The verse we look at is from the Gospel of James 5:16b. We have it in 3 versions.
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. (version NLT)
For tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer! (version TPT)
The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. (version AMPC)
We need to be righteous for our prayers to be effective.
We need to believe in our hearts that our righteousness comes from Jesus Christ.
From the earlier part of this verse, we read that we need to be truly repentant, confessing our sins and praying for others. Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. ( verse James 5:16a)
In verse 17, we see it mentioned that Elijah, was a person like us, yet his prayers to stop the rain were answered. It did not rain for 3 years and 6 months. Elijah was a human being with a nature such as we have [with feelings, affections, and a constitution like ours]; and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months.
Yet again, his prayers for it to rain were also answered. Read 1 Kings 18:41-45. We see that seven times, Elijah’s servant went to look for clouds. Six times, although the servant did not notice the cloud, Elijah persevered in prayer. His prayer was fervent and continuous.
Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go get something to eat and drink, for I hear a mighty rainstorm coming!” So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees. Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look. Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’” And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.
We read many instances of fervent prayer being answered in the Bible, in modern days, in our day to day lives. Hannah’s prayers for a son, God blessed her with Samuel who became a prophet. God granted the prayers of King Hezekiah and extended his life, although his days were numbered, although his days were numbered. All the mighty revivals had their seed in the fervent prayers of a few individuals.
Here is a good testimony website where you can read about great answers to prayers happening around the globe regularly at https://www.increase.global/
What are you going to passionately pray for? For your personal needs? To see heaven on earth?
