Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional 20 March 2021 By Dr. D.K Olukoya – Effectual Prayer
Click HERE for Previous MESSAGES by Pastor D.K. Olukoya
TOPIC: Effectual Prayer (Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Daily Devotional 20 March 2021)
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Deuteronomy 28-29
FIRE SCRIPTURE: James 5:17b (KJV)
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.
MEMORY VERSE: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” – James 5:16b
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
The hour of prayer is the hour of power.
PRAISE WORSHIP: Take a worship song as led by the Holy Spirit
PROPHETIC WORD FOR TODAY:
I PROPHESY TO YOU TODAY, YOU SHALL NOT PRAY AMISS, IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
The MESSAGE:
The words “effectual” and “fervent” are translated from one Greek word (energeo) from which we get the English word “energy”. Here it denotes an energetic, operative prayer.
As God’s children, we must not be contented with weak prayers. We must desire to have enthusiastic, effective prayer life. The Church, known as the “house of prayer” must be exuding with effective prayer of God’s saints. We may be short on financial resources or weak in our physical strength or despised and ridiculed by those who are hostile towards the biblical doctrines that we hold on to, but the power of prayer belongs to us.
Also See: OPEN HEAVEN 20 MARCH 2021 – A FRIEND INDEED?
The key to effective prayers is not that very large group of people get together to pray or that a particular pattern or style of prayer meeting is followed, or that we hold very lengthy prayer meetings. Though some of those aspects of prayer are good and desirable, the effectiveness of our prayer is connected to the sanctity of our lives.
Interestingly, when the Holy Spirit inspired James to provide an illustration of such prayer, he chose Elijah, whose prayers God had used to demonstrate His mighty power. “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 5:16-18).
James’ point was that, although Elijah’s mighty prayers and exploits were legendary, he was also a man of frailties and flaws. This was never so obvious than when after being used to display God’s power to Ahab, the wicked idolater and king of Israel, Elijah then recoiled in fear and fled from the threats of Jezebel, Ahab’s wife. He actually crawled under a juniper tree where he asked the Lord to take his life (1 Kings 19:2-4).
How can we make sense of such embarrassing behaviour from this mighty man of God, whose prayers God used to control the weather for more than three years? This was the same man who called fire down from Heaven, and who destroyed four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. The simple explanation is that Elijah was human. He was a mere mortal, whose prayers God used in awesome and astonishing ways.
Thus, James’ message is clear. If God could hear and answer the passionate faith-filled prayers of Elijah, a common man “with a nature like ours”, He can likewise hear and answer yours and mine. The Lord is eager to answer the effectual, fervent prayers of ordinary, but righteous followers of Jesus Christ!
Beloved, ensure that your prayer is word-based and you will receive speedy answers from God.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
- Powers making my prayers ineffectual, die, in the name of Jesus.
- Powers making me weak spiritually and morally in prayers, die, in the name of Jesus.
- Father, give me an unquenchable appetite for prayer, in the name of Jesus.
EVENING
- Father, I ask for the grace to be a person of prayer, in the name of Jesus.
- Open my eyes to behold wondrous things out of prayer, Lord, in the name of Jesus.
- Help me, Father, to maintain effectual prayer life, in the name of Jesus.
- Baptise me afresh with the spirit of prayer, Father, in the name of Jesus.
MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE is a daily devotional by Dr. D.K Olukoya (General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, Worldwide)