Power Praying

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

James 5:16-18

Prayer has power, and prayer produces an effect. Prayer is the means by which the power of heaven is moved into the circumstances of earth.

James expects his readers to know the story of Elijah. He expects his readers to see that this is a synopsis of the story, not two sentences that stand alone. If you were to read these two sentences without putting them in their bigger setting, it might sound as if Elijah one day decided that a drought would be a good idea and began to ask God for it. This was not the case.

The story to which James is referring is found in 1 Kings 17, where a prophet named Elijah first comes on the scene. He presents himself before wicked King Ahab and pronounces himself the ambassador coming from his King—the Lord God. He gives Ahab his King’s pronouncement. It will not rain on the land until Elijah’s King says it will.

James says that Elijah prayed that it would not rain. Was Elijah trying to convince God? Trying to influence God to carry out Elijah’s plan? No, Elijah prayed because he knew that prayer is the conduit through which God’s power flows. God, having revealed his intention to Elijah, was calling Elijah to pray.

Then, James says, Elijah prayed for the drought to end. God revealed to Elijah that he was ready to end the drought, and Elijah cooperated with God by praying—again bringing the power of heaven to bear on the circumstances of earth.

God promises that our prayers are not in vain. He promises that our praying, in cooperation with his work on the earth, has great power and produces wonderful results.

Father, may the Spirit of prayer move in me, aligning my heart with yours.

In the first place, it is not our prayers that move the Lord Jesus, but the Lord Jesus who moves us to pray.

Ole Hallesby(1879–1961), Norwegian pastor and writer