We are still talking prayer here! We are at DAY #8, of the “Loving to Talk to God” 2022 Bible Memory Challenge. Pick up the Memory Verse List here if you need it.
I have really enjoyed studying all these verses on prayer in preparation for this Challenge. It has reminded me once again of what a wonderful thing prayer can be.
Prayer & Power
Today our thought about prayer is, Prayer is powerful. It can do so much!
DAY #8 MEMORY VERSE
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
Prayer is powerful
Our memory verse for today comes from James 5. This is another one of those practical help books in the Bible. James is giving us some great things to hold on to while we go about the Christian life. We will be learning another verse from this chapter before the end of our Memory Challenge.
This verse in James is just packed full of so many good things. I’m mostly going to concentrate on that last part, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. Availeth. Prayer is powerful! Prayer is effective!
Whose Prayer?
Whose prayer does this verse say is going to avail or benefit us? The prayer of a righteous man. A righteous man is one that is right with God. He is one that continually confesses his sins to God. He is one that abides by God’s Word.
Did you ever tell your kids, “Just be good till I get back”? When I think about a righteous man, that’s what I think he is doing. He is being good till Jesus comes back. He is a good Christian. He is obedient to the Lord.
What Kind of Prayer?
And what kind of prayer does it say avails much, or in other words, gets results? The “effectual fervent prayer” of that righteous man.
This is not the “Lord, bless this grub” or “Now I lay me down to sleep” kind of prayer.
No. This is a prayer that is heartfelt. This is a prayer that is earnest. This is a prayer that is sincere. This is a prayer that is persistent. This is a prayer that is passionate.
A fervent prayer is from the heart.
What Kind of Result from Prayer?
Well, that’s just it. This kind of prayer gets results. “Much” results. The kind of prayers our memory verse is talking about gets powerful things done.
One of the first examples of this that comes to my mind is Hannah’s prayer in the Bible found in 1 Samuel 1:10-11. Wow! Now that’s a heartfelt prayer and it got powerful results. This woman had not been able to bear children, but God blessed her with a son after her prayer. Her whole story is in 1 Samuel chapters 1 and 2, if you really want to see what God did there.
Next, I’ll mention David, because if you know me. He’s my favorite. Look at some of those prayers he prayed when he went through his struggles. They were indeed from the heart. And God heard David. There are so many passages in Psalms where David is thanking God for hearing him when he was in some precarious places. I always remember that verse in Psalm 120.
In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me. Psalm 120:1
That verse always reminds me that God heard David and He will hear me too.
God can do some amazing things through the prayers of His people. Fig trees can obey, and mountains can be moved as we saw on DAY #2 of our Challenge. Temptation can be avoided as we talked about on DAY #4. Hearts can become more attentive to the Gospel. Loved ones can be saved. People can be healed physically and emotionally. The evil of the world can get pushed back a notch. Satan’s plans can be foiled.
There is no limit to the power of God and the prayers of His people.
But this only happens because we have such a powerful God in the first place. God is strong. God is mighty. We can rely on Him for strength and to answer our prayers.
I hope this memory verse encourages you on our “Loving to Talk to God” journey we are taking through this Memory Challenge.
Okay, I hope you will share with me and my followers by leaving a comment. Have any powerful answers to prayer lately (or anytime) that you would like to share? Have a perspective on today’s memory verse you want to share? Or let me know if you are enjoying the Challenge this year. Please leave a reply.
Have a lovely day,
Julia
2022 Bible Memory Challenge
- 2022 Memory Verse List
- DAY #1 Prayer & Priorities
- DAY #2 Prayer & Faith
- DAY #3 Prayer & Access
- DAY #4 Prayer & Temptation
- DAY #5 Prayer & Boldness
- DAY #6 Prayer & Dedication
- DAY #7 Prayer & Conversation
- DAY #8 Prayer & Power (You are here!)
- DAY #9 Prayer & Relief
- DAY #10 Prayer & Intimacy
- DAY #11 Prayer & Possibilities
- DAY #12 Prayer & Agreement
- DAY #13 Prayer & Contentment
- DAY #14 Prayer & Connection
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