Maybe you doubt whether your prayers can really be effective, especially when you’re asking for the impossible or what seems unlikely. In the back of your mind you’re thinking, “will my prayer really make a difference?” Or, as one of my readers asked, “Can I move God?”
I have found myself struggling with these questions, too.
My daughter lived in Los Angeles where wildfires are particularly devastating. One summer, I watched on the news as they ravaged the landscape, towns, and homes of California, Washington, and Oregon. The fires were so widespread that they seem impossible for firefighters to put out.
I found myself becoming overwhelmed by the enormity of the disaster and questioning whether my small prayers could make a difference. I also questioned my ability to move God—that my faith wasn’t enough to move mountains.
Power in Passionate Prayer
Often we hesitate to pray big, bold prayers.
Nevertheless, I prayed. I prayed for rain—torrential rain—the one thing that could extinguish the flames. And, that led me to think about a man in the Bible whose prayers made a difference to the weather—Elijah! He prayed and it didn’t rain for three and a half years. He prayed again and his prayers brought a downpour.
As James 5:16 says: The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. There is a direct connection between our prayers and their effect.
This should have encouraged me as I prayed for a change in weather on the west coast. But, then doubt set in. “Elijah,” I told myself, “was special.” He was a prophet and a “man of God.” My prayers couldn’t possibly have the same effect as Elijah’s prayers.
I’m not the only one who held Elijah in awe. His popularity and achievements extended down through the centuries. He was a legend to the people of Israel right into Jesus’ time. But, James made a significant point about Elijah for the Jewish people at that time, which also applies to us today.
James, having just said tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer, (the same verse as above but from The Passion Translation) James immediately turned to Elijah. (Seems like I’m not the only one who associates big, bold prayers with Elijah!) But, James makes it clear that: Elijah was as human as we are. In other words, there was nothing special about Elijah. Only that he prayed earnestly.
Pray Impossible Prayers
If you’re feeling you’re not good enough, not holy enough, or there has to be something different in your life for impossible prayers to get answered, know that there doesn’t.
You don’t need to be a special person to have big requests answered. You just need to pray earnestly, making big, bold prayers.
Pray fervently.
What should you be praying for today? What do you earnestly want to happen?
Pray with courage and confidence believing your prayer will bring change.