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| Icon of James called James the Just, James the Righteous and James the brother of God wikipedia image |
He covers dealing with trials and temptations.
He gives instructions for proper listening and speaking and controlling anger.
He forbids favoritism and promotes loving one's neighbor, extending mercy, showing one's faith through good deeds, controlling the tongue, displaying humility, walking in godly wisdom, being a peacemaker, and living in submission to God.
He warns against boasting and oppressing the weak and the poor.
He also encourages patience through hard times and the absolute avoidance of swearing.
And finally, in chapter 5, using the prophet Elijah as his example, he teaches on prayer, which is my focus in this blog.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. James 5:16b-18
Aspects of Prevailing Prayer
1. Prevailing Prayer is Fervent. It is an energetic (working, active, powerful) exercise. It requires sincere concern for the accomplishment of God's will.
... he prayed earnestly (pleaded)
2. Prevailing Prayer requires a Righteous Person. The one praying must be one whose thoughts, feelings and actions are wholly conformed to the will of God. A righteous man is righteous because he has confessed his sins, been forgiven, and lives by faith in God. When he prays, he prays according to the knowledge of God’s will gained from His written Word and through revelations from His Spirit.
I realize that some Christians believe praying according to God's will is a cop out. They think it leaves one free to excuse unanswered prayers as "not God's will." Well, it does open that door because God usually only answers prayers if they are prayed in agreement with His will.
3. Prevailing Prayer Avails. It always produces extraordinary results which are only possible as a result of the intervention of God. Why? Because prayer made according to God’s will always accomplishes God’s plans.
...it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
In this story from the Book of Kings, God sent a three year drought as a punishment for their wickedness and God was ready to let it rain again at the end of the three years.
He led Elijah to pray for rain so that the unbelievers would see Elijah's relationship with God was genuine and that God was the giver of the rain. (And, also as a confirmation for believers that the rain was from God.)
God was demonstrating His power through His prophet. He delights in working through His people and in revealing His benevolent nature to mankind.
For more details, read the entire story found in 1 Kings chapters 17 and 18.
According to James, effective prayer always flows out of a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit Who reveals and then fulfills God’s will in this world in general and in our lives in particular.
Julian of Norwich claimed she received this same principle from the Lord, "I am the ground of your beseeching: first it is my will that you have it, and then I make you desire it, and after I make you beseech it; how should it then be that you should not have your beseeching?"
What an encouraging word!
If we want answered prayers we should always seek to pray according to His will.
After all, He knows best!
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