THE POWER OF PRAYER
(First part)
Memory verse: (JAMES 5: 16-18) “ 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 ”
Prayer is the greatest weapon God gave to believers. The scripture teaches that the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. We don’t see much accomplished by the church just because we don’t pray earnestly. When righteous men pray miracles happen. When righteous men pray hearts of men are touched by God‘s power. When righteous men pray, Heaven is summoned to act on earth in the affairs of men. When we pray, God’s power begins to affect the things that happen in our churches, families, Governments etc.
If you are going to see things change in your life, family, then begin to pray earnestly. There are men and women who walked on this face of the earth and discovered this secret weapon and used it properly and mighty things were accomplished. They discovered the key that opens the gates of heaven. They found a way to access the presence of God. Doors were opened to them into the secrets of the living God. Barren women like Hannah could never accept what her situation dictated. Doctors confirmed she could not have children, all people confirmed the same thing, but Hannah knew of a God in heaven who could do what was impossible and she knew the method of how to get results from Him, she engaged in an intense prayer and an answer came. Remember Jacob who had struggled for about sixty years to make a sound living but to no avail until one night he wrestled with God through the night. That night he determined not to let God go until he blessed him and change his condition. That night marked a new beginning for this patriarch, his name was changed, he himself was transformed, and the door to his destiny flung open and from that day hell could not stop him.
Only eternity can give the whole details of the mighty men and women of prayer like Moses, Joshua, Daniel, David, Samuel, Isaiah, Elijah, Ezekiel, John the Baptist, Our Lord Jesus, the apostles who accomplished great feats by the power of prayer etc. The church of today is guilty of the greatest sin of prayerlessness. If all we see around in the world is what Satan is doing not God, then its evident the church has given up our heavenward calling of prayer.
Tomorrow we will learn about ‘Prayer brings Revival’
