Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– James 5:16
God is to be Thanked
Paul gave many thanks to God in his letters as well as for the church so he said we ought to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1st Thess 5:18). Did you know that it’s the will of God that you give thanks? Should we feel compelled too? Paul insisted we “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Col 4:2). The psalmist wrote, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name” (Psalm 100:4) so in our own corporate worship, we can enter into gates (doors) already singing praises and thanks and “bless His name.” All of that is 100% the will of God.
God’s Name is Glorified
Jesus once earnestly prayed “Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again” (John 12:28). We know God will honor that prayer for God always seeks to be glorified and that means it’s also His will that we “glorify God in [our] body” (1st Cor 6:20). God says of Himself “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” (Isaiah 42:8) nor share “My glory I will not give to another” (Isaiah 48:11).
God’s will is done on Earth
Jesus disciples never asked Him how to preach or how to heal or how to do any other miracle. The disciples asked Jesus to help them know how to pray. Jesus then gave a template or a model (the so-called Lord’s Prayer) that we should use or read it aloud if we wish in Matthew chapter six. Part of Jesus’ instruction to pray was that they should pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”(Matt 6:10) so we should pray for God’s will to be done here on earth as it already is being done in heaven. Part of God’s will is that we live lives that are holy and pleasing to Him. No, not perfect or sinless but striving for perfection and sinning less!
God’s Heart is Moved
When God sees the brokenness, the humility, the genuineness of some people’s prayer, His heart is moved with compassion and He moves in their life. Hannah was childless so she wept, she fasted, and she prayed continually, pouring out her heart unto the Lord. It was then that “the Lord remembered her” (1st Sam 1:19) and opened her womb (1st Sam 1:20). Pour out your deepest needs, desires, hurts, and petitions to God because “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
Conclusion
James wrote “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16) meaning all who have trusted in Christ because if we have repented and trusted in Him, we already have powerful and effective prayers if only we believe in faith.
