THE BOOK OF JAMES

(“Praying As Effectively As Elijah”)


James 5:16-18 (NASU)


16“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”

(James 5:16-18)


  1. “The effective prayer of A RIGHTEOUS MAN can

accomplish much” (James 5:16)

(1) The first part of verse sixteen contains a two-fold command – first, we Christians are to “CONFESS our sins to one another – and then we are to PRAY for one another so that we may be healed” (c.f. James 5:16). In this instance, the “healing” of which James speaks is (as I’ve explained in other messages) from spiritual weakness and weariness, brought on by persecution or some other form of intense or prolonged difficulty – rather than from some form of physical sickness or disease.

Something we haven’t mentioned very often is that “healing” can also be a reference to the forgiveness of our sins (c.f. James 5:15) – especially those that have contributed to our spiritual depression and defeat – or those that have cropped up as a result of having fallen into a state of spiritual depression and defeat.

(a) Most Christians are not intimated by the idea of praying for one another (although we do tend to be generic rather than specific, and we do tend to pray more for physical needs rather than spiritual needs) – but the mutual confession of our sins to one another is definitely not something most of us want to do, even if it’s done one-on-one in private with a brother or sister in Christ whom we trust (which is what I think James had in mind).

And yet, there’s no getting around the fact that the command to “confess our sins to one another” is right here in plain sight (as it were) – just as surely as other commands we may find more palatable, like “love one another” (c.f. John 13:34-35), or “be kind to one another” (c.f. Ephesians 4:32), or “bear with one another” (c.f. Colossians 3:23).

(b) Hence, one of the first questions we have to ask and answer is this: am I going to look for ways to obey this command or not? Am I going to become (by Christ’s enabling grace) a “doer of God’s word”, so far as this particular command is concerned – or (as James said back in chapter one) am I merely going to be a “hearer of the word”, who has “deluded himself” (perhaps) into thinking the Lord will surely give me a pass on this one (c.f. James 1:22)? (forgetting that James also said – in chapter two – that “whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point … has become guilty of all” (c.f. James 2:10).

What’s more, if this how I’m going to treat the command about developing the mutual ministry of confessing my sins to another believer, what will I do with the next command I encounter in Scripture that I would rather not obey? If I knowingly disobey this command, am I not establishing a pattern of disobedience? Or, is my reluctance to obey this particular command simply the latest manifestation of a pattern that’s already been going on in my life for years?

(c) It’s true that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (c.f. Romans 8:1) (and I for one am glad that’s true!) – but it’s also true that that blessed promise is not a license to “go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth” (c.f. Hebrews 10:26).

It’s true that we have been saved by grace (c.f. Ephesians 2:5), and that we are being preserved and perfected by grace (c.f. Galatians 3:1-3) – but it’s also true that we are not to presume upon God’s grace by deliberately continuing in some known sin (c.f. Romans 6:1-2) (whether it be a sin of commission or a sin of omission).

It’s true that once we’ve been saved, nothing can ever separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (c.f. Romans 8:31-39) (and again, I’m so glad we have that promise!) – but at the same time, however, it’s also true that obedience to Christ’s commands is the real measure of our love for our Savior (c.f. John 14:15).

(2) Rather than giving us a negative reason to obey the two-fold command found in verse sixteen (as I’ve just done) (and I call it a two-fold command, because in this context BOTH mutual confession AND mutual prayer are necessary in order for us to be spiritually healed) (rather than giving us a negative reason), James gives us a positive reason to obey – especially when it comes to mutually praying for one other – saying (in the last part of verse sixteen), “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16).

(a) We noted last time that the “righteous man” (or woman) (c.f. James 5:16) is first of all a Christian – i.e. someone who has been declared righteous or made right in the sight of God, as a result of having repented of their sins and having professed faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior (c.f. Romans 5:19). Hence, a “righteous man(’s)” righteousness is not his own, but Christ’s (c.f. II Corinthians 5:21) – as a result of being saved, the “righteous man” is now “clothed in the righteousness of Christ”, as we sometimes say (c.f. Galatians 3:27; Philippians 3:9).

Among other things, this means the promise of “effective prayer” in verse sixteen (c.f. James 5:16) is not made to non-Christians, but only to Christ’s redeemed people. The promise that our prayers “can accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16) is not made to everyone without exception – but only to those who belong to Christ. As John Calvin said: “God does not hear the ungodly”5 (c.f. Proverbs 15:29) – hence, their prayers are “vanity, and striving after wind, and of no profit under the sun” (as the Book of Ecclesiastes would say) (c.f. Ecclesiastes 2:11).

(b) We also noted last time that the “righteous man” is not just a Christian – he or she is also a Christian whose walk reflects their profession of faith (c.f. I Thessalonians 2:12) – whose daily life is characterized by a commitment to live “righteously” (after the example of people like Job, Mary’s husband Joseph, and even Zacharias and Elizabeth, to name four – c.f. Job 1:1; Matthew 1:19; Luke 1:5-6). John Blanchard put it like this: “It’s not enough for a person to be able to say, ‘I’m a Christian,’ and look to his spiritual or positional righteousness as a guarantee of praying successfully; he must also be morally righteous”1 (c.f. Psalm 66:18; I John 3:21-22).

The “righteous man” or woman is NOT perfect – but they are repentant, after the example of David (c.f. Psalm 32:5). The “righteous man” or woman is NOT free from sin (in fact, some of their sins are extremely serious) – but they do confess their sins on a regular basis (c.f. I John 1:9), which is one reason why “confessing our sins to one another” is so important (c.f. James 5:16) – otherwise, when left to ourselves the tendency is to not take our sins as seriously as we should, which often translates into not confessing our sins as often as we need to!

Among other things, this means the promise of “effective prayer” in verse sixteen (c.f. James 5:16) is not made indiscriminately – i.e. it’s not made to Christians who are indifferent to, or cavalier about the sin in their life. Rather, it’s made to believers who are deeply concerned about their sins – who frequently confess them, and repent of them – having adopted the oft-quoted attitude found in Psalm One Hundred Thirty-Nine that says: 23“Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; 24and see if there be any hurtful way in me …” (c.f. Psalm 139:23-24). After which, having been cleansed and forgiven once again (even for the 490th time (c.f. Matthew 18:21-22), they continue their “pursuit of righteousness” (c.f. I Timothy 6:11) – albeit never in their own strength, but always and only “by the strength which God supplies” (c.f. I Peter 4:11).


  1. “The EFFECTIVE PRAYER of a righteous man

CAN ACCOMPLISH MUCH” (c.f. James 5:16)

(1) Let’s say, then, that (thanks to God’s grace) we are “a righteous man” or woman, by virtue of being a Christian – by virtue of being committed to the pursuit of personal righteousness – and by virtue of confessing our sins on a regular basis. Let’s also say that our Savior has graciously given us the courage to enter into a relationship with a brother or sister in Christ (perhaps our spouse) with whom we consistently meet in order to “confess our sins to one another and pray for one another” (c.f. James 5:16). James says (in the last part of verse sixteen) that given these circumstances there are two things we can say about our prayers – that they should be “effective” – and that they “can accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16).

(a) The Greek word translated “effective” (“energeo”) carries the idea of “energy”2 or being energetic – hence, it means to be vigorous or “active”3 (c.f. Hebrews 4:12), which also implies success. The word literally means “to work or do.”4 Therefore, it’s possible that James is telling us prayer works – or perhaps we should say that God chooses to work through prayer6 (albeit only when certain conditions are met – like faith and righteousness, obedience to His commands, and praying according to His will – c.f. James 1:5-8; 5:16; I John 3:21-22; 5:14-15).

If that’s the case, then James is also telling us that it’s God choosing to work through the prayers of His people that makes our prayers “effective” (c.f. James 5:16) – not something in us, or something we do that makes them “effective”. As Jesus said elsewhere: “apart from Me you can do nothing” (c.f. John 15:5) – and no where do we need His help more than when it comes to praying “effectively” (c.f. Romans 8:26).

(b) It’s also possible, however, that James is describing the kind of prayer that “can accomplish much”5 – namely, the “ENERGETIC” prayers of “a righteous man” (c.f. James 5:16). Hence, the NKJV says that “the effective, FERVENT prayer of a righteous man avails much” (c.f. James 5:16). If this is the case, then James is exhorting us to pray fervently (perhaps after the example of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane – c.f. Luke 22:44) – he’s telling us to pray with intensity, and zeal, and passion – as opposed to the often lifeless, monotonous, repetitive, going-through-the-motion ways we pray.

When the people of Nineveh prayed in response to Jonah’s message of impending doom, the prophet said they “call(ed) on God EARNESTLY” (c.f. Jonah 3:8). Likewise, when a synagogue official named Jairus came to Jesus and asked Him to lay hands on his little daughter because she was at the point of death, the Gospel of Mark says he “IMPLORED (Jesus) EARNESTLY” (c.f. Mark 5:22-23). We should note that in both instances, these fervent prayers proved to be “effective”.

It was said of Epaphras that he “always labor(ed) EARNESTLY for (the Colossians) in his prayers” (c.f. Colossians 4:12) – while Paul told the Christians living in Thessalonica that he and his traveling companions were “praying EARNESTLY night and day that God would allow them to see their faces and complete what was lacking in their faith” (c.f. I Thessalonians 3:10). Even the example James uses in verses seventeen and eighteen says that the prophet Elijah 17“prayed EARNESTLY that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again (presumably just as EARNESTLY), and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit” (c.f. James 5:17-18).

The point is, that “effective” prayer (c.f. James 5:16) is often FERVENT – that “effective” prayer is often EARNEST – that “effective” prayer is often ZEALOUS – that “effective” prayer is frequently INTENSE, and deeply PASSIONATE – anything but routine, or ho-hum, or blasé.

(c) The other thing James says about the prayers of “a righteous man” is that they “can accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16). In fact, he used three high-powered words to get his point across – starting with the Greek word for “can” (“ischuo”) which literally means “to be strong, or to have power” (hence, the NIV says the prayers of a righteous man are “powerful”).

Interestingly, the Greek word translated “accomplish” (“energeo”) is the same word translated “effective” earlier in the sentence – and as we’ve already seen, it carries the idea of something that works, or is successful. In this instance, it’s the mutual prayers of righteous men (c.f. Matthew 18:20) that work or succeed, because those prayers are able to “accomplish” what the person praying set out to do.

One of the shades of meaning for the Greek word translated “much” (“polus”) is that of “great”.8 Hence, a children’s paraphrase says: “when a good man prays, GREAT things happen” (c.f. James 5:16, ICB).

(d) So, by putting these three words together in a single phrase, James drives home his point – that “the energetic (or fervent) prayers of a righteous man are a potent force when it comes to calling upon God to step in and restore a weak, struggling believer to spiritual health.”2 I think of Moses, who, when he saw that his sister Miriam was covered with leprosy (on account of her sin), prayed simply (but earnestly): “O God, heal her, I pray!” (c.f. Numbers 12:13) – and the Lord did, albeit not instantly.

James’ point is that our prayers can also “accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16) in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ – especially where spiritual weakness and weariness is concerned – as well as when it comes to the forgiveness of those sins that often lead to or accompany these times of spiritual desperation and defeat.


  1. “ELIJAH was a man with a nature like ours, and

he PRAYED EARNESTLY that it would not rain, and it did not rain …” (c.f. James 5:17-18)

(1) As evidence that “the effective prayers of a righteous man really “can accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16) – or, to make it more personal, that OUR prayers really “can accomplish much” – (as proof) James draws upon the example of Elijah the prophet (c.f. James 5:17-18). And essentially what he says is this – if God used Elijah’s prayers to withhold rain, and then later break a prolonged drought, He can also use OUR prayers to “accomplish” (c.f. James 5:16) spiritual “healing” in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ who have grown weak and weary from intense persecution, or some other form of extended suffering.

(2) Most Christians today probably have the same initial reaction to this example, and it goes something like this – “Yeah, but that was Elijah! And I’m no Elijah!” “Elijah was a great prophet of God – and I’m just … me!” In other words, there’s an intimidation factor at work in our fallen, finite hearts – after all, Elijah’s prayers once raised a woman’s dead son back to life (c.f. I Kings 17:17-23) – his prayers once brought down fire from heaven on Mount Carmel (c.f. I Kings 18:20-39) – according to James it was the prayers of Elijah that kept rain from falling in the land of Israel for three and half years (c.f. James 5:17) – and it was the prayers of Elijah that finally broke the drought (c.f. James 5:18). And most of us look at these things and say, “I can’t compete with that! My prayers could never accomplish things like that!”

(a) I should say in passing, then, that James is NOT suggesting God will use our prayers exactly the same way He used the prayers of Elijah – i.e. to raise the dead, or call down fire from heaven, or effect the weather. He IS saying, however, that God will use our prayers to “accomplish” [c.f. James 5:16] His purposes in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ, just like He used Elijah’s prayers to “accomplish” His purposes in people’s lives in those days.

I should also add that prayer is not about you and me manipulating God so we can do some spectacular things. Prayer, especially in the context found here in James chapter five, is about you and me being used by God to “accomplish” [c.f. James 5:16] His purposes in the lives of His spiritually weak and weary people, who may also be weighed down by their sins.

(b) When we look at Elijah – or even some other figure from Scripture like Moses or Joshua, Daniel or David – we don’t see people like ourselves – we usually see people who supposedly have superhuman faith and extra-ordinary power. We see spiritual giants – we see men who possessed exceptional spiritual abilities – we see men who are as far above us spiritually, as LaBron James and Kobe Bryant are above us when it comes to playing basketball – we see men who are totally out of league when it comes to what their prayers vs. ours can “accomplish” (c.f. James 5:16).

(3) That’s why it’s important not to gloss over the first phrase in verse seventeen, where James says: “Elijah was a man WITH A NATURE LIKE OURS …” (c.f. James 5:17) – the point being that “Elijah was a man just like us” (which is how the NIV actually translates it) – that Elijah was no different than you or me, and yet God used his prayers to “accomplish” (c.f. James 5:16) His purposes.

(a) Scripture tells us Elijah had to cope with fear, periods of depression, and physical limitations9 – just like you and I do.

For example, after his great spiritual victory on Mount Carmel, where his prayer resulted in fire from God coming down out of heaven – after he had fearlessly confronted 450 prophets of Baal with a contest to see whose God really was God – after he had overseen the slaughter of those same 450 prophets of Baal, in order to rid the land of their evil influence – after all that, Queen Jezebel (who was the prime supporter of Baal worship) sent word to Elijah, saying: “… may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time” (c.f. I Kings 19:2) (i.e. “You’re a dead man, Elijah!”) – whereupon the next verse says: “And (Elijah) was AFRAID and arose and RAN FOR HIS LIFE and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah …” (c.f. I Kings 19:3). He proceeded on into the wilderness, where he finally came to a juniper tree, sat down under it, “and … requested … that he might die, (saying), ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers’” (c.f. I Kings 19:4). Still later, he complained to God, saying: “… I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” (c.f. I Kings 19:14).

So much for being a spiritual giant! So much for being out of our league! So much for being free from the same passions and mood swings, the same frailties and fears10 that plague you and me. On the contrary, James is absolutely right when he says that “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours …” (c.f. James 5:17).

(b) But that’s only half the story – for the other half is that 17“… he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit” (c.f. James 5:17-18). In other words, even though he struggled with depression, and fear, and self-pity just like you and I do – God still used Elijah’s prayers to “accomplish” His sovereign purposes – which in this instance, involved withholding rain from the land of Israel for three and half years, and then sending rain at the end of that time.

Actually, when we read the Old Testament account of the beginning and end of this drought (c.f. I Kings 17:1; 18:1, 42-45), Scripture never comes right and says Elijah prayed – nevertheless, James says he did. And since James was writing under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit (c.f. II Peter 1:20-21), we assume what he said is correct – that Elijah prayed earnestly, and that God used Elijah’s “earnest prayers” (c.f. James 5:17) to start and stop a devastating three-and-one-half-year drought.2

(c) James’ point, then, is not to hold up Elijah as an extra-ordinary miracle-worker – or even as an exceptional man of prayer – but rather, to hold him up as an ordinary man who knew the humiliation of fear, the agony of defeat, and the shame of spiritual dejection – who could put his head between his knees and wish himself dead.11 And if we inquire as to why this picture of Elijah should encourage us, the answer is, because this is the same man whose “earnest, effective prayers” were used by God to “accomplish” His sovereign purposes (c.f. James 5:16-17). The point being, that God will do the same thing with our prayers – i.e. “accomplish” (c.f. James 5:16) whatever His purposes are for our weak and weary brothers and sisters in Christ.

(4) This morning’s text calls all Christians (not just the elders of the church – c.f. James 5:14-15) to a mutual ministry of intercessory prayer. It calls all Christians (including the elders of the church) to “confess our sins to one another and pray for one another so that we may be healed” (c.f. James 5:16). It calls all Christians (whether they be elders or not) to pray “effectively” – which means praying fervently and “earnestly”. It promises all Christians that “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16). It even holds up “Elijah” as an example of someone “with a nature (just) like ours”, whose prayers were used by God to “accomplish” His sovereign purposes (c.f. James 5:17-18).

May the Lord enable us to start praying “earnestly” and fervently for one another – believing (c.f. James 1:6) the promise that He will use our prayers to “accomplish much” (c.f. James 5:16) in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ – including those who have grown weak and weary in the faith.



BIBLIOGRAPHY


1Blanchard: Truth For Life; p. 384.

2MacArthur: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary;

James; p. 280.

3BCS: Strong’s Concordance; Word #1756.

4IBID; Word #1754.

5Calvin’s Commentaries: Vol. XXII; The Catholic Epistles;

p. 359.

6Blanchard: Ibid; p. 386.

7BCS: Ibid; Word #2480.

8IBID; Word #4183.

9Kistemaker: New Testament Commentary; James, Epistles

of John, Peter and Jude; p. 181.

10Keddie: The Practical Christian; p. 216.

11Blanchard: Ibid; p. 387.