Speaking about the power in prayer from the book of James chapter 5, David emphasises that the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

I love preaching on this Scripture because, in the original Greek, the word translated “effectual fervent” conveys the idea of something powerful and active. The Greek word is energeō, from which we get the idea of energy and activity. We often use words like dynamic or dynamite to describe that kind of power. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective!

But we need that dynamic prayer. We need to learn how to pray with faith, authority and conviction, believing that God hears us and will answer.

James goes on in verse 17 to remind us that Elijah was a man subject to the same human weaknesses and feelings as we are. Yet he prayed earnestly, and the rain stopped. Then, after three and a half years, he prayed again, and the rain returned. What a powerful miracle! It demonstrated to the king and the people that the God of Israel was living and powerful.

Then, in verse 19, James says that if anyone wanders from the truth and another person brings them back, that person has helped save a soul from death and covered a multitude of sins.

We must never forget the importance of restoring those who have strayed from God. Through prayer, faith and compassion, we can help bring people back to the truth.

But I want to come back to this Scripture about effectual, fervent prayer, because I’ve preached on it so many times. I listen to people praying, and over the years, I’ve learned that there is a way to pray effectively, with power and with authority. That is what I want you to understand.

Prayer works! God hears us, and God answers prayer. We need to believe that, learn to pray with faith, and trust Him to work in power.