Here is a Bible example of someone like you, James will say. He prayed just like you do. The power of our words given to God is what James is wanting us to see.
He is closing down his letter and he does so by looking at the words we use. He has called us to pray, to sing, to call upon the leaders of the church, to confess your sins and to pray for each other. Now he gives us the example.
“Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5 v 17-18)
You may still be trusting God for something that is close to your heart; a desire of your heart; a sickness to be healed; some trouble to lift. Sometimes we begin to lose hope. But the “prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” and James speaking to a Jewish audience brings in the 4th of their Old Testament heroes- Elijah.
We find this amazing story in 1 Kings 16: 33 and 17:1 – “Ahab also made an Asherah pole and did more to arouse the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, than did all the kings of Israel before him … Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
Elijah, James and the people hearing this letter also knew the following: “So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— 14 then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. 15 I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. 16 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you.” (Deuteronomy 11: 13-17)
God had promised it but it did not automatically happen. It was waiting to be activated by prayer.
James says Elijah prayed earnestly. A Jewish way of saying he prayed hard. He prayed and prayed. He prayed intensely. He prayed powerfully. He prayed directly.
Elijah a) knew God; b) knew God’s promises and c) knew God’s will for this occasion. These are the keys for the power of prayer.
“And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” 44 The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’” 45 Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46 The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.” (1 Kings 18:41-46)
You may be a king, but you are certainly going to obey the prophet who calls down fire from heaven and has killed 850 false prophets.
You may not hear a thing, but if the prophet says he’s heard a sound of heavy rain, then that’s good enough for you.
Who heard the sound? Not the king. Not the servant boy. It was just Elijah.
Elijah heard the sound in his spirit. God was speaking to him of what He was going to do. Why did Elijah pray? Because he heard the sound of rain coming.
It wasn’t because the king and the boy had faulty hearing. Elijah heard within.
He heard in his spirit. He knew God was moving again. It was then he began to pray and pray.
Have you heard the sound? Do you believe God is moving in your situation and life? Then this is now the time more than at any other time, to pray. It may be a promise in God’s Word that He has given you or a sound in your spirit that won’t go away. But you know you know you know! God is moving and so now more than ever is the time to pray!!
Missions Paul 