THE POWER OF PRAYER – PART 2

4. I Need Miraculous Intervention

While what we’ve been talking about so far involves the miraculous at significant levels, there are some things YHVH invites us to pray for that cannot be explained in any way except for a direct and dramatic intervention on the part of YHVH. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elijah was a man subject to like passions as we are and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. James 5:16B-18. This is an absolutely amazing statement. Elijah prayed and the rain stopped and it did not rain for three and a half years. At the end of three and half years Elijah prayed and the rain began to fall. The beginning and ending of this change in the weather is contributed directly to YHVH working miracles in connection with our prayers. We need all the regular disclaimers thrown in at this point that YHVH will only answer a prayer that is in accordance with His will, which the Bible clearly teaches. But let’s not water down what YHVH is saying here just because we know it will not always be YHVH’s will to act in this way. The point is that YHVH does do miracles and that He will do miraculous things because you and I have asked Him to.

Three truths from this passage:

A -- Our prayer has a direct impact on heaven! When we pray in faith and we are living by YHVH’s rule in our lives we can expect great and wonderful results. The promise in this passage is that we can live in expectation of YHVH working the miraculous in our lives, in our church, and in our world. The biggest problem that we face in this area is not YHVH’s lack of ability to come through, but our lack of faith that He will do it.

B -- YHVH works through people just like us! Elijah was as human as we are… Elijah put on his sandals one foot at a time, he had bad hair days, he was sometimes in a bad mood and sometimes he lacked faith in YHVH. He was just like us, yet YHVH took this man and listened to his prayer and worked what could not be mistaken for anything but a miracle as a result.

C -- YHVH is inviting us to be a part of His miracle! If there is one thing that I’ve realized about my prayer life lately it is that I’m not praying big enough prayers. I want to pray in such a way that when the answer comes there can be no doubt that it has come directly from YHVH. In other words, why are we praying to conquer the molehill when YHVH wants us to take the mountain? The size of our prayers tells us a lot about the size of our YHVH, if we believe that YHVH is all-powerful then we will begin to pray prayers that demonstrate that power! What I am getting to is this: I believe that YHVH is going to do great things for you reading this letter, all He is waiting for is your earnest prayers, offered in the belief that He will act.

O YHVH, who has taught us to seek first Your Kingdom and its righteousness, teach me to say, Your will be done before I say Give me my daily bread. Teach me to accept Your will as the foundation of my happiness and other things as only its superstructure. I am more afraid of the hunger of the body than of the hunger of the spirit. Convince me that it would not profit me to gain the world and lose my soul. Show me that it is only the possession of my soul that makes the possession of the world any gain. Impress me with the truth that no thing can bring me joy if I myself am not already joyful. Inspire me with the knowledge that the issues of life are not from without but from within. Guide me into the discovery that the pleasures at Your right hand are the only things that are pleasures forevermore. Almighty YHVH, You inspired Your servant Luke, the physician, to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of Your Son. Graciously continue in Your children the same power to love and heal, to the praise and glory of Your Name. I am not worthy, Adonai, that You should come beneath the roof of my soul. Yet since You in Your love toward all wish to dwell in me, in boldness I come. Open the gates, which You alone have forged; and You will come in with love toward all as is Your nature; You will come in and enlighten my darkened reason. I believe that You will do this: For You did not send away the harlot that came to You with tears; nor cast out the repentant publican; nor reject the thief who acknowledged Your kingdom; nor forsake the repentant persecutor, a yet greater act; but all of those who came to You in repentance were counted in the band of Your friends, who alone abide blessed forever, now, and unto the endless ages. We pray this through Your Son, Yeshua Moshiach our Adonai, who lives and reigns with You, in the unity of Ruach HaKodesh, one YHVH, now and forever. Amen