Wednesday, February 17, 2016

PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE SERIES - THE BOOK OF JAMES, #12

METHODOLOGY CONCERNING: EFFECTIVE PRAYER
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16a).

When a righteous man (a saved person- male or female) prays, God hears and remembers. Even if the answer is to be sent from Heaven 20 years later, God has it. Conversely, scripture tells us that God will not listen to the prayer of an unrighteous man – unless that person is crying out to Him for forgiveness of sin, the first step to salvation. From the Word of God:

- But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear (Isaiah 59:2)
- Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him (John 9:31). 

As just an example, these two verses above prove that there is no doubt God will never listen to the "prayers" of the unsaved. However, God will not pay attention to a Christian who is out of fellowship either. That is, one who is currently going through a season of rebellion and is not praying or reading the Bible….or even attending church, on purpose. The Apostle Paul said “should I keep sinning that grace may abound? May it never be!” Think if the fuel injector in your car. If it is clogged by the impurities (sin) of the gasoline going in through it from the pump (the human), there is no way the internal combustion engine can function as was meant by the automaker.

Therefore, we must be free AND forgiven from current sin. We should never be like the person whom James talks about here in James 1:6-7 "
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord". 


So what about about the "effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man"? This is simple and here is what the Word of God through James really says about it: "the many and constant intensive prayer of a man or woman made whole (or righteous) by God can, will and always will accomplish much". Let us not minimize the power behind the word "accomplish" because the original biblical textual word implies energy and power behind this "accomplishment". This is the INTENT of the Christian who prays with power and the expectation that God will hear and respond, in like manner to the fulfillment of the prayer request.

Therefore, let us pray: "Father, in the Mighty Name of Jesus, first of all thank You that You resist the proud and giveth Grace to the Humble. Thank You that You are a good good God and Your patience, mercy, grace and compassion are long-suffering and full of love towards us. We confess all sin in our eyes, minds, thoughts, and speech and deed right now and ask that You search our hearts, minds and souls and see if there is any wicked ways within us and rout and root them out and lead us to the Paths of holiness, goodness and complete righteousness in our sanctification that We may be worthy of being in Your Holy Presence as we pray for others. And Lord, may these prayers be fervent and full of the fire of Jesus Christ through the Power of His Name and in the inspiration of the Holy Ghost that we may reach Thy Throne of Mercy and Grace to bring our supplications, petitions and prayers for those who need healing, for those who need comfort, for those who need love, understanding, food, shelter, work, a friend or a kind word today and always. Let our souls and hearts be aligned with Thy Heart, oh Great God of the Universe, that we may seek Thee more and more to accomplish the goal and task and calling of the elect, to which Thou hast set before us, to do in Thy perfect will, until that day, unto which Thou will bring us home. We love Thee, praise Thee and magnify and adore Thy Holy and precious Name, HaShem, in Jesus Strong Name, amen.


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