WE HAVE TO PRAY FOR AMERICA! ONLY THE PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS CAN SAVE THIS NATION (AND ANY OTHER NATION)
PRAY EFFECTIVELY
James 5:16-18 - Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. 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.
#1. THE PRAYER OF FAITH IS EFFECTIVE PRAYER
1 Kings 18:41 - Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
THE PRAYER OF FAITH CALLS THOSE THINGS THAT BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE…
Abraham was Elijah’s father in the faith and Elijah learned how to pray in faith and get results from Abraham – Abraham prayed the prayer of faith and received his promised son at one hundred years old. God taught Abraham to pray the prayer of faith – Abraham knew that God called those things that be not as though they were by faith, He said, “Light be”, and light was, and so, God created the universe with words of faith.
God taught Abram that he could do the same, by praying in faith as He did when He created everything that was created – The Lord told Abram to change his name to Abraham, ‘Father of many nations’ – ABRAHAM began calling those things that were not as though they were by faith as God did… “I am the father of many nations, I am the father of many nations, I am the father of many nations!” – one year later Isaac was born.
When Elijah said to Ahab, “there is the sound of the abundance of rain”, he did not hear anything… he was calling those things that be not as though they were, as his father in the faith, Abraham did. Elijah’s persistent, fervent prayer of faith, calling those things that be not as though they were was successful and the drought was broken.
Pray the prayer of faith, calling those things that be not as though they were, speaking the promises of God into existence, and as you do, your world will be transformed!
#2. GRACE TOWARD ONE ANOTHER IS KEY TO EFFECTIVE PRAYER
When most people read James 5:16, they skip over the part, “Confess your faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed” and go straight to the part, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”, but, dealing with relational issues in the light of grace is a huge part in praying effectively, if it was not the case, it would not be connected to James’ teaching on prayer. Offences toward one another, broken relationships and unforgiveness hinder effective prayer – this is a New Covenant reality!
Confess (talk about) your faults (offenses and hurts) to one another, pray for one another, that you may be healed and make things right – THEN, your prayers will be effective, and will avail much.” In other words “Speak to one another about your faults, offences and hurts with humility, love and grace, that you may be healed in your relationships.”
1 Peter 3:7 (TPT) says, “Husbands, you in turn must treat your wives with tenderness, viewing them as feminine partners who deserve to be honored, for they are co-heirs with you of the “divine grace of life,” so that nothing will hinder your prayers.”
Amplified Bible says, “Show her honor and respect as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered or ineffective” – in other words, when we do not extend grace to our spouses and to others in the body of Christ, our prayers will be hindered.
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt (unedifying) word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers”
When James says that we need to talk about our faults, our offences and our hurts to one another that we may be healed, he was saying for us to fix things between ourselves and others in the light of grace, love and acceptance. Do not allow your prayers to be hindered because of broken relationships with family or fellow believers, contact them, talk about things and then, extend grace, love, forgiveness and acceptance… when you do your prayers will be stronger, and will bring about change, blessing and breakthrough, as Elijah’s prayers did.
#3. RIGHTEOUSNESS-CONSCIOUSNESS MAKES PRAYER EFFECTIVE
“The effective, fervent prayer of A RIGHTEOUS MAN avails much.”
SIN-CONSCIOUSNESS PRODUCES CONDEMNATION, AND CONDEMNATION UNWORTHINESS AND UNWORTHINESS STEALS AUTHORITY, FAITH AND BOLDNESS.
When you pray, pray in the light that you are the righteousness of God in Christ – use your righteousness in Christ to pray in faith and with great authority and you will have great results when you pray!
#4. PERSISTENT PRAYER IS EFFECTIVE PRAYER
1 Kings 18:42-45
42-43 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
44 Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.”
45 Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.
Elijah prayed the prayer of faith at least six times without seeing any results (in the natural). You will not always see the manifestation of what you are praying for the first time that you pray. In fact, you may pray many times without seeing any change in the natural. Persistence is the key! Elijah kept pressing in, praying the prayer of faith again and again, each time expecting to see his prayer bring the promise of God into manifestation.
The seventh time that he prayed he received a seemingly insignificant report… a cloud the size of a man’s hand – Elijah was so full of faith that he immediately called those things that were not as though they were AGAIN… , “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.” How many times did Elijah call those things that be not as though they were? Nobody knows for sure, but it was many, many times – after being persistent, it happened… the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.
Pray the prayer of faith, pray in unity with others having dealt with all offences and broken relationships, pray boldly and with authority as righteous men and woman of God, and pray persistently until you see the manifestation of your prayers! As you do, your land will be healed and you will live in the promised blessings of the Lord through answered prayer.
Blessings on you, Nick
