Everyday Miracles: 20 Day Journey With Elijah And ElishaSample

Because you’ve become the righteousness of Christ, your prayers have unspeakable power.

In describing the incredible power of every believer’s prayers, James makes an astounding comparison: “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours…” (James 5:17). The implication is shocking. God didn’t work miracles through Elijah because the prophet was better or less human than you are; Elijah was just like you. And God stopped the rain on account of Elijah’s intercession. 

In describing the healing ministry that God has entrusted to the local church, James is building the believer’s faith for miracles. The one qualification that James highlights for a powerful prayer life is that the intercessor be “righteous.” The “prayer of a righteous person has great power.” 

Some might stumble here saying, “Ah, there’s the difference. Elijah was righteous and I am less so.” To understand James’ point, we must be clear about two truths: 1) no “superhero” in the Old Testament (or New Testament) was perfectly righteous; 2) every Christian has been reckoned as perfectly righteous by God through the meritorious work of Jesus. 

Not one of the spiritual giants was without sin. Abraham lied about his wife. Moses disobeyed, struck a rock and was banned from the Promised Land. David was a murderer and adulterer. Jeremiah complained to God. Jonah ran away from God. Peter denied Jesus three times. If God can only use the prayers of perfect people, He can use no one’s prayers. 

More importantly, every Christian has been declared “righteous” through the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life so that, when He took your sin on the cross, God could impute Jesus’ righteousness to you. “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:19, ESV). When you accept Christ, you are not only forgiven of all your sin; you are also credited with the meritorious life that Jesus lived. God looks upon you as if you had never sinned and, more, as if you had lived Jesus’ righteous life. 

Therefore, you are the righteous one James speaks of when he declares that the prayer of the righteous person is powerful. And that’s the Gospel!

Questions for Reflection: 

1) How are you prone to disqualify yourself or discount the power of your prayer life? Take a moment to list your “disqualifications”:

2) For each of the “disqualifications” you listed, write what God’s Word says that redeems the “disqualification” (for example, you might write FORGIVEN or NOW USED FOR GOD’S GLORY or GIVES ME COMPASSION FOR OTHERS):

3) How does seeing yourself as the “righteousness” of Jesus change your prayer life? How would you pray differently today if you truly, deeply believed that you’re no different than Elijah (and, in fact, reckoned to be as righteous as Jesus)?

Prayer for the Day:

Lord, I confess my tendency to disqualify myself for lack of righteousness, but your Word declares that I have become the righteousness of Jesus by His shed blood so I lay claim to the fullness of my new standing with you. I agree with your Word that I am not only forgiven but also credited with Jesus’ meritorious life. Therefore, teach me Father God, to draw near to your throne of grace with boldness and grant that my prayer life soars with faith and power in whole new ways. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.