Today’s Scripture: James 5:16-18
…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.
Dr. Reuben Archer Torrey, an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer, told this story: “Up in a little town in Maine, things were pretty dead some years ago. The churches were not accomplishing anything. There were a few Godly men in the churches, and they said: ‘Here we are, only uneducated laymen; but something must be done in this town. Let us form a praying band. We will all center our prayers on one man. Who shall it be?’ They picked out one of the hardest men in town, a hopeless drunkard, and centered all their prayers upon him. In a week, he was converted. They centered their prayers upon the next hardest man in town, and soon he was converted. Then they took up another and another, until within a year, two or three hundred were brought to God, and the fire spread out into all the surrounding country….”
This story, told by Dr. Torrey, underscores the truth that God answers prayers. James, in our opening scripture, encourages us to be confident in our capacity to pray effectively. It was J. Hudson Taylor, who said, “The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God’s standing challenge, ‘Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.’” (Jeremiah 33:3)
Prayer is not a petition from a desperate man to an unwilling God. The truth is, God is ever willing to answer our prayers. Our God is referred to in Psalm 46:1 as a ‘very present help in trouble.’ God “did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all; how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). We only need to ask. John said, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His Will, He hears us.” 1 John 5:14
It is time to take your issues to the Lord in prayers, confident that He will answer you. If you will boldly approach the throne of grace today with your prayers, you will surely return with testimonies, in Jesus’ name.
Memorise & Meditate:
“O You who hear prayer, to You all flesh will come.” Psalm 65:2
Prayer/Confession:
Father I thank you today for revealing to me the power in my prayer. I am grateful that you are ever willing to answer my prayers. Teach me Father to pray according to Your Will as revealed in Your word.
