probably prayed.  However, we need to think about who we are praying to.    A verse that keeps crossing my path these days in one way or another is Ephesians 3:20.  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us…” Not only do we serve and love a God who answers our prayers in accordance with His will but He goes above and beyond that.  The words “exceedingly” and “abundantly” are not describing someone who just does the bare minimum to get by but Someone who can blow your mind and can answer your prayer request in a way that you could never dream about. Stop and think about that for a moment.

Did you really stop and take time to think????

Last night we had some friends over and they were telling us about a recent flight that MAF did for an organization who takes teams into war torn and suffering communities and ministers to them both physically and spiritually.  If you didn’t know the people who were telling these stories you would think they were made up.  However, God is doing an amazing work, the lame are walking again and the blind are seeing.  As our friend said last night some of the stories sound like something straight out of the pages of the New Testament.  God is still in the business of answering our prayers but are we bold enough to pray those big prayers.

In our James passage verse 16B says “…The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” (NLT).  Are we earnest in our prayers or do we just flippantly send a prayer skywards hoping it gets God’s attention?  Some words that describe earnest are deep, intense and sincere.  Does that describe our prayer lives?  Maybe some of us need to make an adjustment.

Prayer is not just asking things of God and hoping that He will do something about it but it is also a time just to praise Him for who He is.  When we know who we are talking to and know His character it brings Him more alive in our lives.  We trust Him more, we talk to Him more, we involve Him in our lives more and we have a heart that is full of thankfulness. 

I encourage you to click on the following link Names and Attributes of God from the website of the Navigators.  Read through the list.  What name or attribute did you need to be reminded of today in this season of your life? 

In 5:17 we are reminded that Elijah was just a man like us and yet he prayed two audacious prayers regarding rain.  God answered both of them.  Do we have that kind of faith in our God when we pray?  What is going on in your life right now that you need to take to the Lord in prayer, believing that you are talking to a God who answers?  He might just blow your mind away at what He will do if you are willing to take that daring step.