God Honors Fervent Prayer

Elijah was a man of like nature with our ourselves and he prayed fervently. (James 5:17a)

Jas. 5:13-18 and 2:14-17; I Kgs. 18:21-39; Ps. 91:14-15; Jer. 29:13; Mk. 11:24; I Jn. 3:22

What Is God Saying?

James speaks directly about prayer and testifies to its power. His message is about practical things. He gets to the point. It bothered him if a person took salvation as God's gift and then was uninterested in doing anything about it. If our hearts are changed, our lives will be changed. It makes a difference. To James, it was vital to question the reality of faith that does not issue in works (Jas. 2:14-17). He says, ‘Be doers of the word, not hearers only’ (Jas. 1.22). He calls loving one's neighbor ‘the royal law’ (Jas. 2:8).

James is always practical, always getting to the point. He penetrates facades of pretence, hypocrisy and false superiority. Prayer is a practical necessity and a powerful tool. ‘The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effect’ (Jas. 5:16b). Elijah prayed fervently and through his fervent prayer, something happened.

How Does This Apply To Us?

We are not to be overpowered by the awesome figure of Elijah, as if he did great miracles. The fact is that God did the miracles. Elijah did the praying. The greatness was God's power. Elijah trusted in His power. We are of like nature with Elijah. We have the same God who is willing to act in response to fervent prayer. Our enemies may have changed their names and their tactics, but the powers of evil are still with us, and God is still with us. He is able to put our enemies to flight. He can bring us victory. Elijah for all his greatness, is ‘of like nature with ourselves,’ yet he and the enemies around him saw the triumph of God.

Pray With Me

Lord, You are willing to hear and sure to respond when honest prayer is spoken. With Elijah, I lift the earnest and believing prayer. Being of like nature with Elijah, I would follow the same path and trust that the same God will still answer the prayer of faith. Help me not to be deceived into thinking that Elijah, of himself, is much greater than I have any hope of being. I would build on this truth—Elijah's God is my God. Can a few thousand years exhaust the power of the eternal God? Are you weary, O patient, infinite Love? Can the deep wells of Your grace ever be drained? Never-never-never.

Help me to believe this, Lord. I want to be done with discouragement and doubt. I would no longer hesitate in fear before the door that waits only to be opened by the honest knock of faith. I would enter now to the glory of Your kingdom, for Your kingdom is now and its glory is near. It is foolish to envy Elijah's power while failing to use Elijah's prayer. As Elijah had a nature like mine, so I may have prayer like his. Then I will discover the truth that it is not his righteousness, his virtues, his strengths and merits, but the fervent prayer of a righteous man to God that has great power in its effects.

To the glory and honor of Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Moving On In The Life of Prayer

If our prayers become routine, we need to look again at Elijah. He was a man of like nature with ourselves. Too often we view and use prayer as a last resort. Since nothing else is working, we may tell ourselves, Let's try prayer. Prayer is the best place to start. It is the first place to turn. It is not a last resort. It is our greatest privilege and it draws upon inexhaustible resources.