Praying Effectively
By Bishop Keith A. Butler

October 9

James 5:16

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. (KJV)

All of us have areas that we need development in. All of us have some idiosyncratic ways, or to put it in plain speech, idiotic ways that we need to admit to. However, it is necessary to understand that James did not say to confess your sins to each other. Sins and faults are two different things. Your sins are between you and God (1 John 1:9). However, faults are those crazy things we do that are characteristic of our personality. Some of us talk too loud, some of us talk too much, and some of us don't talk enough. Those things are examples of faults. We are to confess our faults to each other, and then pray one for another that we may be healed. James is talking about Christians praying for the healing of each other.

When the church decides to direct its prayer against Satan's power of sickness and disease on people, the people will be healed.

Your prayer is powerful because when you pray for other people they get healed. If people are not getting healed, it is because the church is not praying. James goes on to say that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The Amplified Bible renders it this way: "... The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]."

Notice the prayer is heartfelt. The prayer is continued, and it is from a person who is in right standing with God. Effectual prayer is effective prayer. So it is not just throwing something up to the ceiling. This is someone who got in the Book, found out how to pray, know how to believe God with prayer and their prayers are effective.

This prayer is also fervent. Your prayer target is an issue you are specifically centered on. It is something that you feel and want to happen. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Who is a righteous man? Anybody who is born again, male or female, is righteous, because God has declared you as being righteous.

Notice the Amplified version of the text said that the prayer of that person makes tremendous power available. What power? Holy Ghost power. It makes tremendous power available that is dynamic in its working. That means there is nothing too tough for this kind of prayer. Cancer is not too tough for this kind of prayer. If believers will come together to pray for the sick, then they will see the healing power of God manifest in their bodies that no enemy can withstand.

Scripture Reference: 1 Corinthians 1:30