BERKLEY – World news has been littered with hype about the recent “Wedding of the Year” as Anant Ambani, son of the richest man in Asia, finally tied the knot. When the eleventh wealthiest person in the world plans a wedding for his son and sends out a nine-page dress code that guests like Tony Blair, Ivanka Trump, the Kardashians, and Mark Zuckerberg are all expected to adhere to, we smile.
When God Almighty details for His redeemed how they are to enter His presence, how much more should we eagerly comply. (And just to keep things in perspective, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb alone will far surpass the grandeur and significance of even the most extravagant earthly celebration.)
How we should come into His presence
Prayer has been a centerpiece of Christ’s church since its inception at Pentecost (Acts 2:42). The first Christians devoted themselves to the apostles teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Church leaders in Acts 6:4 opted out of personally meeting understaffed food service needs to devote themselves to their priorities- prayer and the ministry of the Word of God.
So, we too must be vigilant to maintain the priority of prayer in our ministries. But merely prioritizing prayer is not enough. It is vital that our prayers conform to Scripture in purity, in purpose, and in power. We come to the King of Kings on His terms.
James selects the prophet Elijah to illustrate three core prayer principles. A survey of Elijah’s ministry (I Kings 17-22 and 2 Kings 2:14) readily demonstrates how integral prayer was in this highly honored servant of Yahweh. Elijah did it right.
In I Kings 17 and 18:41ff God uses Elijah to communicate to King Ahab that it will stop raining (a critical concern for an agrarian-based economy) and only start again when God wills. James tells us that this was done by Elijah’s righteous prayers. Next, Elijah prays, and a widow’s son is raised from the dead. Elijah then confronts 850 false prophets and is victorious through answered prayer.
Although James mentions prayer throughout chapter five, the culmination of his exhortation on this topic and his reference to Elijah’s example is found embedded in verses 14-20. From these four verses we find three essential elements for potent, Elijah-like praying:
Pray in Purity (verses 15-16A)
Pray God’s Promises (verses 17-18)
Pray in Power (verses 16B)
Pray in Purity
Before stating a famous verse about powerful praying in James 5:16, James explains the only acceptable context for prayer is purity. He calls on God's people to confess their sin to one another.
Prayer that pleases God requires that we acknowledge, confess, and repent from sin (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:2; I Peter 3:7). We dare not approach our Thrice Holy God in the filthy garments of self-righteousness or stained with an adulterous love for the world. To make supplication in such attire is to make a mockery of God’s gracious invitation to enter His throne room. Prayer is no act of ceremonialism but initiates a divine transaction of forgiveness and restoration whether it be on the human-to-God or the human-to-human level (“to one another”) or both. The path to prayer is now free from this obstacle.
Further, what modifier does James attach to the person whose prayers are “effective and “accomplish much”? He or she is righteous. Yes, at the core of effectual praying is holy living.
But what should we pray?
Pray God's Promises
James details for us in verses 17-18 the content of Elijah’s prayers. He asks first that it would not rain and later that it would. Why? Is he single-handedly curating a national crisis to get King Ahab’s attention? Not at all. He is praying precisely what God promised to do when Israel sinned. He would withhold rain (Lev. 26:14ff, Deuteronomy 11:17; 2 Chron. 6:26-27). If they would repent, He would send rain again and heal their land. This is exactly what happens.
Elijah is praying in accord with the heart and revealed plan of God in Scripture. What does this mean for us?
Struggles with doubt about whether we are praying the will of God are removed when we pray the Bible. The Apostle John asserts “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us…” (See 1 John 5:14-15)
Romans 8:26 reminds us that “we do not know how to pray as we should but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” So humbly seek the Spirit’s enablement in both the manner and content of prayer. Often the Spirit links particular passages of Scripture to people on our prayer list which we may pray specifically for them. And how encouraged they often are when we share that with them! This kind of praying is productive and potent.
Pray in Power
Have you ever wondered why Elijah was used so mightily by God when he prayed?
We may feel at times rather useless with all our weaknesses and fears. But take courage at James’s words in verse 17. “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours….” He was “but dust” yet was called to minister by God’s enablement- an enablement he accessed in prayer. Yes, more than any other characteristic, James zeroes in on how Elijah prayed. He prayed “fervently.” We too actively participate in the works of God when we pray that way.
This intensity does not result from an emotional experience or a personality type. Rather, fervent prayers are fueled by the Spirit of God.
Jude 20 reminds believers of the importance of prayer with a noteworthy qualifier-” Praying in the Holy Spirit”. It is sobering to realize that it is possible to pray apart from the third Person of the Trinity. May God save us from that.
How can we know that we are praying in the Holy Spirit? Praying in purity and praying the Bible are two strong indicators. And when our prayers are answered in the affirmative, “we know that we have what we’ve asked of Him” (I John 5:15). Although we will probably not see every prayer we pray answered in our lifetime, we can rest in peace and confidence that God wisely and faithfully responds in His time. George Mueller prayed for the salvation of three specific individuals for decades. One came to faith before George went to glory. The other two were converted after George’s death. That is Spirit-empowered praying.
There is no greater gift of love we may bestow than to pray for each other, our congregations, and our missionaries. Let us devote ourselves anew to this often-neglected spiritual discipline- praying in purity the promises of God in the power of His Spirit.
Consciously relying on God’s grace, commit yourself to continually climbing to new heights of biblical prayer. The ascent is arduous, but the view from above is amazing.
Jer. 33:3 “Call to Me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things you have not known.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sonya Smith has served for 20 years as a missionary in Asia and Central Europe with her husband Peter who now pastors Hope in Christ Bible Church, a growing congregation in Berkley, Michigan. Sonya holds a Bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies from the Master's University and a Master of Arts in Theology from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has spoken to ladies' groups in California, Washington, Michigan, and in the Czech Republic. She, and a team of gifted teachers, lead the 'Women of Hope' Bible study which meets twice weekly.
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