Powerfully Effective Prayer

The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.
- James 5:16 (Webster's Bible Translation)

Note the words "powerfully effective". Webster's translation (and the Tamil Bible) has put this very clearly. There is something different about the insistent prayer of a righteous person. It is a powerful prayer. It is highly effective. How do we do this?

1. What is prayer?

Prayer is a conversation with God. It is more than just talking to Him, or asking from Him. It also involves listening to Him. Prayer is a channel through which we receive His will for us and His blessings.

2. Why pray?

First, we need to pray to renew our spirit. In order to live our spiritual life and to overcome the flesh, prayer is vital.

Secondly, we are called to be co-workers with Christ.

"Without God we cannot; without us He will not" - Author unknown

One of the interesting things about the way God works is that, He has restricted himself to work through His people. He has chosen to work through our eyes, our lips, our hands and our legs! By our unwillingness we can stop God's work. By not asking of Him, many blessings can get blocked. By our prayerlessness, many could stand to miss their salvation. Let us not be slack concerning prayer!

3. Effective, fervent, righteous

How to pray effectively? Start with obedience. Are we living according to His will? Prayer from a sinful heart is detestable to God (Read Psalms 66:16-20, Proverbs 28:9). Confess your sins. Get forgiven.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Cor. 5:21

Put on the righteousness that is ours through Jesus Christ. God hears the prayer of a righteous man. Once you're made righteous through Christ, move on ...

Pray with faith, from a sincere heart. Give your best time for prayer. Not when you're tired at the end of the day. Whichever period of time you'll be fresh, spend a little of that freshness praying to God. Be focussed while praying, don't be distracted by what you need to do later, or what you did previously, or any other thing ...

Let's not restrict prayer to just a particular period of the day. Pray while reading the Word. Rather than reading a whole chapter or a whole portion, and then praying, pray as you read. Pray while you brush your teeth. Pray while you commute to work.

Integrate prayer into day-to-day activities.

The things that we pray for will surely be granted to us if ... read John 15:7,8. The second part of that portion has the key, which is easy to miss. If we ask for anything that will bring glory to our Father, it will surely be done. It is that simple! Let's be unselfish when we ask. Examine the intentions of our heart for all the things we ask. Are we asking for our own pleasure, or are we asking so that God's name is glorified? Even our personal needs like buying a bike, a car, a house, a piece of land, a jewellery item, clothes, ... will those bring glory to God?

And finally, for effective praying, pray expecting that God listens and that He answers.

4. Need righteousness, not perfection!

In the verses following James 5:16, we read about a prayer warrior: Elijah. He single-handedly opposed the prophets of Baal and beheaded hundreds of them. The next moment he was running away from the wicked queen. He went from a bold proclamation of God's greatness to a cowardly request to God to take his life immediately! Elijah was by no means perfect. But when he prayed earnestly God answered Him powerfully.

Likewise, let's not wait for the day when we'll become perfect, but go boldly before God, putting on Christ's righteousness. Our prayers would then be powerfully effective! What if ALL our prayers become POWERFULLY EFFECTIVE?