‎The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16)

"Our generation of Christians hasn't seen much of the power of God, at least in the mainstream Western world. We assume that all the incredible miracles done by Christians in the book of Acts were for a 'different time'. In the early church, the blind received sight, the dead were raised, the enemies of God were struck dead, and prison doors miraculously opened. God doesn't seem to operate the same with His children today, and many theologians have concocted elaborate doctrines to explain why God's power isn't to be expected in our modern times. But James said, 'You do not have because you do not ask' (Jame 4:2). The conquering power of God is available to any of His children who have faith enough to ask for it." -Leslie Ludy in her book Set Apart Feminity

 Lately I've been seeing God's hand at work in so many different ways and one of the ways being how God hears and will indeed answer our prayers! I know He does because first, it says so in His word, and second, I've seen it first hand how many of my prayers have miraculously been answered. How often do we pray something once or twice half halfheartedly and then expect God to answer something you didn't even have faith for? Or how often do we put God in a box of what He can and cannot do? We must remember that God is moved by our prayers. We have not because we ask not. (James 4:2) I've been reading one of Leslie Ludy's books, Set Apart Feminity (BTW, Excellent book!) and she said: 

"God asks us to have the kind of faith that asks boldly for specific things. Instead of vague, general prayers that don't demand faith, we must begin 'putting it all on the line' and take the risk of laying our precise needs before our King.  It is common to pray 'Lord, if it is Your will, do this or that'. But often this keep us from being bold and specific in our praying. If we are always unsure whether we are praying in accordance with His will, then we will not have the confidence to wrestle [The enemy] until the break of day.

It is true that we must pray in alignment with His will to receive answers. But we often overlook the fact that anything that is in alignment with His nature is in accordance to His will. We don't need to wonder whether or not God wants to give us freedom from sin, power, over the enemy, perfect peace, exceeding joy, health, strong relationships, a beautiful marriage, and fruitfulness in His kingdom. These are things He makes very clear in scripture that He delights to give us. (And the more we learn to listen to the still small voice of His Spirit, the more we learn what His will is even in regard to the specific details of our lives.) No longer do we merely pray our own prayers, but we pray the things that are on His heart to pray, in agreement with His Spirit. (See Romans 8:26)"

"So Jesus answered and said to them, Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done." Matthew 21:21


 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask[a] anything in My name, I will do it. John 14:12-14


 “Again I say[a] to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” Matthew 18:19-20


Jesus said to him, “If you can believe,[a] all things are possible to him who believes.”  Mark 9:23


"Confess your trespasses[a] to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit." James 5:16-18


Leslie also goes on to say that "I have seen many professing Christians abuse this principle, asking God give them selfish cravings of their flesh. (Like the 'name it claim it' people who think that if they ask in faith for a Lamborghini, God will give it to them.) Scripture makes it clear that if we are living for selfish pleasure instead of for Christ, we will not receive the things we ask for. "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.' (James 4:3) But if we have yielded our entire hearts, minds and bodies to the Spirit of Christ, and are allowing Him to have rulership over our lives, we can be confident that He desires to give us 'everything we need for life and godliness' (see 2 Peter 1:3). He gives us good gifts, not so that we can keep the benefits of His kingdom to ourselves, but so that we are strong enough to pour them out on behalf of people in need. He blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others."


I want to encourage you all to pray without ceasing, pray with persistence, and pray without doubt. God is moved by our our prayers and will answer them if they are in alignment with His Word.  As Martin Luther says:  "God sometimes delays, but He always comes.