SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
Topic: “Showcasing the power of God through prayer”
Text: James 5:13-18
Memory Verse: Philippians 4:6 – “Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God”.
A prayer in legal terms is considered as a direction of judgement that the lawyer wants to follow in court based on the conclusion of his reasoning. A prayer gives the judge an idea of what is being sought. The judge and the lawyer can be a representation of God and Jesus where an individual seeks a plea. Jesus is the believers’ advocate before God the judge and the devil is the accuser bringing a case against the believer before God.
The dictionary definition of prayer also supports the legal position of what prayer is: A solemn request for help or expectation of thanks addressed to God or a deity (an idol). Prayer is therefore the believers’ mode of communicating with God. Prayer is how we invite the supernatural presence of the Almighty God into our lives. Adam & Eve enjoyed the fellowship of God as he came down to sit with them while in the garden. Now our prayer time is a way of coming into the presence of God to fellowship with him.
God desires that we commune with him in prayer regularly. Jesus taught his disciples how to pray and what to do when they come before him in prayer. We are to come into his presence, acknowledge that he is as our father, reverence him for who he is with thanksgiving. We should surrender our will to him, confess our sins and establish that his kingdom reigns, pray for his provision, seek his forgiveness, his guidance for the day and end with praise and thanksgiving.
For our prayers to be heard, God expects us to live righteous lives. James 5:16b says the effective fervent prayer of the righteous man avails much. Without righteousness, we cannot access his throne. Faith is also an important condition for our prayers to be heard, when the disciples asked, Jesus said in Luke 17:6 If you have faith as a mustard seed you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea” and it would obey you. God does not want you to contract out your prayer life to man or pastors or prophets, instead, we are to exercise our faith and God’s power will back it up with answers. At times, our prayers are delayed, but we should not faint or loose heart, just like Hannah, who prayed consistently until God heard her.
PRAYER: I believe in the power of prayer, Lord, help my unbelief. I desire to move mountains that hinder me Lord, increase my faith. I thank you because when I pray you will hear me, I appropriate the power in your name and receive jaw breaking testimonies in Jesus name, Amen.