James 5:16b
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
Some years ago I contracted whooping cough. To be honest, I thought it was only something children got and was amazed when my GP told me I had caught it. From time to time over a number of weeks I struggled to breathe. The worst episodes were in the middle of the night, and I will never forget those desperate attempts to breathe which ended in the ‘whoop’ as air finally, slowly and painfully returned to my lungs.
Breathing is essential to life, and I now have a new respect for the process and a deep gratitude that I can breathe without a struggle. The Bible makes it clear that prayer is the way in which we breathe as Christians. Everything depends on prayer. It has been wisely said that we are as strong as our prayer lives and no stronger.
James encourages his readers to pray because it can have incredible results. He points to Elijah, who was one of the most popular figures in the Old Testament. Key to Elijah’s life was the fact that he was a righteous man – he lived his life in step with God. That’s how God wants us to live our lives too, and it will only happen as we breathe in the life of God in prayer. Like Elijah, we will have our ups and downs, but as we pray we can confidently expect that our prayers will have great power and produce wonderful results.
Question
What steps do you need to take to ensure that prayer has a more central place in your life?
Prayer
Thank You Lord for the incredible privilege of prayer. Help me to never take it for granted. Amen

Released on 10 Oct 2026