You can't afford to stop praying!

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). I’m sure your familiar with this verse of Scripture. You’ve read it often. You may even have it memorized. Yet, this verse seems far from daily reality, especially concerning your prayer life and mine.

I’m sure, that like me, you’ve been a little bit intimidated by this verse of Scripture. It’s a powerful verse – an amazing promise. But, my prayers “avail” much? Me, a “righteous” man? It seems beyond me – out of my reach. I’ve often struggled with this verse and my prayer life.

Maybe you have too. Maybe you’re discouraged in your prayer life. You pray but your praying doesn’t seem to live up to what James 5:16 says it can be. You don’t feel like your prayers avail much.

Yet, God has given this promise to His people. God gives it to us to encourage us and to motivate us to pray. God’s purpose in recording this is to encourage you. He wants you to know that powerful and effective praying is not out of your reach. It’s not just for super saints. These verses take away any excuses we would have for Elijah’s success in prayer being because he was a special person or had some special power. Elijah had the same nature we have but he prayed powerfully and effectively. We can do the same. God’s purpose in recording this is to encourage you. He wants you to know that powerful and effective praying is not out of your reach. It’s not just for super saints. What kind of a person do you have to be to pray with power and effectiveness? These verses lead us to see that we must possess certain characteristics:

(1) We must be righteous. How does one become righteous? We become righteous by believing God’s promise of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. One must be accepted with God through faith in Jesus before you can pray with power and effectiveness. 

(2) We must strive to be righteous. Our acceptance with God is based solely on the righteousness of Christ that we receive by faith in Him. Yet, once we trust Christ, we seek to live a righteous life. We do this by confessing our sin and striving to obey God. We cannot expect God to hear and answer us

(3) We must have confidence in God. The Bible tells us that Elijah prayed fervently and earnestly. Why did he pray this way? He understood that only the Lord God of Israel could do what he asked. His sense of hopelessness motivated his fervent prayers. When do we pray with power and effectiveness? It takes place when we come to the end of ourselves. It happens when our confidence is in God and God alone to answer and intervene. Plead with God to increase your confidence in Him. Ask Him to show you in Scripture and in life the truth of His sovereign power.

The prayer that works, the kind of prayer that changes hopeless situations is that which is earnest, heartfelt and continued. This kind of prayer touches your emotions and your soul. It’s serious business because you desire to see a definite change. It’s direct in purpose; you’re praying fervently with a deep feeling of conviction. You tell yourself, “I’m not going to give up until I’ve seen the change I desire.”  This was the kind of prayer Elijah prayed. The Bible says he prayed earnestly that it should not rain and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit (James 5:17-18). According to the Bible, Elijah was a man subject to like passion as we are. In other words, you too can pray earnestly and turn hopeless situations around. Remember, fervent heartfelt prayer is the key to an effective prayer life and makes much of God's tremendous power available. You can't afford to stop praying. Enter into Intercession.

Intercessory Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father! I’m grateful to know that Your eyes are always upon me and Your ears are attentive to my prayers. Therefore I’m bold and confident that I can change hopeless situations through prayer. I rejoice because every time I bow my knees to pray concerning any intuition, I receive answers to my prayers, in the Name of Jesus Christ! We are not moved by what we see, hear, smell, touch or taste. We are not moved by reason. We are only moved by Your Spirit and Your Word and we know Your Voice, and we hear Your Voice and we refuse to follow strangers according to John 10:27. Our seed is mighty upon the earth according to Psalms 112:2. Lord Jesus, I ask you to expand my territories; to fill me and increase me in the Holy Spirit and anointing with power. 

I ask You to lead me in paths of righteousness for Your Name’s Sake.
I Bless You, Praise You, Worship You, and commit all that I am to You, that Your perfect will be done through me.
I ask that You help me to cease from my own labors. I do so by faith. 
I ask that You cause me to enter Your Rest now, in Jesus’ Name and I receive that. 
I ask You to release my warring and ministering angels to minister and war on my behalf.
I ask you to fill this, Your temple; with as much Shekinah Glory as possible. 
Help me to bear the cross You have prepared for me and help those in my family.
I ask that the Holy Spirit speak to my heart through Your Word.
I ask that You prepare me with reverence and worship, and with humility through Your Holy Spirit.
I ask that You take out of me, add to me or do to me; anything You want.
I ask that the Word I read would be engrafted into me and become part of me; spirit, mind, will and emotions.
I declare by Your power; You are helping and causing me to be bold, dauntless, fearless, confident, steadfast, faithful, true and loyal for Your Name’s Sake.
I ask You to deliver me, I ask for your help. 

I ask for Love and Grace for others and Grace from You Lord. I ask for help that Your Love and Grace in me; flow and be administered to others by Your Spirit in me, to manifest Your Presence in and through me. I release all things into Your hands and commit myself unto You, trusting You. I ask for help, that You give me the Word that You want me to give to others. Lord forgive me and help me to follow Your direction. I ask that You would send those that would receive the gift of salvation to me, that I may witness to them. Let them ask and receive, Father! 

I ask that You give me a clear mind and thoughts toward You, clear will toward You, and clear of all emotional clutter. (This is all about You. Hearing You is easier than thinking!) I ask that You cause me to hear You louder and clearer, and rest in You. I ask You to release Your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, with long-suffering, and self-control to flow over and in and throughout my life. (I ask You to fashion my heart like Yours, that Your fruit will abound in and through me to others.) I ask You Father for a clear, sharp, and healthy mind and body in You. 

Heavenly Father, I ask for Your perfect Will being worked out through my life and the lives of those that my life touch; as You direct me. I ask You for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to comprehend and receive what the Holy Spirit has to say. I ask to speak and to do Your perfect will in this life; for You, for me, and for my family.
I ask You to guard me and my family with many angels and that they manifest as needed. I ask You to make me alert, awake, sharp and attentive in Your thoughts and ways.  I ask that I may prosper in what I put my hands to do for You. I ask for a heart like Yours and growth and maturity to walk in it to the fullest with You; in Jesus’ Name. Amen! 

Holy Spirit have Your way with all of me, in Jesus’ Name. Amen! Heavenly Father, I declare Your faithfulness to the heavens and Your loving kindness and tender mercies anew every morning. Heavenly Father, I ask that my mind, will and emotions do not deceive me in hearing Your Voice and be still in Jesus' Name. Heavenly Father, I ask that You shut any doors that need to be shut and open any doors that need to be opened in the spiritual and natural realms in Jesus' Name. Heavenly Father, I plead the blood of Jesus over those doorways and ask that the enemy be rendered powerless and harmless so they cannot come back through those doorways ever again; to me and my family, our houses, lands, properties, vehicles, work places, schools, and finances in Jesus' Name. Amen!