In a crisis, people sometimes bargain with God. They
somehow believe He can be manipulated into acting on their behalf. But
Christians don't have to bargain or beg. We simply need to pray
effectively. This means calling on God with the confidence that only He
can fix our problem.
In adversity, prayer must have purpose to be effective.
Daily conversations with the Lord frequently cover lots of people and
topics. And there's nothing wrong with that. Regular communication
builds a healthy relationship with God. But when James speaks about the
righteous person's effective prayer reaping results, he's referring to
an appeal focused on a single situation and its resolution. The King
James Version uses the word "fervent" to describe such requests. These
are prayers driven by urgency and a strong desire for resolution. We're
to go before the Lord continually, asking for help, strength, and a way
through the difficulty.
God wants to wield His supernatural power in our lives.
But believers can allow pride and self-reliance to get in the way. As
long as we think we can handle a tough situation alone, we won't be
praying as James describes. An effective prayer recognizes our weakness
and His strength. It's when we feel most desperate and helpless that
the Holy Spirit can release the greatest measure of power.
Effective prayer is honest and real. There's no need to
bargain with the Lord. He's pleased to intervene on our behalf when we
trust in Him alone to care for us.
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