Prayer Helps, Part 3

Prayer obviously helps because our Lord Jesus taught us to do it. He taught that “every one that asketh receiveth” (Matthew 7:8). It always helps to do what Christ taught us to do. So much of our misery arises from our failure to follow the teaching of our Lord.

We saw last time that prayer helps far beyond anything that we realize. We gave an example that showed how believers today are still being helped by prayers prayed for Paul, Silvanus, and Timotheus by the church of the Thessalonians. Imagine prayers helping for nearly 2000 years!

The following passage plainly declares that prayer helps and that a lot. It also gives an example of just how much prayer can help.

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.

17 Elias 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.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

In analyzing this passage, let’s begin by defining that word avail.

Avail – To have force or efficacy for the accomplishment of a purpose; to be effectual, serviceable, or of use; to afford help.

Here we are straightly told that “the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man” affords help. That it “availeth much” tells us it helps a lot. An exciting fact that emerges from this passage is that the prayer of a single man can help a lot. It does not require of group of people praying to get results, even great results. The example of how much a single man’s prayer can help is given in the experience of Elijah, whose prayer availed to stop the rain for three and half years. And when he prayed again, it rained and the earth brought forth fruit. How many dramatic shifts in climate have resulted from prayers? How many rains and harvests have occurred because someone prayed? Granted, we do not always get the weather we pray for. But do you ever consider how many times you have received the kind of weather you prayed for? We get so focused on what we don’t get, that we overlook the many things we do receive in answer to prayer.

Because of the fall of man into sin, we will always experience wants, inequities, and troubles in this world. Through prayer some of these will be removed, but not all of them. God has not ordained prayer to make a paradise of this world. But God has ordained prayer as a means to help us deal with this fallen world. In a discourse recorded in John 14-16, our Lord had this to tell His disciples:

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We will have tribulation in this world. Prayer is not going to stop that from happening. But Christ said the things He did in this discourse that in Him His disciples might have peace. Notice how many times Christ spoke of prayer in this discourse (John 14:13-14; 15:7, 16:23-24, 26-27). That is because prayer is a means whereby we can experience this peace that our Lord gives.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

A peace that keeps our hearts and minds helps a great deal when we are going through tribulation. And this peace comes as a result of prayer. Again, prayer helps!

Indeed, we do not always get everything we ask for in prayer. Prayer is not a means to control God to do our will. God is not a magic genie at our service to just give us anything we want. The reason we sometimes doubt the helpfulness of prayer is that we are using prayer as a way of getting God to do our will. Paul prayed three times that the Lord would remove his thorn in the flesh. God did not give Paul what Paul wanted, but He did give him grace sufficient to bear his infirmity.

2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

But notice! Although Paul did not get what he specifically asked for, he did get grace to help bear his problem. So in the final analysis, prayer helped. One thing we can be assured of in bringing things to God in prayer and that is that we will receive “grace to help in time of need,” even if the particular need is not removed.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

So even though you do not get everything you ask for in prayer, do not overlook all the things you have received in answer to prayer. And do not overlook the fact that sincere, fervent prayer helps even if you do not get what you ask for. Do not give up on prayer because you do not get something you ask for. If you do that, you will be rebelling against God and you will not receive the grace you need to help. Remember this:

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.