God’s Word says in James 5
When we pray…
16 Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed! The prayer of a righteous person is powerful when it is sincere.
In the Elberfelder Translation, which is very accurate in German, it says:
The fervent prayer or the supplication of a righteous person is powerful. This corresponds to the Greek word *”energeo,” which can also be translated as “effective” or “active”… we know that we are righteous only through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, no additional deed is necessary. That is why we can be very glad that we do not have to be perfect to experience God answering our prayers. However, we see that God expects us to confess our sins, which also includes the promise of healing. We often pray out of a state of fear, suffering, distress, etc. This is not wrong, for at least we have recognized that true help and salvation come from God. King David did the same when he was desperate and lonely. His life was not exactly a bed of roses—he faced a lot of family stress, wars with Israel’s enemies, was often in mortal danger, and he sinned. Thus, we have a role model in the Psalms he wrote. Time and again, he poured out his heart and cried out to heaven, but then he remembered the great, almighty, merciful, and righteous God whom he served—and whom he often failed in that service.
In front of other people, we often don’t have the courage to humble ourselves and admit that we are failures, that we have sinned against God and others, that we have been unloving, that we have stolen, cheated, and so often boasted with our words. But your God can handle that… be honest and tell Him… He forgives you and wants to help you eliminate the monster that tries to rule within all of us. Most of the time, it’s not the enemy, the adversary, or the devil who tempts us to sin, but simply our own ego, which simply refuses to submit to structure and God’s Word.
So let’s take it a step higher, pray a little more for His will, and stop our whining and self-pity. I read this on a card, and it’s very helpful for reaching a different level in prayer.
Prayer isn’t meant to get God to do what you want.
Prayer is so that you can become a tool for God to do what He wants.
When you pray at the level of God’s will, you’re praying at the highest possible level—far higher than if you were simply trying to get your own way. When you pray or proclaim God’s Word aloud, you have the assurance that you’re praying God’s will.
A very beautiful prayer by Paul is found in Ephesians 3 (AMP)
Prayer for the Knowledge of Christ’s Love
14 For this reason [grasping the greatness of this plan by which Jews and Gentiles are joined together in Christ] I bow my knees [in reverence] before the Father [of our Lord Jesus Christ], 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth [a]derives its name [God—the first and ultimate Father]. 16 May He grant you out of the riches of His glory, to be strengthened and spiritually energized with power through His Spirit in your inner self, [indwelling your innermost being and personality], 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the width and length and height and depth of His love [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].
20 Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do super abundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen.
shalom Sabine 