Do you remember the first time you heard James 5:16? “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Chances are, this promise brought great relief as you learned that God’s great power is available through the simple exercise of prayer.
Now think for a moment about the first people who ever heard these words. The scattered believers who initially received James’ letter were living in difficult times. Persecution forced them to flee from their homes. They found refuge in foreign lands that eventually became as hostile to their faith as the place they left. The letter indicates that rich and powerful men oppressed them, even putting some to death. In addition to all the trouble they faced from the culture, there were wars and fights within the congregation. No wonder as James writes to these discouraged and defeated saints, he reminds them of the power of prayer.
History knows James as the pastor and leader of the church in Jerusalem. His peers nicknamed him “James the Just.” According to the historian Eusebius, the church members at Jerusalem had a different nickname for him. They called him “Old camel knees.” James spent so much time kneeling in prayer that his knees developed calluses and resembled the knobby knees of a camel. So, when James wrote on prayer, he wrote as someone who practiced what he preached.
James reveals that prayer has two kinds of power. The word availeth refers to “inherent strength.” It is the power that makes something sufficient for its task. It is latent power waiting to be unleashed. (Think of gasoline stored in a tank.) The word effectual gives us the English word “energy.” It refers to power of something in use—its effect. (Think of gasoline burning in an engine.) James wants us to know that prayer has enormous power, but it must be activated and unleashed.
I grew up in the oil patches of West Texas. The land is rough and rugged. Vegetation won’t grow, and animals can’t survive. For thousands of years, it was considered some of the most useless land in the world. That all changed in 1920 when a leasing agent for the Texas and Pacific Land Trust discovered petroleum in the Permian Basin. Since then, West Texas oil has fueled our nation for over one hundred years. There was an ocean of power beneath the surface, waiting for someone to tap into it.
There is an ocean of power in prayer, but someone has to tap into it. When we pray, the untapped power of God becomes the unleashed power of God. How powerful is prayer? It is just as powerful as God. When a righteous person prays fervently in God’s will, latent power becomes effective.
When we pray, the untapped power of God becomes the unleashed power of God
Prayer fuels Bible study and preaching. Prayer fuels soul-winning and discipleship. Prayer fuels the mighty engine of the local church. If there is a power shortage in our lives or churches, we can trace it to a failure to pray.
Hannah prayed and got a baby. Joshua prayed, and the sun stood still. Abraham’s servant prayed, and Isaac got a wife. Jonah prayed, and a whale got indigestion. Daniel prayed, and lions got lockjaw. Esther prayed and saved a nation. Elijah prayed, and it didn’t rain. Three years later, he prayed again, and it rained. Paul and Silas prayed, escaped jail, and led the jailer to Christ the same night.
If prayer could do all that for them, what could it do for you? What marriage could it restore? What prodigal could it bring home? What family member could it save? What city could it shake? What nation could it revive? Prayer can do anything God can do, but we have to pray.
I once heard a story of a father and son riding bikes together. They came to a place in the trail where a large tree trunk was impeding their path. Instead of going around it, the father used it as a teachable moment. They got off their bikes, and the father said, “I want you to move that tree trunk.” The boy pushed and gave it all he had, but he couldn’t move it. The father said, “I want you to try again.” So the boy did it again. The father asked, “Son, try again. Be sure to use all your strength.” The boy tried for the third time. By this time, tears were pouring down his face. “I’m sorry, Dad. I just can’t do it.” The father asked, “Son, did you use all your strength?” He said, “Yes.” The father responded, “No, you didn’t. Because you didn’t ask me for help.”
Many believers are frustrated and discouraged because they are trying to move an obstacle that will not move. They are trying hard and giving their best effort, but it’s not moving. Remember that your greatest strength is not your intelligence, finances, or problem-solving ability. Your greatest strength is not even your faith. Your greatest strength is your heavenly Father, and in many cases, He’s just waiting for you to ask.
What obstacle in your life needs the power of prayer? Start tapping into God’s power today.
