onfess 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 5:16 (NKJ)
I love this verse from James – it gives us hope that our prayers can bring change; can demolish the strongholds of the enemy; can bring deliverance to the captives and open the eyes of those who are deceived. We all want to pray the kind of prayer that brings results! The word effective is ‘erergeo,’ which means “to put forth power, be operative, to work.” This verse speaks volumes on how to pray and get results.
First, confession: deal with those things in our lives that hinder us. Our sin can cloud our vision and dull our hearing so that we are not able to know or sense the will of God in our prayers. Confession clears the way and brings light into those things that are hidden in darkness, so that the enemy cn no longer use them against us, hindering our prayers. Why are we to confess to one another? Because confessing to a trusted friend or mentor makes us accountable. Hearing another person say the words ‘The Lord forgives you’ gives confirmation of the Lord’s mercy, kindness and the power of the cross.
1 Jn. 1:9: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJ) Thus, confession restores us to right standing with God. We are washed clean by the Blood and can then come boldly to the throne with our prayers.
Heb. 4:16: Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (NKJ)
We have already seen that the word ‘effective’ means to put forth power. Our prayers are empowered by the Holy Spirit as we allow Him to lead and guide us in the way we are to pray. He knows the mind of God and can guide and lead us in victorious, effective prayer.
Rom. 8:26: Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (NKJ)
The next ‘clue’ is the word ‘fervent’ – which means exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling – and another translation says ‘heartfelt.’ I remember when my daughter started a new school, she was quite shy and did not make friends easily. The third day she said she didn’t feel well and didn’t want to go to school. I asked her about school and she told me that during lunch she sat all alone an no one spoke to her. I felt her pain. I started to cry out to the Lord, asking Him to intervene. The next day, she came home all excited; girls had asked her to play and invited her to come over to their house; the Lord had heard my heartfelt prayer.
When we pray, we need to ask the Lord to show us His heart. When we see sin through the Lord’s loving eyes, we weep for the sinners and cry out for repentance and redemption in their lives, we ask the Lord to have mercy and bring the conviction of His Spirit to bear in them.
Lastly, it is the prayer of a righteous man that avails much. Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 5:21: ‘for He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’ (NKJ)
When that is happening in any parish, large or small, those biblical ‘one another’ passages take on a whole new meaning.
In Romans 3, the justification of righteousness is explained well “namely the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [And it is meant] for all who believe.” (The Amplified Bible)
Rom. 1:17: “For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, but the righteous shall live by faith.” (ASV) This verse tells us that the righteous live by faith, adding another element to bring forth effective prayer.
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.” (NKJ).
Heb. 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (NKJ) Faith gives substance to hope and hope without faith is wishful thinking. Abraham did not look at the age of his body but believed that God was faithful and would fulfill His promises.
We need to trust in the promises of God and by faith pray them into people’s lives. Our denomination needs us to pray that God will continue to sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (NKV)
Effective prayer is prayer that lines up with God’s will and purpose; is Spirit-led; prayed from a pure heart and in faith.
Jane Jones
National Prayer Coordinator
back to top of page
