James 5:13-18. Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
17 Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.
Our world today closely resembles the time of Elijah. We live in an age of spiritual ignorance and confusion, where many things have fallen apart. People are driven by idols—religions, economies, cultures, and ideologies—while remaining unaware of the deeper reality at work behind them. Scripture reminds us that behind the rulers, authorities, and powers of this dark world stand spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).
Whenever the gospel is proclaimed, persecution follows. Living a godly life in this crooked and twisted generation is never easy. In every sphere of life—family, work, culture, and even the church—we are facing an unprecedented spiritual battle. That is why we must receive strength that overcomes the world, and that strength comes through prayer from the throne of the Triune God.
If you are a child of God, you possess the right to come before your Father in prayer. He has promised to fill you with power from above so that you may stand firm in spiritual conflict and not be overwhelmed by the schemes of the evil one. For this reason, God encourages us in Today’s Word to pray like Elijah.
Who was Elijah? He was a prophet fiercely opposed and relentlessly persecuted by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Yet he stood unshaken as a man of God. On Mount Carmel, Elijah confronted and defeated the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, all supported by Jezebel (1 Kings 18:16–40). His prayer exposed falsehood, restored truth, and revealed the living God before an entire nation.
Elijah’s prayer even affected nature itself. When he prayed that it would not rain, the heavens were shut for three and a half years. When he prayed again, the rain returned, and the land produced its crops (James 5:17–18). In moments of deep discouragement and danger, God sent His angel to strengthen Elijah and led him to Mount Horeb, where He revealed His sovereign plan for the future (1 Kings 19:1–21).
The God who answered Elijah still answers prayer today. Do not be discouraged when answers seem delayed. Do not be shaken by the turmoil of the world. Ask for strength from above—strength that transcends circumstances and restores clarity, courage, and peace.
Elijah was a human being just like us, subject to weakness and fear. Yet his prayer changed the course of history. Through Christ, God has declared you righteous, and therefore your prayers are also powerful and effective. Never underestimate what God can do through a praying believer.
Consider Joseph. When he stood before Pharaoh, it was not his intellect that stood out, but the presence of the Spirit of God within him. Pharaoh himself testified, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?” (Genesis 41:38–39). The world recognized that Joseph’s wisdom came from God. In the same way, when the Holy Spirit empowers you, your life will testify that Jesus is the Christ.
David turned seasons of loneliness and hardship into prayer. In the darkest moments of his life, he confessed, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1). God used those hidden years to prepare David as a leader who shepherded His people with integrity of heart and skillful hands (Psalm 78:70–72). When God’s time came, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon him with power (1 Samuel 16:13).
Elisha, an ordinary farmer, received a double portion of Elijah’s spirit and became an instrument through whom God preserved two nations, Israel and Aram (2 Kings 2:9; 6:8–23). God used him not only to perform miracles but also to raise the next generation of leaders. Prayer prepared him for a life that influenced history.
The same God strengthens us today by His grace in Christ Jesus. With that strength, we are called to entrust the gospel to faithful people who will teach others also (2 Timothy 2:1–2). This multiplication of faith and prayer is God’s strategy for transforming the world.
Before ascending to heaven, our Lord Jesus promised this power: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses … to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This power is not optional—it is essential. It is the only power that can truly change lives, communities, and nations.
As we pray, we learn to welcome trials with joy, knowing that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, maturity, and completeness (James 1:2–4). Prayer shapes us into the people God desires us to be.
Therefore, let us not merely listen to the Word but put it into practice. Listening without acting is merely lying to yourself (James 1:22–27). Let us also guard our speech, for the tongue has the power to direct our lives toward blessing or destruction (James 3:2–6).
Finally, let us turn away from the ways of this world—quarreling, jealousy, pride, and selfish ambition. Friendship with the world leads to enmity with God. Instead, let us submit ourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from us (James 4:1–12).
Our lives are fragile and brief, like a mist that appears for a moment and then vanishes. Therefore, let us live in surrender, saying, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that” (James 4:13–17).
Are you in trouble? Do not worry—pray. Are you joyful? Sing songs of praise. Are you sick? Let the church pray over you in faith, trusting the healing and restoring work of the Holy Spirit (James 5:13–16).
Take time today to be alone with God. As you pray and enjoy the gospel, the Word will come alive, and the Spirit will reveal divine mysteries. When you pray in faith, you will see spiritual answers unfold in your life. When you pray with awareness of the kingdom of God, the forces of darkness will collapse in your mission field.
Begin the prayer of Elijah today. God will strengthen you, give you wisdom, and reveal what is to come. He will empower you to stand firm in this generation and beyond.
Prayer. Father, open my eyes to see this age of idolatry and confusion. Fill me with Your strength so that I may stand firm against the schemes of the devil and live as Your witness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.