there is Power in Prayer

    Sunday morning at church we heard the pastor bring for the a message that God had laid on his heart about intercessory prayer and how it is so needed for our church today. It was a message that after hearing it could only have came right from the Throne room of Heaven. The anointing of God was so strong as the word was proclaimed that there was no way you could not have felt the Lord talking to you Sunday unless you just plain and simple were an unsaved individual or someone who just didn't want to hear from God. The message that Brother John preached was so right on target for the church today. WE MUST STAND IN THE GAP for those who are not only lost, but for those who are sick, hurting, suffering with depression and issues that maybe they want to keep to themselves, the church and its members. We have to come together realize that if we are not standing in the gap then there might be no one standing in the gap. it's kind of like the old adage that well I don't have to do it because such and such will. But what happens if Mr/Mrs. such and such are sick and unable to pray themselves, what if they were in an accident or what if they just got plain tired and worn out because they were doing what no one else would and decided to say forget it I am done? What then? We cannot ignore the one of most powerful tool's that a Christian has in my opinion, and that's prayer one for another. Well how do you figure that is the most powerful tool we have in our arsenal.Well let me tell you.
         In James 5:13-16 says "Is any among you afflicted?Let him Pray.Is any merry? Let him sing Psalms. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him,anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the Prayer of Faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.The Effectual Fervent Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much." Another Translation, the NIV , says "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." And the HCSB translation says "The URGENT REQUEST of a righteous person is very powerful in it's effect."
        I don't know how you feel about that but that speaks to me so loudly, I might as well be at a Rock Concert sitting right in front of one of those monstrous speakers and have it turned up full blast. When we are sick or afflicted, which according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary means to be distressed so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish, we are to call the elders of the church. Now the elders of the church are normally defined as the Pastor, the Deacons,and sometimes your long time members or the known Prayer Warriors of the church. Every Church has at least one prayer warrior. That person that you know that no matter what you ask them to pray for they will pray and they wont stop praying until you ask them to stop, the Lord moves or the Lord just comes out and says quit cause it ain't going to happen, but they still got an answer from God because of their faithfulness to prayer, and that's what we are talking about. Praying until you see Heaven move. It may not be the answer you want but you will never get an answer unless you PRAY, and Pray for each other just like it says in Verse 16, if you want to see a revival in someones life, pray for them to receive it, if you want to see revival in the community Pray for the community. And I am not talking one of those prayers where you say Lord bless them amen. What kind of prayer is that? It's the type of Prayer that's not going to get very far because it has no meat on it. What do you think would have happened to Peter when he was in jail if the Church had just said Lord help him amen.I can tell you one thing he would have never escaped from that cell to continue his ministry. But that Church didn't pray that way, instead they prayed "without Ceasing" the Bible says and God moved for them.Why? Because the Effectual Fervent prayer of a Righteous Man Availeth much.
          Brothers and Sisters I am here to tell you that after hearing God's word on Sunday and after reading James 5:13-16 again I believe we can say that, not only is Prayer one of, if not the most powerful tool in a Christians arsenal, but I believe we could actually take James 5:16 and add one word in there so that it says " The Effectual Fervent Intercessory Prayer of a Righteous man Availeth Much." I pray for you today Brethren that you would take hold of this message and realize that we, as believers have a duty to our fellow believers and to those who are lost and Afflicted, to stand in the gap for them and pray until we see Heaven move. I believe if we do this , then we shall see mighty works in our churches, our families and most importantly The Kingdom of God, which will grow by leaps and bounds.
           I Love you brother's and sister's and God bless you. Go out tomorrow and tell just one person about Jesus,then take that persons name and go before the throne of God with boldness, interceding for that person, and let God do a work in them and in you.


In Christ's Love,

    Bill