Ordinary Prayers, Extraordinary Power | James 5:13-18

01/31/25 • 6 min

Ever feel like your prayers don’t matter? James reminds us that they do—big time. Whether you’re suffering, celebrating, or struggling, prayer unleashes God’s extraordinary power. Just think: if an ordinary man like Elijah could pray and the skies obeyed, imagine what God could do through your prayers.

Welcome to the Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is James 5:13-18.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. — James 5:13-18

In a quick study of this text, you will see:

The suffering are called to pray.
The cheerful are called to praise.
The sick are called to seek leaders to pray for them.
The sinful are called to confess and be prayed for to be healed.

And then you will also see pray or prayer is mentioned seven times:

"Let him pray." (v. 13)
"Let them pray over him." (v. 14)
"The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick." (v. 15)
"Pray for one another." (v. 16)
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power." (v. 16)
"He prayed fervently that it might not rain." (v. 17)
"Then he prayed again." (v. 18)

Seven times, James emphasizes it in these six verses, weaving it into every situation of life. Whether you're suffering, celebrating, sick, or struggling with sin, the response is consistent: prayer connects you to the One who holds the power to heal, restore, and provide.

But James isn’t simply urging prayer as a ritual; he’s highlighting its transformational power. Prayer aligns the human heart with God’s will. Notice how James references Elijah, reminding us that this prophet, though an extraordinary figure, was a man "with a nature like ours." His fervent prayers stopped and started rain! The key wasn’t Elijah's superhuman nature but his reliance on a supernatural God. Thus, we should see prayer not as a passive act but as a dynamic engagement with God's power.

The takeaway is simple but profound: pray like it matters. In suffering, let prayer be your first recourse, not your last resort. When joyful, let prayer overflow as praise, expressing your gratitude to God. If you're sick or struggling with sin, don’t go it alone—invite others into your situation. The act of confessing and praying together builds spiritual unity and fosters healing.

James reminds us that prayer isn’t limited by human weakness; it's magnified by faith. Like Elijah, you might feel ordinary, but your prayers can yield extraordinary results. So pray ordinary prayers and experience extraordinary power.

Take time to share your prayer in the comments below.

#PrayerPower, #James5Devotional, #FaithInAction

ASK THIS:

When was the last time you turned to prayer as your first response?
How does your view of prayer align with James' description of its power?
What can you do today to invite others to pray with you or for you?
In what ways can you pray with greater faith and boldness, like Elijah?

DO THIS:

Pray intentionally today for one specific need, trusting God’s extraordinary power to work through your faith.

PRAY THIS:

Father, thank You for the gift of prayer and the privilege to connect with Your power. Teach me to pray with faith and boldness, trusting You in every situation. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

Don't Stop Praying.

Welcome to the Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is James 5:13-18.

In a quick study of this text, you will see:

The suffering are called to pray.
The cheerful are called to praise.
The sick are called to seek leaders to pray for them.
The sinful are called to confess and be prayed for to be healed.

And then you will also see pray or prayer is mentioned seven times:

"Let him pray." (v. 13)
"Let them pray over him." (v. 14)
"The prayer of faith will save the one who is sick." (v. 15)
"Pray for one another." (v. 16)
"The prayer of a righteous person has great power." (v. 16)
"He prayed fervently that it might not rain." (v. 17)
"Then he prayed again." (v. 18)

Take time to share your prayer in the comments below.

#PrayerPower, #James5Devotional, #FaithInAction

ASK THIS:

When was the last time you turned to prayer as your first response?
How does your view of prayer align with James' description of its power?
What can you do today to invite others to pray with you or for you?
In what ways can you pray with greater faith and boldness, like Elijah?

DO THIS:

Pray intentionally today for one specific need, trusting God’s extraordinary power to work through your faith.

PRAY THIS:

Father, thank You for the gift of prayer and the privilege to connect with Your power. Teach me to pray with faith and boldness, trusting You in every situation. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

Don't Stop Praying.

Previous Episode

Why Integrity Matters More Than Promises | James 5:12

We’re wrapping up the book of James—what a journey it’s been! Grab the Ecclesiastes Journal now if you’re looking for your next study.

Did you know that every promise we make is a test of our character? James cuts through the noise and says our words alone should be enough to reflect who we truly are. Are yours passing the test?

Welcome to the Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is James 5:12.

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. — James 5:12

James’ instruction to avoid making promises by swearing an oath may seem a bit odd, but he challenges how believers use their words.

In the first century, swearing by heaven or earth was a common way to emphasize the seriousness of one's promises. James addresses the deeper issue behind this practice: the motivations that drive the need to make promises. He emphasizes that a believer's words should be defined by integrity, where simple honesty carries more weight than any excessive assurances. When a person's "yes" is consistently trustworthy and their "no" is reliably dependable, there’s no need for elaborate promises or safeguards to validate their honesty.

This text reminds us that excessive promises reveal two more profound issues.

First | Lack of Dependability: If people can’t take us at our word and we need to make grandiose promises, it might suggest a pattern of inconsistency. Perhaps in the past, we’ve said "yes" to something but failed to follow through, or we’ve said "no" but later changed our mind. This inconsistency can create a reputation where our words alone are empty, requiring extra promises or explanations to be believed.

Second | Fear of Accountability: Adding extra weight to our words, like swearing an oath or making elaborate promises, might stem from a fear of being held accountable. We might need to overly emphasize our sincerity because we’re not confident that our simple words will be enough—or worse, we’re unsure if we’ll follow through.

Both issues point to a deeper spiritual problem: a lack of integrity. This happens when our internal motivation doesn’t align with our external actions. When we feel the need to "dress up" our words, it reveals a gap between how we want to be perceived and how we’ve acted. James calls us to close that gap by living and speaking in a way that doesn’t require embellishment or extra guarantees. Instead, we should strive to cultivate a reputation for being trustworthy and consistent so that our words alone are enough.

Ultimately, this scripture invites us to examine not just what we say but why we say it—and to let the truth of Christ reshape both.

So speak with integrity so that your words stand firm without the need for all that extra reinforcement. Let your "yes" be yes, and your "no" be no.

#IntegrityMatters, #James5Devotional, #DailyBibleStudy

ASK THIS:

What does it mean for your "yes" to be yes and your "no" to be no?
How does fear of accountability influence the promises you make?
In what ways can you build a reputation of trustworthiness?
How can aligning your internal motivations with your external actions reflect Christ's truth?

DO THIS:

Examine one area of your life where you overpromise or overexplain and commit to simple, honest communication this week.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, help me to speak with honesty and integrity in all I say. May my words reflect the trustworthiness and truth of Christ in my life. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

Honesty.

Next Episode

Calling Back the Wanderer: Our Mission | James 5:19-20

Have you ever felt the sting of watching someone you care about make choices that lead them down a destructive path? It’s heartbreaking—and yet, it’s also an invitation. What if God has placed you in their life not just to watch but to act?

Welcome to the Daily. We go through the bible verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter, every single day.

Our text today is James 5:19-20.

My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. — James 5:19-20

James concludes his letter with a call to action for all believers. He recognizes the reality of people who have "wandered" away—those who have drifted from the truth, been enticed by sin, or weighed down by trials. But notice how intentional James is: he doesn’t frame the script as mere observation but speaks to the one who cares enough to intervene. He highlights the beauty of a soul saved and the redemptive "covering of sins" when one is brought back to the truth. This is not just about correction; it’s about rescue, restoration, and renewal.

This scripture defines the kind of community we are called to build—one where wandering doesn’t end in permanent isolation but in redemption. It’s a call to a culture of persistence and pursuit of those who stray.

Here are two measures we can take:

First | Care Enough to Act: When someone wanders, the easiest response is to disengage and rationalize inaction—“It’s their choice” or “They won’t listen to me.” But James calls us to engage, to care deeply enough to take the risk. We should pray for boldness and wisdom to step into those tough conversations with love.

Second | Cultivate Caring Community: For a wandering soul to return, they need to know they’ll be met with grace and truth, not just hard truth and harsh judgment adding to shame. We should ask ourselves if my church, my small group, or my circle of friends is a place where people can find restoration.

Here's the bottom line of James' last line:

We should care enough to call them back and create a place for a comeback.

This is the community we strive to build—one where grace is abundant, truth is spoken in love, and no one is left to wander alone. We want to be a place where men and women can come back to Christ and grow deeper in their faith, knowing they’ll be met with open arms and a path to restoration. Let’s live this out together.

#RestoringFaith #GraceInAction #CommunityOfChrist

ASK THIS:

Who in your life might need to be lovingly called back to the truth?
What fears or hesitations keep you from acting when someone strays from faith?
How can your community become a place of grace and restoration?
What steps can you take to ensure truth is spoken in love rather than judgment?

DO THIS:

Identify one person in your life who has wandered from the truth. Commit to praying for them and reaching out in love this week.

PRAY THIS:

Lord, give me a heart that cares enough to act when I see others wander from You. Help me to create a community that reflects Your grace and truth, where restoration is always possible. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

Here Again.