How Powerful are Prayers?
Barbara Henderson
Today there are dilemmas, traumas, and
terrors happening to the people of God and the people of the entire world. There are prayers going up all the time, but
it often seems our prayers go unanswered or barely answered. What is going on in your life today that
needs an answered prayer? What is going
on in a friend’s life, or even a nation’s existence that needs answered
prayers? The fact is that God does
answer prayers. Often He uses people to
answer prayers. Occasionally He steps in
and answers prayers personally. Many
times God answers a prayer in a way that is unexpected. If we aren’t paying attention we might miss
God’s handiwork.
The truth is that the prayers of a
repentant Christian are powerful. Prayers change the lives of those praying for
the better. When prayers are answered
other people’s lives are changed for the better as well.
Let’s start with:
·
Confess
your sins
·
Repent
of your sins
·
Turn
from you sins
·
Continually
and passionately pray
·
Watch
for results.
‘Confess
your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.’
James 5:16
I personally take that verse to mean
we are to pray for forgiveness and to be ‘healed’ of our own sins. It may also mean physical healings. Either way confessions of sins and turning
from sin is required. Then the continued passionate prayer of
someone living according to God’s rules gets results!
Elijah and Elisha are interesting
characters to say the very least. You
know the stories. Elijah was a mighty
prophet for God Almighty. He trained Elisha to take his place when his time on
earth was over. Then Elijah went up to
heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha was broken
hearted to see Elijah leave to go up to heaven. He was going to miss his friend
and mentor. He was also afraid for
Israel. Elijah’s prayers were more
powerful than the horsemen and chariots of Israel. Elisha knew the battles all belonged to the
Lord.
‘And
Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the
chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he
took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.’
2 Kings 2:12
Regarding this verse Matthew Henry
says, ‘Elijah was to Israel, by his counsels, reproofs, and prayers, better
than the strongest force of chariot and horse, and kept off the judgments of
God.’
Years later Elisha also died.
‘Now
Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of
Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof.’ 2 Kings 13:14
Elisha had asked for a double portion
of Elijah’s spirit when Elijah went up to heaven. Years passed. By the time
Elisha was an old man the King of Israel called Elisha more powerful than the
horsemen and chariots of Israel.
There you have it. Two men of God each called more powerful than
horsemen and chariots because of their prayers during their lifetime.
Now, here we are today. Where is the Elijah or Elisha for today? I am not talking about prophets as of old,
but people willing to do God’s work with their entire heart. In the Bible we are told of Isaiah. He saw the need for someone to do the Lord’s
work. And he said,
‘Also
I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.’ Isiah 6:8
Today, most of us are not called or
even going to be called to go out anywhere beyond or normal physical boundaries.
We are all called to surrender to the Lord and wait to see what He calls us to
do for the most part. We can all know we are called to be obedient, thankful,
kind, and to pray for one another. We
are called to fill a need for our brothers and sisters in Christ if we
able.
A need we are able to fill in almost
every instance is to take a minute to pray for those in need. It needn’t be a long prayer, or a prayer
filled with fancy words heard by others.
Our prayers need to be prayed with a repentant and sincere heart.
Today in addition to the turmoils and
traumas going on in our own lives and the lives of those around us, there are
Christian brethren who are literally fighting for their lives, their families,
their homes, and even the place where they have lived for generations. We need to pray for them. The governments of the world have utterly
forsaken them. ISIS is slaughtering
Christians without even any comments from world governments. The only thing I have heard from governments
is the lie that Islam is a religion of peace.
Apparently those in political power cannot read history books. Islam is
only a religion of peace until they are strong enough to go out and slaughter those
who tell them the truth that Islam is one way to hell.
Seriously, it appears hopeless for the
brethren in Islamic terrorties. This is
the time for Christians to remind themselves that:
·
The
‘effectual fervent prayers of the righteous availeth much’.
·
The
prayers of Elijah were more powerful than the horsemen and chariots of Israel
·
The
prayers of Elisha were more powerful than the horsemen and chariots of Israel
·
The
battle belongs to the Lord
And
·
Prayer
changes things.
There is no time like the present to
plead with our God to help the brethren in need.
Now is the time to pray sort of like
Isiah,
‘Here am I Lord. Strengthen me to pray for those in need.’
For a better idea of those who need
your prayers read this article.
Christian army begs Obama for help
crushing ISIS
