Effectual Prayer
James 5:16b, KJV, Amplified Bible, NEB, Moffatt’s, NLT
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].
A good man’s prayer is powerful and effective.
The prayers of the righteous have a powerful effect.
The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results.
Since James was a part of the household in which Jesus was born, I sit up and take notice to what he writes. He lived with Jesus 24/7, as he grew up. He heard and absorbed the words Jesus spoke, whether he knew who he was or not, at that time. Words are powerful and lodge in your mind and eventually in your spirit and become a part of you.
So, listen up, everyone! James says that our prayers as righteous people produce powerful results. Yet so many Christians feel like they can’t pray like the preacher in the pulpit or the intercessor who spends hours a day in prayer. You and I as “ordinary” Christians have the same Jesus as our Savior and Lord, the same Holy Spirit residing on the inside of us. He is the One Who directs our prayers. It is not we who direct our prayers. Maybe your words don’t sound as eloquent as some others. So what! God does not analyze your every word. Talk with Him. Speak what He says. Speak His Word.
The first thing we must establish here is that you are righteous if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior. You have right standing with God. You have His ear open to your requests. He has given you rights in His Kingdom. One of those rights is prayer, communication with Him, and results being produced from that communication.
What is effectual prayer? The Greek word used here is energeo. Do you see an English word in this? Of course you do. The word is energy. Your prayer as God’s child is energizing, producing God’s results, working and operating in His Kingdom with His Word, by the Holy Spirit of God. Yes, your prayer! Not your best friend’s or your pastor’s, but YOUR PRAYER!
I want to encourage you today. Pray, talk to God all the time. He wants to be your best friend. He loves to be with you and discuss your life. When you are washing dishes, taking out the trash, shopping, going to meetings, working in the office, cleaning house, taking care of children, having a date with your spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, God wants to be “in on it.” Talk to Him about everything. He is a good listener. But also you be a good listener when He wants to speak. He knows a whole lot more than you do. So do more listening than you do talking.
Your prayers are effective; they are mighty; they work; they produce results. According to Webster’s 1828 Dictionary, effectual means producing the effect desired or intended or having adequate power or force to produce the effect. Wow! Look at that! Mighty man or woman of God, when you pray, your prayers produce the effect desired. God has given you His power to produce the effect intended. Believe in yourself as much as God does. Know that your prayers are powerful. Receive God’s encouragement and know that your Godly prayers are producing results. Believe it! Receive it! Have it!