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Effective Prayers

Posted on 17 Sep 2018, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

Title: Effective Prayers

Text: Jam. 5:16-18

[Jas 5:16] Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

[Jas 5:17] Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

[Jas 5:18] And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

Introduction

There are prayers that are effective, and there are prayers that are not effective.
This teaching will differentiate between the two, so that we know how to pray effective prayers that bring results.
The book of James speaks of Elijah as a man like us, yet he prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain.
He prayed again that it should rain, and it rained.
What made Elijah so special that God honored his word?

Main Topic

Elijah – 1 Kings 17:1

[1Ki 17:1] And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.”
Elijah stood before God – He spent time in the presence of God.
He did not just woke up that day and said those words.
He had being soaking himself in the presence of God.
The Bible did not tell us how long Elijah spent in the presence of God.
When he declared there would not be rain, heaven honored his word, and there was no rain.
1 Kings 18:1, 41-46
- [1Ki 18:1] And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.”
- [1Ki 18:41] Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
- [1Ki 18:42] So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
- [1Ki 18:43] and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There isnothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
- [1Ki 18:44] Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ “
- [1Ki 18:45] Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
- [1Ki 18:46] Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
The Word of God came unto Elijah that God will send rain.
Elijah did not sit down and expect rain to come down. He went to the top of the mountain and prayed 7 dimensions of prayer.
He persistently and consistently prayed that God would send rain and God sent rain
Prophecies are not automatic. The realization of a prophecy must be prayed down.

Canaanite Woman – Matt. 15:21-28

[Mat 15:21] Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
[Mat 15:22] And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
[Mat 15:23] But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
[Mat 15:24] But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
[Mat 15:25] Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
[Mat 15:26] But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
[Mat 15:27] And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
[Mat 15:28] Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great isyour faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
This woman did not give up in the place of prayer
She had faith in her heart that Jesus can deliver her daughter
She was persistent and consistent on her request until the request was granted

Praying Effective Prayers

Is the request in the will of God?
- The Word of God
- Prophecy
- Perfect Will or Permissive Will
Is the timing now?
Is there faith backing up the prayer? – Jam. 1:6-8, Heb. 11:1,6, Mark 11:22-24
- [Jas 1:6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
- [Jas 1:7] For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
- [Jas 1:8] he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
- [Heb 11:1] Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
- [Heb 11:6] But without faith it is impossible to please Him,for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and thatHe is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
- [Mar 11:22] So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.
- [Mar 11:23] For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
- [Mar 11:24] Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Is there any unforgiveness or bitterness? – Mark 11:25-26, Ps. 66:18
- [Mar 11:25] “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
- [Mar 11:26] But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
- [Psa 66:18] If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.

Conclusion

Luke 11:5-8
- [Luk 11:5] And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves;
- [Luk 11:6] for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;
- [Luk 11:7] and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’?
- [Luk 11:8] I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

There are rules guiding praying effective prayers
- Backup your prayer request with the Word of God
- As soon as you say the prayer, believe it has happened
- Continue to confess what you believed
- Be persistent and consistent with your request
- Don’t allow doubt/unforgiveness/bitterness to rob you of your miracle
- Your prayers will be granted in the name of Jesus Christ

Sermon

Effective Prayers