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Happy Holidays, Sweet Readers! Can you even believe it is DECEMBER? I mean - DECEMBER? Where did this year go? Anyway... we are nearing the end of the year as well as the end of our series here. So without further ado, let's get right to the Word:
TODAY'S VERSES ARE JAMES CHAPTER 5, VERSES 16-18!
"Confess and acknowledge how you have offended one another and then pray for one another to be instantly healed, for tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!
Elijah was a man with human frailties, just like all of us, but he prayed and received supernatural answers. He actually shut the heavens over the land so there would be no rain for three and a half years! Then he prayed again and the skies opened up over the land so that the rain came again and produced the harvest." (The Passion Translation)
I mean... I think we all want 'tremendous power' - at least when it comes to our prayers, right?
Brace yourself, friends... here we get James being all James-like again, explaining that in order to tap into that tremendous power, there are a couple of steps BEFOREHAND that we need to take! This one is tricky because NONE of us like doing it! (We keep it real around here!)
James tells us that first, we must confess and acknowledge how we have offended one another - and then we need to pray for one another to be instantly healed, for (or because!) tremendous power is released through prayer. But not just any prayer and not just any pray-er! James says passionate heartfelt prayers prayed by godly believers -- that is how we tap into tremendous power! Now - I don't know about you - but for me, when I read this verse, it most definitely sheds a little light on the whole mess of this weary world! We kinda stopped doing the hard parts first and we pray without acknowledging and confessing... we pray without taking on any responsibility and instead we point the finger and push the blame and don't want to pray for 'them' and we wonder why our prayers are -- well, lacking tremendous power.
Now of course you know I am not saying we need to behave a certain way or do good works IN ORDER to have answered prayers. No. God is so much better than that - and thank Him for it! We all know good, godly believers who have done the hard part first and for whatever reason, sometimes are most heart-felt prayers seem to go unanswered. God is not a genie in a bottle and there is no magic formula to get our prayers answered (--the way we want them to be answered!) BUT, James seems pretty confident that if we do what he is laying out, our chances are much better! He goes on to talk about Elijah and how he prayed powerful prayers and God heard and answered. Elijah prayed with intensity... Have you ever been around someone who prays like that? Someone who, when they first begin praying, you KNOW they have the ear of God and heaven is just waiting to be released? I have... I am blessed to be able to pray with some amazing prayer warriors who know how to pray - and --what James is talking about here is what used to be called Praying Through! Man, we need to get back to the practice and discpline of that! Of knowing ahead of time that we are prayed up, confessed up, slate wiped clean, and boldly go to the Throne of Grace and not let up! Tenacious Faith comes to mind! I have had that. I have. There have been seasons that I knew that I knew that I knew that all of heaven was leaning in and God would give me what I asked for. And then there were the seasons when He seemed distant and quiet. (Those were not my favorite!) And seasons when it seemed everything I asked for was not so much a Yes and Amen kind of response. But still... But God... He is good all the time (--even in the times when I don't understand, don't like, or can't see!) Even then, He is good!
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Next, let's read this in The Voice translation:
"So own up to your sins to one another and pray for one another. In the end, you may be healed. Your prayers are powerful when they are rooted in a righteous life. Remember Elijah? He was a man, no different from us. He prayed with great intensity asking God to withhold the rain; God answered his prayers and did not allow a single drop of rain to fall for three and a half years. It did not rain until Elijah prayed again for God to open the skies, when the rain came down and the earth produced a great crop." (The Voice)
I love how The Voice is geared to Middle Schoolers so it just says it straight! How many adults do you know who need to do this? Just own up to your sins and pray for each other! How many are in need of healing? Now - I am NOT saying if you or someone you love does not get healed, that it is due to sin. I know that has been misunderstood and taught in many circles and I'm a Word Faith girl, so I believed that at least to a point for awhile... Some sickness may be connected to sin or unforgiveness. It's true. We are not made to carry that kind of heavy burden around! We are new creations and we have been invited to trade our yoke for HIS! (Guys! That's SUCH a better deal!)
You're prayers are powerful when they are rooted in a righteous life. And there it is.
Remember righteousness? Remember how we are called apart... to live differently... to NOT blend in... remember how the Kingdom of God is made of Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost? Guys... we need all three!
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Here it is in The Living Bible:
"Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results. Elijah was as completely human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for the next three and a half years! Then he prayed again, this time that it would rain, and down it poured, and the grass turned green and the gardens began to grow again." (The Living Bible)
I don't know about you - but I have some dry spots that are in need of a downpour... a drenching of the Holy Spirit, so that they can begin to grow again! You, too?
I love that James reminds us that Elijah was completely human --and yet, when he prayed...
Don't you love that? He is no different than you or me... or at least, he shouldn't be!
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Next up, let's check out how The Amplified Bible expands it:
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power]. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours [with the same physical, mental, and spiritual limitations and shortcomings], and he prayed intensely for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its crops [as usual]." (The Amplified Bible)
I have family who attend a small Bible chapel and their church actually has small groups of 2 or 3 and they actually do this for real... on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. I remember my daughters response to the practice was a little shocked and she sarcasticly said something like, 'Not for me!' But really - it is... it is for her and for me and for all of us who are believers. Now, maybe not in an organized, heavy handed way. (And to be fair, I can't say if that is how it is done at that church... I can say if it has fallen into that, I'm certain that was not their intention!)
I supposed my question to each of us is - who do we have in our lives that keep us accountable to the Lord and to living a life that is pleasing to Him? Do we have anyone who we confess our sins to and get help to stay on course? I mean - of course we confess and repent to the Lord... However, He placed us in a family and He desires to see us put that whole Iron sharpens Iron deal into practice! I think if we did, we just may tap into more 'tremendous power' in our prayers!
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Lastly, The Message Bible reads like this:
"Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. Elijah, for instance, human just like us, prayed hard that it wouldn’t rain, and it didn’t—not a drop for three and a half years. Then he prayed that it would rain, and it did. The showers came and everything started growing again." (The Message Bible)
Whole and Healed! Man... wouldn't that be nice? For our families and homes, our churches, our towns and cities, states and nation!
The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with!
Friend, are you a person living right with God? Not sure? Ask Him...
He is gracious and kind... but He also speaks the Truth! I encourage all of us to take a few moments and ask Him if we are living right with Him... if there is any area of our lives that is not pleasing to Him? --Anything we need to let go of, lay down, or cast out!
I don't know about you - but I know for me: I'm ready for everything to start growing again!(Something about Resurrection and bringing dead things back to life!)
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Let's pray together now:
Father God, we come to You today knowing full well that we could do better... that we NEED to do better! Lord we read in Your Word that if we want tremendous power in prayer like Elijah had, then there are a few steps we need to take!
You know, Lord, that it will feel like we are the only ones doing it! You understand that we are reluctant sometimes because we feel justified or right... but if it is causing sin or offense or somehow holding us back or watering us down --we don't want to cling to it any more!
Holy Spirit, help us to make this our common practice --to confess our sins to You --and to each other... to risk being real and honest and vulnerable! Remind us, God, to call sin sin... and if we aren't sure - remind us to ask You! You do not want us in the dark... You will shine Your Light on our path and enable and empower us to course-correct if and when needed!
Jesus, You know even better than we do that what this world needs now is LOVE... Healing... and Awakening (--not just a wokeness!) and we need HOPE, Lord! Good thing we are now entering the season of wonder and hope and oh my goodness - how we are longing to see and hear and feel and know a weary world rejoicing!
Envelop our praises and empower our prayers
and let Healing and Hope and Heaven come!
For the King and His Kingdom,
Friends... I can hardly believe it and we have just ONE more installment in this Series! I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have! I hope you have been both challenged and encouraged, too!
Until next time,
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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~