01/24/2026
My mother seems to have a direct line to God. When she prays, things happen. We often overrate other activities and underrate prayer. But Scripture declares, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results” (James 5:16b).
These qualities of earnestness and righteousness are often evident in senior saints, as decades of Bible study and faithful obedience pay off in powerful prayer.
James 5:17-18 offers an Old Testament example: “Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops” (NLT).
Elijah, one of God’s prophets, consistently proved himself righteous. And while we don't know his age, we do know his prayers weren’t just casual suggestions. “Earnestly” he poured his heart out before God.
You can read more about Elijah’s prayers in 1 Kings 17-18. He prayed first for a drought and later for rain. Sandwiched between these two prayers, we also see Elijah on Mount Carmel standing against 450 prophets of Baal.
Clearly, Elijah was on the frontline of the battle against darkness. And there on the mountain, another of his earnest prayers brought the fire of God from heaven to earth.
My mother isn’t an Old Testament prophet, and her prayers don’t regularly change the weather. They may not even bring the answers we hope for. But they often make the wait go more smoothly, with more peace and fewer stumbling blocks.
By God’s grace, my mother’s prayers (and those of like-minded friends) have shepherded loved ones through job hunts, financial setbacks, and worrisome medical treatments. They have driven out fear and moved events forward.
I used to think prayer was a sideline activity, a lesser act of service to God. I now know better. Prayer is the ultimate weapon in the battle against evil.
- Shirlee Abbott
Do you feel sidelined by your circumstances, like you have less to offer than others? Perhaps God is reassigning you to a ministry of earnest prayer.
